Labour Permit in Georgia: A Consolidated Guide

On 1 March 2026, the new rules on the labour permit in Georgia came into effect. The Government has since amended Ordinance No 70 several times. After numerous changes, the system is now clearer.

This guide consolidates the rules for labour permits.

Who Needs a Labour Permit in Georgia

Foreign individuals need a labour permit to work or run a business in Georgia legally. This includes the following cases:

• Individual Entrepreneurs, with or without Small Business Status
• Natural persons with Micro-Business Status
• Employees of Georgian businesses and Georgian non-profit organizations
• Directors of Georgian businesses and non-profit organizations, except those listed under the exemptions below

Each permit covers one employer and one position, or one field of business activity. For example, if you are a director of an LLC, advise a different employer, and sometimes serve clients as an Individual Entrepreneur, you need three labour permits.

It is noteworthy that you cannot transfer a labour permit to another person.

Once approved, to maintain the labour permit, you must visit Georgia at least once every 6 months. Otherwise, your permit may be terminated.

Exemptions from the Labour Permit

You are exempt from the obligation to obtain a labour permit if you fall into one of these categories:

• You hold a permanent, investment, or special residence permit.
• You work fully remotely for a Georgian employer, and the work does not require you to enter Georgia.
• You work for a non-resident of Georgia, and the work or service relates to the non-resident’s activities outside Georgia. This exemption does not apply if you are required to hold a residence permit to stay in Georgia legally.
• You carry out short-term professional activity in Georgia (see below).
• You are a director or audit committee member of a Category 1, 2, or 3 Georgian enterprise that meets the relevant requirements.
• You work in a diplomatic mission accredited in Georgia, a consular institution of a foreign country, or a lawful representation or body of an international organization.
• You are a journalist accredited in Georgia by a foreign media outlet that operates lawfully in Georgia.
• You work on the conservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of cultural heritage monuments.
• You work for a Georgian public institution or for an enterprise with state equity participation.
• You are a refugee, or you hold subsidiary or temporary protection status under Georgian law.
• You are registered in Georgia as an asylum seeker.
• You hold the right of temporary stay under Article 60 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.
• An international treaty of Georgia sets a different employment procedure for you.

If you are exempt but want a work or IT residence permit or a D1 (work) visa, you still need the labour permit first.

Short-Term Professional Activity

Short-term professional activity lasts no more than 4 months in total within a calendar year. It also cannot exceed your period of legal stay in Georgia.

Before you start, your local employer or service organizer must register you in the labour migration electronic system. The registration is free.

As part of the registration, your local employer or service organizer must provide basic information about you and their business. They also provide your position, your profession, and the start and end dates of your work. Without a confirmed registration, your work does not count as short-term professional activity.

Eligibility Criteria

Generally, you can apply from outside Georgia. If you are in Georgia, you must be here legally. You are not eligible to apply if you are in Georgia because your obligation to leave was deferred under Article 48 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.

If you work for a Georgian employer, your employer may need quota approval from the Agency before it applies for your permit. It needs approval in two cases:

1. It plans to employ more than 5 foreign nationals in a calendar year.
2. It has 100 or more employees, and more than 5% of them are foreign nationals.

The employer must request the quota at least 10 business days before it applies for the permit. It must show an annual turnover of at least 50,000 GEL for each foreign national it wants to employ. The threshold is 35,000 GEL for educational and medical institutions.

The Agency then sets a quota for the employer. The employer can apply for permits only within that quota.

The quota requirement does not apply in these cases:

• The employer holds International Company Status or Innovative Startup Status.
• The position pays more than 15,000 GEL per month (gross), and the employer objectively requires higher education in a specialty related to the work.
• A state institution requests that a specific foreign national fill the position and justifies why this person must do the work personally.
• You are an international expert in the expert corps for the authorization of higher education institutions and the accreditation of educational programs at the LEPL National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement.

In the second and third cases, the Agency can still apply the quota procedure if it does not see why this specific foreign national must do the work.

Documents for Self-Employed Individuals and Directors

If you are self-employed or a director, you must apply for the labour permit yourself. A representative cannot submit the application for you. You need these documents:

1. A digital copy of the passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 more months when you apply.
2. Your CV showing details of your education, profession, work experience, and skills.
3. Your business extract.
4. If you have Small Business Status, a Revenue Service certificate confirming it. As an Individual Entrepreneur, you can also submit an extract from the Economic Activity Registry.
5. A turnover document from the Revenue Service. It must show that your turnover for the last 12 months is at least 50,000 GEL for each foreign national applying under your business. The threshold is 35,000 GEL for educational and medical institutions. If you registered your business within the last 3 months, you do not need this document.
6. If you are not registered as a VAT payer, a certificate from a competent body or person (for example, a bank statement for your turnover and a Revenue Service certificate for your VAT status). It replaces the turnover document.

You must also provide your basic personal information and describe your business activities.

After you submit your documents and pay the fee, the Agency invites you to a video interview. The interview takes 5 to 10 minutes. It is conducted in English or Georgian. You can bring an interpreter.

Bring the original passport you used to apply. You answer basic questions and confirm your application at the end.

Attending the interview is mandatory. If you miss it, the Agency rejects your application.

Documents for Employees

If you are an employee, your employer applies for your labour permit. It needs these documents:

1. A digital copy of the passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 more months when your employer applies.
2. Its business extract.
3. Your employment agreement.
4. A turnover document from the Revenue Service. It must show that the employer’s turnover for the last 12 months is at least 50,000 GEL for each foreign national applying under it. The threshold is 35,000 GEL for educational and medical institutions. If the employer registered its business within the last 3 months AND has no more than 3 foreign employees, it does not need this document.
5. If the employer is not registered as a VAT payer, a certificate from a competent body or person (for example, a bank statement for its turnover and a Revenue Service certificate for its VAT status). It replaces the turnover document.

As part of the application, the employer also provides basic information about you and its business. It describes your employment, including your position, functions, and salary range.

Processing Time and Fees

The labour permit application has two processing options:

• Standard: decision within 30 calendar days, 200 GEL
• Expedited: decision within 10 business days, 400 GEL

A renewal costs 200 GEL, with a decision within 30 calendar days.

The Agency can request additional information or documents. You have 10 calendar days to provide them. The Agency sends its decision electronically.

Grounds for Rejection and Quotas

The Agency rejects your application in these cases:

• You are self-employed and you miss the interview, cannot confirm your application, or do not bring your original passport.
• You provide incomplete information or documents.
• You do not fully fix an application deficiency within 10 calendar days.
• You apply for a renewal after the deadline.
• Expulsion proceedings against you have started.

If the Agency rejects your application, you can reapply 1 month after you receive the decision.

Additionally, the law also sets annual quotas for specific professions and activities:

• Courier services (for example, delivery), passenger transportation (for example, taxis), and tourist guide services: 0
• Mountain, alpine, and ski guide services: 200

Validity and Renewal

Your first permit is valid for:

• Up to 3 years, if you received it for IT activities
• 6 months to 1 year, in all other cases

Apply for a renewal at least 30 calendar days before your permit expires. A renewed permit is valid for:

• Up to 3 years each time, if you received it for IT activities
• Up to 1 year each time for the first 5 years, and 1 to 5 years each time after 5 years of continuous renewals, in all other cases

Obligations After Approval

After you receive the labour permit, one of three paths applies:

1. You are outside Georgia: apply for a D1 visa within 30 calendar days.
2. You are in Georgia: apply for a work or IT residence permit within 10 calendar days.
3. You already hold any type of residence permit OR you work fully remotely and the work does not require you to be in Georgia: you do not need to do anything.

If you miss the deadline, your labour permit may be terminated.

The law does not spell out two situations. Here is our reading:

1. You are in Georgia but cannot apply for residency because of visa requirements: applying for the D1 visa is sufficient.
2. You are outside Georgia and have a 1-year visa-free regime with Georgia: applying for residency is sufficient.

Fines

Individuals and companies that breach the rules face fines:

• 2,000 GEL for the foreign national
• 2,000 GEL per foreign employee for the Georgian employer or service organizer

Repeat offences can double or triple the fines.

How ExpatHub Can Help

We assist with the labour permit and the visa or residence permit. See our bundle packages here.

For residence permit requirements, read our consolidated guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Labour Migration Compliance Questionnaire

Use the form below to check your status.

IMPORTANT: The form is not legal advice. Do not rely on it alone. Book A Free Consultation.