Quotas for foreign workers in Georgia: Application process in 2026

As of July 10, 2026, the procedure has changed: the previous requirement to post job openings on Worknet for 10 business days has been replaced by a system of annual quotas for individual employers. The changes were introduced by Georgian Government Decree No. 321 of July 9, 2026, and took effect upon publication — July 10, 2026.

It is important to distinguish between:

1. The employer quota — the number of foreign workers a specific company may apply for during a calendar year.
2. The national quota by occupation — restrictions on specific types of activities.

Even if an employer does not need a quota, a separate right to engage in employment — effectively a work permit — is still issued for each foreign national.

1. When an employer needs an annual quota

An employer is required to obtain prior approval for an annual quota if:

• the employer plans to hire more than five foreign nationals during a calendar year;
• or the number of foreign nationals exceeds 5 % of the total workforce;
• However, there is an exception: if 5 % of the total workforce consists of fewer than five people, a minimum threshold of five foreign nationals applies.

A practical guideline:

• 1—5 foreign nationals — a separate annual quota for the employer is usually not required;
• before hiring a sixth foreign national — the quota must first be approved;
• for large employers, the ratio of foreign employees to the total workforce is additionally verified.

In this case, individual permits are required for the first, second, and fifth employees.

2. Financial requirements for employers

The company must demonstrate the following annual revenue:

• at least 50,000 GEL in annual revenue per foreign employee;
• for medical and educational institutions — at least 35,000 GEL per foreign employee.

The confirmation is issued by the Georgian Revenue Service.

If the company is not registered as a VAT payer, documents must be provided confirming:

• that it is not registered for VAT;
• its revenue for the previous 12 consecutive calendar months.

Exception for new companies

A revenue statement is not required if both of the following conditions are met:

• No more than three months have passed since the company’s registration;
• The company employs no more than three foreign workers.

This exception does not allow a new company with no revenue to immediately obtain a quota for, say, 10–20 foreign workers.

3. Algorithm for approving an employer’s quota

Step 1. Determine the Plan for the Calendar Year

You must establish:

• how many foreign nationals the company has already hired;
• how many it plans to hire by December 31;
• in which positions;
• what revenue it can verify.

The quota is set specifically for the calendar year, not for 12 months from the date of application.

Step 2. Obtain a turnover certificate

A document confirming sufficient annual turnover is issued by the Revenue Service.

For a quota of 8 foreign nationals, a typical company will need to confirm at least:

8 × 50,000 = 400,000 GEL.

Step 3. Submit a quota request

The employer submits the request through the portal: labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.

The request must be submitted at least 10 business days before filing the first individual application for which a quota is required. The request must specify the required number of foreign workers and justify the need for them.

The Employment Promotion Agency reviews the justification and determines the quota for the specific employer.

The regulation does not explicitly set a specific timeframe for reviewing the quota application. Therefore, individual applications should not be submitted until the approved quota appears in the system.

Step 4. Increasing the quota if necessary

If a company has been granted a quota for, say, 10 workers but subsequently needs 15, it must submit a substantiated request to increase the quota through the same portal.

If a company consistently fails to utilize the approved quota, the Agency has the right to reduce the quota for the following year.

The regulation does not specify a separate fee for the approval of the annual quota itself. A fee is charged for each individual work permit.

4. Hiring each foreign worker

After receiving the quota — or immediately, if the company hires no more than five foreign workers — the specific employee is hired.

Step 1. Check the Occupation

For general occupations, no quantitative government quota is currently in place.

However, the following restrictions apply:

• courier services — quota 0;
• passenger transportation, including taxis — quota 0;
• tour guides — quota 0;
• mountain, alpine, and ski guides — total annual quota of 200 people.

In other words, it is not possible to hire a foreigner as a courier, taxi driver, or tour guide through the standard procedure, except for specific exceptional categories of employers and employees provided for by the decree.

Step 2. Enter into an employment contract

The application is submitted by the Georgian employer, but an employment contract with the foreign national must already have been signed before the application is filed. The permit is issued for:

• a specific employer;
• a specific position;
• specific terms of employment.

In practice, it is advisable to include the following condition in the contract: the employee will begin performing their job duties after receiving and obtaining the right to work, as well as obtaining the necessary visa or residence permit.

This allows the contract to be signed for the purpose of filing the application, while preventing the foreign national from actually starting work prematurely.

Step 3. Prepare the set of documents

Employer’s documents

• name and identification number;
• legal and actual address;
• type of economic activity;
• phone number and email address;
• contact information for the responsible person;
• certificate of turnover;
• if not registered for VAT — relevant certificates;
• a form confirming the intention to hire a foreign national, signed with a qualified electronic signature or electronic stamp.

Documents of the foreign national

• first and last name in Georgian and Latin script;
• date of birth, gender, and citizenship;
• copy of the passport page;
• passport valid for at least six months at the time of submission;
• Georgian personal identification number, if available;
• residence permit details, if available;
• education and qualifications;
• work experience;
• professional and specialized skills.

Employment documents

• position from the classification system;
• job requirements;
• job description;
• education and experience requirements;
• dates of contract signing, start, and end;
• a copy of the signed employment contract.

Step 4. Submit an individual application

The employer submits the application via: labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.

And pays:

• 200 GEL — standard processing within 30 calendar days;
• 400 GEL — expedited processing within 10 business days.

The employer makes a separate payment for each foreign employee.

The agency may request additional documents or require corrections to be made. Usually, up to 10 calendar days are allowed for making corrections.

5. Obtaining a visa or residence permit

A positive decision regarding the right to work does not always mean that a foreign national is already permitted to work.

The foreign national is outside Georgia

He or she must apply for a D1 immigration visa within 30 calendar days of receiving the authorization.

The authorization will take effect upon receipt of the D1 visa.

The foreign national is already in Georgia

If they do not have a Georgian residence permit, they must apply within 10 calendar days for:

• a work residence permit;
• or a special IT residence permit, if eligible for the corresponding category.

The authorization will take effect only after the residence permit is obtained.

The foreign national already has a Georgian residence permit

If the foreign national holds any valid type of residence permit, there is no need to obtain an additional D1 permit or a new work residence permit to activate the authorization. The right to work takes effect on the date of the Agency’s decision.

A residence permit does not constitute a standard visa‐free stay in Georgia.

6. When an employee can actually begin work

A foreign national may be permitted to work only if all of the following conditions are met simultaneously:

• a signed employment contract;
• a valid work permit;
• a D1 visa, a work residence permit, or another valid Georgian residence permit.

After that, the employer completes the standard tax and HR procedures:

• registers the employee in the Revenue Service’s employee registry;
• calculates and pays wages;
• withholds and reports income tax;
• maintains HR records and tracks working hours.

7. What to do in case of termination or changes to terms and conditions

If the contract is:

• terminated early;
• extended;
• or if the position, salary, term, or other material terms and conditions are changed,

the employer must enter the information into the labor migration system within five calendar days.

If an employee is transferred to a different position, the old work permit may not be sufficient: the permit is tied to a specific position. A new or updated work permit is usually required for the new position.

An application to extend the work permit must be submitted at least 30 calendar days before the current permit expires.

8. Liability

Employment of a foreign national without a valid work permit results in:

• a fine for the employer — 2,000 GEL for each foreign national;
• a fine for the foreign national — 2,000 GEL;
• fines are increased for repeat violations.

For failure to report a change, extension, or termination of a contract:

• initial violation — 1,000 GEL for each employee;
• repeat violation — 2,000 GEL.

Final flowchart

Up to five foreign nationals: profession verification → revenue verification → employment contract with a condition precedent → application for an individual permit → payment of 200/400 GEL → D1 or residence permit → start of employment.

More than five foreign nationals: calculation of headcount and revenue → certificate from the Revenue Service → approval of the annual quota at least 10 business days in advance → employment contracts → individual permit for each person → D1/residence permit → start of employment.

It is also important to note: the step found in older guidelines regarding the publication of a job opening on Worknet for 10 business days refers to the version of the rules in effect prior to July 10, 2026. In the current version, this has been replaced by preliminary approval of the employer’s quota.

Frequently asked questions

Are you planning to hire foreign employees in Georgia?

ESPERO’s specialists will help you determine whether a quota is required, verify turnover requirements, prepare employment contracts and other documents, submit applications for work permits, and assist with the processing of a D1 visa or a work residence permit.

Submit a request for a consultation to check in advance whether you can hire foreign nationals and avoid rejections, delays, and fines.