Quotas for foreign workers in Georgia to replace worknet

Effective as of August 3, 2026.

In 2026, a new system for hiring foreign workers went into effect in Georgia. Initially, employers were required to post every job opening on Worknet, wait for candidates from the local labor market, and, if necessary, explain why the proposed candidates were not suitable.

This procedure did not last long.

Georgian Government Decree No. 321 of July 9, 2026, amended Decree No. 70. The amendments were published on July 10, 2026, and took effect on the date of publication. For employers, the preliminary Worknet procedure was replaced by an annual approval of the number of foreign employees. In specified cases, companies coordinate with the Agency not on a per-vacancy basis, but rather on an annual quota for foreign workers.

However, an employer’s quota does not constitute a work permit. After the quota is approved, a work permit must be obtained separately for each foreign employee.

Let’s examine who needs a quota, how to calculate it, what revenue an employer must have, and when a foreign national can actually be allowed to work.

Key points in one minute

The new system works as follows:

The employer determines how many foreign employees it plans to hire during the calendar year.
If the established threshold is exceeded, the employer agrees on an annual quota with the Agency in advance.
The company’s sufficient revenue is verified for the quota.
Within the agreed-upon quota, the employer submits a separate application for each foreign national’s right to work.
If a foreign employee is in Georgia and does not have a residence permit, after obtaining the right to work, they must apply for the appropriate residence permit.
If the employee is outside Georgia, they must apply for a D1 immigration visa.
They may begin work only after fulfilling all necessary conditions.

The procedure is conducted through a special electronic labor migration system.

What exactly has been repealed

Until July 10, 2026, a local employer, before submitting an application for a foreign national’s work permit, was required to:

post the job opening on Worknet;
wait at least 10 business days;
review the candidates proposed by the Agency;
provide justification if rejecting a local candidate;
wait for the Agency’s decision on whether to proceed with the foreign national’s employment.

The amendments replaced this individual preliminary review with a system of annual employer quotas. Now, if a company exceeds the established number of foreign employees, it must first agree with the Agency on a total limit for the calendar year. This means that the Worknet platform itself has been discontinued. Specifically, this refers to the elimination of the requirement to post every job opening on Worknet before processing a foreign national’s work permit.

What is an employer’s annual quota?

An annual quota is the number of foreign nationals, as agreed upon with the Agency, for whom a specific employer may submit applications to obtain work authorization during a calendar year.

For example, a company estimates that it will need 12 foreign specialists by the end of the year. If the company is subject to the quota approval requirements, it first obtains an annual limit and then processes each employee’s application separately.

It is important to understand that the quota allows the employer to submit applications up to a certain number, but does not guarantee that every foreign national will automatically receive a work permit.

For each employee, the Agency separately verifies the documents, employment contract, position, qualifications, and other established requirements.

When an employer needs a quota

An annual quota must be approved if an employer plans to hire foreign workers in excess of the established threshold.

Key guidelines:

more than five foreign workers during a calendar year;
more than 5% of the total workforce.

If 5% of the workforce consists of fewer than five people, the minimum threshold of five foreign workers applies. The employer must apply for quota approval at least 10 business days before submitting an individual application for the right to work. This threshold can be calculated as follows:

First, calculate 5% of the total number of employees. If the result is less than five, the threshold of five people applies. If the result is greater than five, the calculated number serves as the benchmark.

Calculation examples

Total number of employees	5 % of the workforce	Threshold without quota approval
20 people	1 person	up to 5 foreigners
60 people	3 people	up to 5 foreigners
100 people	5 people	up to 5 foreigners
120 people	6 people	up to 6 foreigners
200 people	10 people	up to 10 foreigners
500 people	25 people	up to 25 foreigners

Example 1

The company has 20 employees. The employer plans to hire four foreign nationals.

5% of the workforce equals one person, so the minimum threshold of five applies. No separate approval of the annual quota is required.

Example 2

The same company plans to hire six foreign nationals.

This number exceeds the minimum threshold of five people. Before submitting individual applications, the employer must obtain approval for the annual quota.

Example 3

The company has 200 employees. Five percent of the workforce is 10 people.

If the company plans to hire 11 foreign employees, it will need to obtain prior approval for the quota.

Are foreign workers already employed taken into account?

This issue is particularly important for companies that began registering employees before the new procedure was introduced.

Espero received a written clarification from the State Employment Agency: when calculating the total number of foreign workers, the agency takes into account foreign nationals who previously obtained the right to work and have active status in the electronic system.

There is no need to reapply for work authorization or include these employees in new individual applications. However, their numbers are counted when determining the company’s total number of foreign employees.

Example

The company already has four foreign employees with active work authorization.

The employer plans to hire three more during the year.

The calculation must include not only the three new employees but also the four current ones:

4 current employees + 3 new employees = 7 foreign workers.

If the threshold applicable to the company is five people, the quota will need to be approved.

It is important to keep this clarification in mind in advance. A mistake in which the employer counts only future employees and does not take into account foreign workers who have already been hired may result in submitting an application that exceeds the permitted number.

When to apply for a quota

An application for an annual quota must be submitted prior to the individual application for a foreign national’s work permit.

The employer must contact the Agency at least 10 business days before submitting the first application that requires an approved quota. The request is submitted electronically via the Labour Migration system. Based on the results of the review, the Agency sets the number of foreign nationals that a specific employer may hire during the calendar year.

Afterward, the company submits individual applications within the approved quota.

Can the quota be increased during the year?

Yes.

If the need for foreign employees has increased, the employer may submit a justified request to increase the quota via the electronic system.

The request must explain:

why the company needs additional foreign workers;
which positions are planned to be filled;
why the initial quota is insufficient;
whether the company’s revenue is commensurate with the increased number of employees;
whether there are actual job openings and an economic need for hiring.

The Agency makes its decision after evaluating the circumstances and the submitted documents. It is not permissible to first hire additional foreign workers and then attempt to retroactively increase the quota. Approval must be obtained prior to submitting individual applications and actually allowing employees to begin work.

What happens if a company does not use its quota

An employer is not required to use the entire agreed-upon quota.

However, if a company has requested a significant number of foreign workers but has actually hired only a small portion of them, the Agency has the right to take this into account when determining the quota for the following year.

An unused quota may serve as grounds for reducing the next annual quota. When making its decision, the Agency must take the employer’s explanations into account. It is not recommended to request a number that is knowingly inflated “just in case.”

It is better to base the request on:

the actual hiring plan;
contracts already signed;
the projected volume of work;
the company’s financial capabilities;
verified revenue;
the actual need for employees.

What turnover is required to obtain a quota

To obtain a quota, an employer must demonstrate sufficient annual turnover.

As a general rule, the following minimum amounts are required:

50,000 lari in annual turnover for each foreign worker;
35,000 lari per foreign worker — for educational and medical institutions.

Turnover is verified by a document issued by the Revenue Service. For employers not registered as VAT payers, the applicable rules for verifying turnover for the preceding 12 consecutive calendar months apply. Example for a typical company

A company plans to obtain a quota for eight foreign workers.

Minimum required turnover: 8 × 50,000 = 400,000 lari.

Example for a medical institution

A clinic plans to hire eight foreign specialists.

Minimum required turnover: 8 × 35,000 = 280,000 lari.

Example of a quota increase

Initially, the company was approved for a quota of six workers. This required confirming a turnover of at least 300,000 lari.

Later, the company decided to increase the quota to ten people.

When reviewing the new application, the Agency will assess whether it is possible to hire ten foreign nationals. For a typical company, the turnover benchmark would be: 10 × 50,000 = 500,000 lari.

Exception for recently registered companies

The resolution provides for a specific exemption when submitting a personal application for the right to work.

If:

no more than three months have passed since the company or sole proprietorship was registered;
the employer has no more than three foreign workers,

a document certifying annual revenue is not required with the corresponding personal application. This allows new businesses to begin operations and hire their first employees without waiting to generate annual revenue.

However, this exemption is subject to the following limitations:

the age of the business;
the number of foreign employees;
the time elapsed since registration.

This does not mean that a newly established company can immediately hire an unlimited number of foreign nationals without providing financial justification.

Two different types of quotas: do not confuse them

The new system uses two different mechanisms.

1. Employer-specific quota

This is the number of foreign employees that a specific company may hire during a calendar year.

This quota depends on:

the number of employees;
the proportion of foreign nationals on the payroll;
the company’s revenue;
the employer’s justified need.

It is this procedure that has replaced the prior posting of job openings on Worknet.

2. Government Quotas by Occupation and Industry

Separately, the government sets general annual limits for certain occupations and industries.

As of August 2026, Decree No. 70 provides for:

Occupation or activity	Annual quota
Courier services	0
Passenger transportation	0
Tour guide services	0
Mountain, climbing, and ski guides	200

A zero quota means that, under the general rules, a foreign national is not granted the right to work in that profession unless a special exception applies to them.

The company has sufficient revenue and has been allocated its own annual quota for 20 foreign workers.

This does not mean that it will be able to hire foreign couriers or passenger transport drivers. A separate government quota, set at zero, applies to these types of activities.

Consequently, it is necessary to check both restrictions:

whether the employer has the required quota;
whether the profession falls under an activity with a zero or exhausted government quota.

Who is exempt from employer quota approval

The procedure for preliminary quota approval does not apply to certain special cases.

These include, in particular:

companies with official tax status as an international company;
companies with official status as innovative startups;
certain international experts in the field of authorization and accreditation of higher education institutions;
certain high-paying skilled positions. An “international company” does not refer to just any company with a foreign founder, a foreign director, or foreign clients.

It is necessary to have the specific official status of an international company, granted in accordance with the Tax Code of Georgia.

Similarly, a typical new technology project does not automatically become an innovative startup. Official special status is required.

Highly paid specialists

An exception may apply if all of the following conditions are met:

the monthly salary exceeds 15,000 lari;
the position objectively requires a college degree in a field related to the work to be performed. The Agency may further assess whether the work must indeed be performed by that specific foreign specialist. In certain cases, it has the right to apply the general procedure after consulting with the Ministry of Economy and other government agencies. Therefore, a work permit is not required at all

There are categories of foreigners and types of activities to which the general procedure for obtaining a work permit does not apply.

These may include, in particular:

holders of permanent residence permits;
holders of investment-based residence permits;
refugees and persons granted subsidiary or temporary protection;
asylum seekers;
accredited diplomats and staff of relevant international organizations;
accredited foreign journalists;
holders of a special residence permit issued at the written request of a member of the Government;
persons working entirely remotely for a Georgian employer, provided their work does not require travel to Georgia;
foreign nationals providing services to a non-resident in connection with activities outside Georgia, subject to the exceptions established by law;
certain executives of large enterprises;
select specialists working with cultural heritage sites. For quota purposes, it is first necessary to determine whether the labor migration regime applies to a specific foreign national at all.

It is not recommended to submit an application “just in case.” If the Agency determines that the law does not apply to an individual, the application may be dismissed without consideration, and the fee paid will not be refunded. Short-term professional activities

Starting in July 2026, short-term professional activities by foreign nationals will be regulated separately.

Such activities may be carried out without the standard work permit if they meet the established criteria, are related to a specific short-term project, event, or service, and last for a total of no more than four months within a calendar year.

Before the foreign national begins work, the host party must register them in the labor migration system. Registration is free of charge.

This mechanism cannot be used for professions and types of activities subject to a special government quota, including a zero quota. It is not permitted to register a foreign courier as a short-term specialist solely to circumvent the zero quota.

How to draft an employment contract

Before submitting an application for a work permit, the employer must enter into a written, fixed-term employment contract with the foreign national.

The contract must specify, in particular:

the employee’s personal information;
the employer’s information;
the employer’s legal and actual address;
bank account information;
job title;
place of work;
the full address of the workplace;
the effective date of the contract;
the term of the contract;
the rights and obligations of the parties;
the liability of the parties.

The contract is drawn up in Georgian and in the foreign national’s native language or in another language the foreign national understands. The existence of a signed contract does not automatically mean that the employee is entitled to begin work immediately.

In practice, it is recommended to include a condition precedent in the contract: the employment relationship and the foreign national’s actual admission to work begin only after the foreign national has obtained the right to work and the necessary immigration status.

This allows for compliance with the requirement to have a contract in place before submitting an application, while at the same time preventing the employee from starting work illegally.

Is it necessary to obtain a separate permit for each employee?

Yes.

Even after the annual quota has been approved, the employer must submit a separate application for each foreign national.

The agency reviews:

the foreign national’s personal information;
passport;
the legality of their stay in Georgia;
employment contract;
job title;
profession and qualifications;
the employer’s documents;
turnover;
availability of quota space;
any restrictions on the profession;
alignment with labor market needs.

The standard processing time is no more than 30 calendar days after all required documents have been submitted.

In an expedited review, a decision is made no later than the 10th business day. Is a work permit alone sufficient?

No.

For a foreign national to be legally authorized to work, a combination of conditions is usually required:

a valid employment contract has been signed;
a work permit has been obtained;
a D1 visa, a work residence permit, an IT residence permit, or another suitable type of residence permit has been obtained.

The law explicitly links the legality of a foreign national’s employment to the existence of an employment contract, a work permit, and the necessary immigration status. What should be done after obtaining a work permit?

The next steps depend on the foreign employee’s location.

The employee is outside Georgia

No later than 30 calendar days after obtaining the right to work, the employee must apply to a Georgian diplomatic mission or consulate for a D1 immigration visa.

The employee is already in Georgia

If the employee does not have a residence permit, he or she must apply, no later than 10 calendar days after obtaining the right to work, for:

a work residence permit;
or a residence permit for a person working in the information technology sector, if he or she meets the requirements for that category.

The employee already has a residence permit

If a foreign national has a valid residence permit of another type provided for by law, there is no need to obtain a D1 permit or a new work residence permit solely for the purpose of formalizing the right to work.

An employee works entirely remotely from another country

If the job does not require the employee to be physically present in or enter Georgia, there is no obligation to obtain a D1 visa or a Georgian residence permit. In some cases, such employment relationships are not subject to the general labor migration regime at all. When an employee may begin work

A foreign national may not be allowed to begin work immediately after:

signing the contract;
submitting the application;
approval of the quota;
payment of the fee;
receipt of notification that the documents have been accepted.

For most foreign nationals who do not have a valid residence permit, the initially granted right to work takes effect upon receipt of:

a D1 visa;
or the corresponding residence permit.

If a foreign national already holds a residence permit as required by law, the right to work takes effect on the date of its issuance by the Agency. Procedure:

Contract → quota, if required → right to work → D1 visa or residence permit, if required → actual authorization to work.

Complete procedure for hiring a foreign employee

Step 1. Check for Exceptions

You must determine:

whether the foreign national is subject to the labor migration law;
whether they hold a permanent, investment, or other residence permit;
whether the work is fully remote;
whether the activity is short-term professional work;
whether a special exemption category applies.

Step 2. Verify the Occupation

You must ensure that the position:

is not classified as an occupation with a zero government quota;
is not in a sector where the quota has already been exhausted;
matches the employee’s qualifications;
may be filled by a foreign national.

Step 3. Calculate the employer’s quota

The following factors are taken into account:

total number of employees;
5% of the workforce;
a minimum threshold of five people;
foreign nationals previously registered with active status;
planned new hires.

Step 4. Verify revenue

A typical employer must have revenue of at least 50,000 lari per foreign national.

For educational and medical institutions — at least 35,000 lari.

Step 5. Approve the annual quota

If the threshold is exceeded, the application must be submitted to the Agency at least 10 business days before the in-person application.

Step 6. Enter into an employment contract

The contract must:

be in writing;
have a fixed term;
comply with legal requirements;
be drafted in Georgian and in a language the foreign national understands;
provide for the start of actual work after the necessary permits have been obtained.

Step 7. Submit an application for the right to work

The employer submits the application through a special electronic system.

Step 8. Receive the agency’s decision

Standard processing time: up to 30 calendar days; expedited processing: up to 10 business days after all required documents have been submitted.

Step 9. Obtain a D1 visa or residence permit

Employee abroad — apply for a D1 visa within 30 days;
Employee in Georgia without a residence permit — apply for a residence permit within 10 days;
Employee with a valid residence permit — check whether any additional action is required.

Step 10. Authorize the employee to work

The employee begins work once the authorization has taken effect and the visa or residence permit requirements have been met.

Practical examples

A company wants to hire three foreign nationals

The company has 15 employees. There were no foreign nationals on staff previously.

5% of the workforce is less than one person, so the minimum threshold of five applies.

An employer quota is not required. However, each foreign national must obtain a work permit individually.

A company wants to hire six foreign nationals

The company has 30 employees. There were no foreign nationals on staff previously.

The minimum threshold of five applies. The company plans to hire six, so it must first obtain approval for an annual quota.

For a typical company, the revenue benchmark would be: 6 × 50,000 = 300,000 lari.

The company already employs five foreign nationals

All five have valid work permits. The company wants to hire one more.

All six foreign nationals are included in the calculation. If the applicable threshold is five, a quota will be required.

Previously issued work permits do not need to be reissued.

A new business wants to hire three foreign nationals

The company was registered two months ago.

If all other requirements are met, a certificate of annual revenue may not be required for individual applications, since the company has been in operation for no more than three months and the number of foreign employees does not exceed three.

The company wants to hire ten foreign couriers

Even if the company has a high turnover and has been allocated its own quota, it cannot hire foreign couriers through the standard procedure: the government quota for courier services is zero.

An international IT company wants to hire specialists

First, it is necessary to verify whether the company has official status as an international company under the Tax Code.

If this status has indeed been granted, the employer quota approval procedure may not apply. However, for each foreign national, it is still necessary to verify the requirements regarding the right to work and immigration status.

Common mistakes made by employers

Mistake 1. Counting only new foreign nationals

When calculating the quota, employers must include workers who already have active status.

Mistake 2. Treating the quota as a work permit

The quota applies to the employer. The right to work is granted to a specific foreign national.

Mistake 3. Failing to verify the occupation

A company’s quota does not override zero or limited government quotas for specific types of work.

Mistake 4. Allowing an employee to start work after submitting an application

Submitting documents does not grant the right to begin work.

Mistake 5. Failing to apply for a D1 visa or a residence permit

The right to work may be revoked if the foreign national does not apply for a visa or residence permit within the specified time frame.

Mistake 6. Calling any foreign company “international”

Official tax status is required, not merely a foreign owner or revenue generated abroad.

Mistake 7. Requesting too large a quota

Failure to use the agreed-upon quota may affect the limit for the following year.

Mistake 8. Entering into a standard open-ended contract

A contract with a work immigrant must be in writing, have a fixed term, and meet specific requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Is it still necessary to post a job opening on Worknet?

For the preliminary processing of a foreign national’s right to work, the mandatory procedure of posting every job opening on Worknet has been replaced by a system of annual employer quotas.

Do all employers need a quota?

No. A quota is required only if the established threshold for the number of foreign workers is exceeded. In addition, there are specific exceptions.

Is a quota required for five foreign workers?

If the applicable threshold is five and the total number of foreign workers does not exceed it, quota approval is not required. A quota will be required for the sixth foreign worker.

Are foreign workers previously registered included in the count?

According to a written clarification from the Agency received by Esper, foreign workers with a valid right to work and active status are included in the total count. There is no need to re-register them.

How much revenue is required per foreign national?

As a general rule, at least 50,000 lari. For medical and educational institutions, at least 35,000 lari.

Can a new company hire a foreign national without meeting the revenue requirement?

In certain cases, proof of revenue is not required if no more than three months have passed since registration and the employer has no more than three foreign employees.

Can the quota be increased?

Yes, by submitting a substantiated electronic request to the Agency.

Can a foreign courier be hired?

Generally, no: there is a zero annual state quota for courier services.

Is an employment contract required before submitting the application?

Yes. The employer submits the application after concluding a written fixed-term employment contract.

Can the employee start working immediately after receiving the Agency’s decision?

This depends on the foreign national’s immigration status. If they do not have a valid residence permit, the authorization typically takes effect after receiving a D1 or the corresponding residence permit.

What documents must a foreign national who is already in Georgia obtain?

If they do not have a residence permit, after receiving authorization to work, they must apply for a work permit or the corresponding IT residence permit within 10 calendar days.

What steps must an employee outside of Georgia take?

They must apply for a D1 immigration visa within 30 calendar days.

Conclusion

Replacing Worknet with annual quotas has simplified the process for employers who regularly hire foreign workers.

Companies no longer need to post every job opening, wait for local candidates, or explain rejections for each position individually. Instead, the employer agrees in advance on the total number of foreign workers for the calendar year.

However, the procedure remains multi-step.

The employer must:

check for exceptions and occupational restrictions;
take into account foreign nationals already employed;
calculate the permissible number of employees;
verify revenue;
if necessary, agree on an annual quota;
enter into the correct employment contract;
obtain a separate work permit for each foreign national;
apply for a D1 visa or residence permit;
only then allow the employee to begin work.

Espero helps Georgian sole proprietors and LLCs:

calculate the required quota;
check occupational restrictions;
prepare employment contracts;
verify revenue;
obtain the right to work;
obtain a D1 visa or residence permit for a foreign employee;
manage the entire process of hiring foreign nationals in Georgia.

This material is for informational purposes only. When processing applications, you must take into account the current status of the employer and the foreign national, the profession, the number of employees, the company’s revenue, and the Agency’s current practices.