Georgia – Amended Immigration Rules Affect Foreign Workers and Self-Employed Foreign Nationals

Key Highlights

A New Regime for Short‑Term Professional Activity

One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a distinct regime for short-term professional activity of foreign workers. Short-term professional activity is defined as professional work or services performed by a foreign national in Georgia for a specific period. This activity must not constitute long-term employment in the local labour market and is tied to a specific short-term project, event, or service.  

Under the new amendments:

• Short-term professional activity is limited to a maximum of four months within a calendar year;
• The foreign national shall carry out this activity during a period of lawful stay in Georgia, meaning they are required to hold a valid visa, enjoy visa free status where applicable, or have a valid residence permit.

Registration Obligations for Employers and Service Organisers

• Before a foreign worker begins short-term professional activity in Georgia, the local employer or service organizer is now required to register the foreign worker in a dedicated electronic system, available at businessstatement.moh.gov.ge.
• As part of this registration, the employer is required to submit the information prescribed by the legislation, including the employer’s details, the foreign worker’s personal data, the profession or position, and the planned start and end dates of the activity.
• Proper registration and confirmation by the relevant agency are essential. If the foreign worker is not registered correctly, or if the registration is not confirmed, the activity will not be treated as short-term professional activity.
• In such cases, both the foreign worker and the employer or service organizer may be exposed to liability under the labour migration regulations.

Registration for short-term professional activity is free of state charges.

Quotas and Turnover Requirements for Employers Hiring Foreign Workers

The amendments introduce new quota and turnover rules for employers who intend to engage a larger number of foreign employees.

Local employers are required to obtain an annual quota from the relevant agency through the same portal, businessstatement.moh.gov.ge, at least 10 working days before applying for work activity rights if they plan to employ more than five foreign nationals in a calendar year, or if foreign nationals will account for more than five percent of all employees. If five percent of the workforce corresponds to fewer than five employees, the threshold of five persons effectively applies.

To secure a quota, employers are generally required to demonstrate a minimum annual turnover per foreign worker. The threshold is set at GEL 50,000 per foreign national. For educational and medical institutions, a reduced threshold of GEL 35,000 per foreign national applies.

The state agency has significant discretion over quota management. It may:

• Set the annual quota for each employer;
• Increase the quota upon a justified request by the employer (e.g., business expansion, major project);
• Reduce next year’s quota if the employer does not fully use the current year’s quota.

Employers should therefore plan their foreign hiring needs carefully and monitor quota usage throughout the year.

Removal of the Vacancy Publication Requirement

Under the previous framework, employers intending to hire foreign workers were required to publish job vacancies on the Worknet platform as an additional layer in the process of obtaining a work activity right. The new amendments do not include such an obligation, meaning that employers are no longer required to post vacancies on Worknet as a prerequisite for moving forward with the work activity authorization for foreign employees.

When Employment Changes Do Not Trigger a New Work Activity Right

• The new rules clarify that a new work activity right and notification through the electronic system are not required if an employment relationship with a foreign national change only in certain limited respects, specifically:
• If an employment contract is amended solely to reflect a change in position level (for instance, from junior to senior);
• An adjustment in salary;
• A modification of the work schedule.

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