On 10 July 2026, amendments were introduced to Government of Georgia Resolution No. 70, which significantly change the rules governing the issuance of the right to perform labour activities for labour migrants and self-employed foreign nationals.

The amendments aim to improve the administration process applicable to foreign nationals and include both the introduction of new obligations for employers and the simplification of certain administrative requirements.

Mandatory Advance Vacancy Publication Requirement Abolished

Under the new rules, local employers are no longer required to publish a vacancy on the Worknet platform at least 10 working days before requesting the right to perform labour activities.

Employers may continue to use the platform voluntarily for the purpose of recruiting local workforce; however, this requirement is no longer mandatory.

Annual Quota System – New Obligation for Employers

Instead of the vacancy publication requirement, the Resolution introduces an annual quota agreement mechanism.

An employer is required to agree an annual quota with the Agency at least 10 working days before requesting the right to perform labour activities if:

  • the employer plans to employ more than five foreign nationals during a calendar year; or
  • the number of foreign employees exceeds 5% of the total number of employees of the company.

For the purpose of determining the quota, the employer must confirm compliance with the financial criteria established by law.

Specifically:

  • in the case of a general employer, the company’s annual turnover must be at least GEL 50,000 per each foreign employee;
  • for educational and medical institutions, this threshold is GEL 35,000 per foreign employee.

If the employer is not registered as a VAT taxpayer, the relevant circumstance must be confirmed by a certificate issued by a competent authority.

This requirement does not apply to employers that:

  • have no more than three foreign employees; and
  • have been established or registered for no more than three months.

The Agency is authorized to:

  • determine the employer’s annual quota;
  • increase the quota based on a justified request;
  • reduce the quota for the following year if the employer has not fully utilized the approved quota during the current year.

Expanded List of Persons Exempt from the Requirement to Obtain the Right to Perform Labour Activities

As a result of the amendments, the list of persons exempt from the obligation to obtain the right to perform labour activities has been expanded.

These include:

  • a person holding a valid Special Residence Permit;
  • a foreign national performing activities for the benefit of a public institution or an enterprise established with state participation;
  • a person working fully remotely where entry into Georgia is not required for performing the relevant activities;
  • a foreign national providing services to a non-resident person in relation to activities carried out outside Georgia (except for cases provided by law);
  • a managerial or executive person of Category I, II and III enterprises, as well as a member of an audit committee;
  • a person involved in activities related to the conservation, restoration or rehabilitation of cultural heritage monuments;
  • a person who has been granted the right of temporary stay in Georgia as provided by law.

New Legal Framework for Short-Term Professional Activities

The Resolution establishes, for the first time, detailed conditions for carrying out short-term professional activities.

If a foreign national performs short-term professional activities in Georgia, obtaining the right to perform labour activities is no longer required; however, prior registration in a special electronic system is mandatory before commencing such activities.

The duration of short-term professional activities may not exceed four months in total during a calendar year and may not be longer than the period of the foreign national’s lawful stay in Georgia.

Before commencing activities, the local employer or service organizer is required to register the foreign national in the electronic system labourmigration.moh.gov.ge and submit the information specified by the Resolution.

An activity will not be considered short-term professional activity if:

  • the foreign national is not registered, or the registration has not been confirmed by the Agency;
  • the foreign national is not legally staying in Georgia;
  • the activity falls within a category for which an annual quota has been established.

Cases Requiring Re-obtainment of the Right to Perform Labour Activities

Re-obtainment of the right to perform labour activities is required if:

  • a labour migrant changes their position;
  • a self-employed foreign national changes the field of their professional or business activity.

However, obtaining the right to perform labour activities again is not required if the changes relate only to:

  • the level of the position;
  • remuneration;
  • work schedule.

In such cases, there is also no obligation to re-submit information to the Agency.

New Requirements for Self-Employed Foreign Nationals

A self-employed foreign national must personally submit an application for obtaining the right to perform labour activities and complete a mandatory video interview with the Agency.

During the video interview, the foreign national must present the valid passport based on which the application was submitted. The interview is conducted in Georgian or English, and where necessary, participation with an interpreter is permitted.

Clarification of Application Submission Requirements

The amendments also clarify the scope of information to be submitted by foreign nationals.

In particular:

  • at the time of submitting the application, the foreign national’s passport must be valid for at least six months;
  • if the foreign national holds a residence permit, the relevant document details must be provided;
  • additional documentation requirements have been established for self-employed foreign nationals, including documents confirming annual turnover and the relevant field of activity.

The new regulations significantly change the administrative framework applicable to the employment of foreign nationals. Although the obligation to publish vacancies in advance has been abolished, advance planning of foreign workforce needs and annual quota management have become particularly important for employers.

Employers should pay particular attention to:

  • timely agreement of annual quotas;
  • compliance with the financial criteria established by law;
  • compliance with the registration requirements for short-term professional activities;
  • proper assessment of cases requiring re-obtainment of the right to perform labour activities.

Timely consideration of the new requirements will significantly reduce the possibility of administrative delays and legal risks arising in the process of employing foreign nationals.