Work permit in Georgia: an everyday name for two legal permissions
In Georgia, "work permit" is the everyday name for the right to labour activity (შრომითი საქმიანობის უფლება), a permission issued since 1 March 2026 by the State Employment Promotion Agency that lets a foreigner without permanent residence work or be self-employed in Georgia, followed by a work residence permit or a D1 visa.
Neither the Labour Migration Law nor the Aliens Law uses სამუშაო ნებართვა, the literal "work permit". Article 3(zh) of the Law on Labour Migration (consolidated 25 June 2026) calls the right a "სპეციალურ უფლებას" (special right) to carry out labour or entrepreneurial activity, alone or for a local employer, in Georgia or remotely. Articles 13-1 to 13-5 and Government Resolution No 70 of 20 February 2026 set the procedure. The stay is a separate act: under Article 15(a) of the Aliens Law, the work residence permit (შრომითი ბინადრობის ნებართვა) goes to "an alien who obtained the right to labour activity".
Instead of one card for job and stay, Georgia splits them: a Labour Ministry agency rules on the work, the Public Service Development Agency or a consulate on the stay. The procedure is in our guide to the work permit from 2026.
Who falls under the law, and the 14 statutory exemptions
The law covers paid work (Article 1(2)) by a labour immigrant (Article 3(t)), who works for a local employer in Georgia or remotely, and by a self-employed foreigner (Article 3(g-2)), including independent contractors. Holders of a permit "with the right of permanent living" are outside it (Resolution 70, Article 1(2)).
| Item | Exempt foreigner |
|---|---|
| (a), (b) | Refugees, protection holders, asylum seekers |
| (g), (d) | Diplomatic, consular and international-organisation staff; accredited journalists |
| (e) | Persons covered by a treaty rule |
| (v) | Valid investment residence permit holders |
| (z) | Special residence permit holders |
| (t) | Short-term professional activity |
| (i) | Work for a public body or state-owned enterprise |
| (k) | Fully remote work "for a local employer" needing no entry to Georgia |
| (l) | Work for a non-resident, linked to its activity abroad |
| (m) | Management, governing or audit-committee roles in category 1 to 3 enterprises |
| (n) | Heritage monument restoration |
| (o) | Temporary stay right under Aliens Law Article 60 |
Law 1509 of 15 April 2026 added items (z) to (n); Law 1815 added (o) from 1 September 2026. Item (k) reads "ადგილობრივი დამსაქმებლისთვის სრულად დისტანციურად": fully remotely for a local employer. Remote work for foreign clients falls under (l), which Resolution No 321 of 9 July 2026 narrowed: it excludes an individual entrepreneur (მეწარმე ფიზიკური პირი) who needs a residence permit to stay. The law has no such exception, so ask a lawyer. The owner's short-term property permit (Aliens Law Article 15(j)) is not listed; item (v) is explained under investment residence permit.
What the right is tied to, how long it runs and what it costs
An employee's right names one local employer (Law Article 13-5(7)) and one position (Resolution 70, Article 2(5)); a self-employed foreigner's names a specialty and field. A new position or field needs a new right; since Resolution 321, a change of salary or schedule alone does not. The employer applies after signing the contract. The self-employed foreigner applies "და არა მინდობილი პირის მეშვეობით" (not through a proxy) and sits a video interview in Georgian or English.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Decision in 30 calendar days | GEL 200 |
| Decision in 10 working days | GEL 400 |
| Extension | GEL 200 |
| Legal fee ceiling | GEL 500 |
| First right | 6 months to 1 year, from receipt of the D1 visa or residence permit |
| Extensions | Up to 1 year each for 5 years, then 1 to 5 years |
| IT specialists | Up to 3 years at a time |
| Extension request | At least 30 calendar days before expiry; later is a refusal ground |
Resolution 321, in force on 10 July 2026, replaced the vacancy posting. An employer hiring more than 5 foreigners in a calendar year, or foreigners above 5% of staff (unless 5% is fewer than 5 people), now agrees an annual quota with the Agency at least 10 working days before applying. Turnover must reach GEL 50,000 per foreigner (GEL 35,000 for educational and medical institutions). Posts paying over GEL 15,000 a month that also require a job-related degree skip the quota; Annex 3 sets zero quotas for couriers, passenger transport and tourist guides. The consolidated Resolution 70 could not be read (matsne login); we rebuilt it from the original and Resolutions 85, 109 and 321.
How the right ends, and the fine ladder for working without it
Under Law Article 13-7 and Resolution 70, Article 7, the right ends with the employment contract; after a self-employed foreigner spends over 6 continuous months abroad; when the visa or residence permit ends or is not sought in time; on expulsion; or when monitoring finds unreported work outside the stated position or field. Employers report changes within 5 calendar days. Reapplying is possible after 1 month (Article 13-8).
| Breach | First | Repeat | After a repeat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working without the right (employer per immigrant, or worker) | 2,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 |
| Changing employer, or a self-employed foreigner's activity, without renewing the right | 2,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 |
| Employer not reporting a contract end or change, per immigrant | 1,000 | 2,000 | 6,000 |
Article 16-1(4) doubles the first fine and 16-1(5) triples the doubled amount, so GEL 2,000 becomes GEL 12,000, not GEL 6,000. An appeal does not suspend a fine. Under Aliens Law Article 21(1)(n) and (o), breaching the right's conditions or working without it can also end a stay. We found no official enforcement figures.
Short-term professional activity and the C5 visa
Short-term professional activity (Law Article 13-9) needs neither the right nor a residence permit. It serves a specific short project, event or service, up to 4 months in total in a calendar year (Resolution 70, Article 1(4)), and the host registers the person free of charge before work starts. Quota activities such as courier work never qualify.
The C5 visa, added to Aliens Law Article 7(3) by Law 1511 of 15 April 2026, is for a person who comes "for tourist purposes" and works "only for a non-resident person" whose activity is outside Georgia, mirroring exemption (l). It allows multiple entries for 5 years with a 1-year stay right. Under Resolution 184 of 7 May 2026 it is issued only through the e-VISA PORTAL, for a USD 300 fee, decided on the 5th working day (10 if extra checks are needed); an immigration-policy refusal cannot be appealed. Resolution 253 requires a passport valid 2 years from the visa start. Remote-work options are compared in our guide for digital nomads.
What the decision, the application and the contract look like
The right is not a card: the Agency e-mails an electronic decision, either "შრომითი საქმიანობის უფლების გაცემის შესახებ" (on granting the right) or a refusal (Article 13-4(3)). Since Resolution 321, an exempt applicant's file may be left unexamined, with no refund.
- Employer's application (Annex 1): employer details and a responsible person; the immigrant's identity and passport data; the position from the system classifier; required education, experience and skills; the turnover certificate.
- Employment contract (Article 13-2): written, fixed-term, in Georgian and a language the immigrant understands, with identifiers, term, workplace address and each side's duties.
- Residence form: carries a unique code from the Ministry system.
Letting a flat you own is income from property, not labour activity; see renting out an apartment. A brochure claim that buying gives the right to work is wrong for the short-term property permit.
Worked example: three foreign hires and one remote worker
A model Tbilisi company, not an educational or medical institution, plans 3 foreign hires.
- Turnover: 3 x GEL 50,000 means a certificate showing at least GEL 150,000 a year.
- Quota: 3 is not more than 5, and cannot exceed a 5% share that is at least 5 people, so no quota agreement.
- Fees per hire: GEL 200 for the right plus GEL 300 for the work residence permit, or GEL 400 plus GEL 600 at the fastest: GEL 1,500 to GEL 3,000 for all 3.
- Timing: residence permit within 10 calendar days, or D1 visa within 30 if abroad (Article 13-5(1)).
- Early start: GEL 2,000 each for company and worker, then 4,000, then 12,000.
A Batumi flat owner working remotely for a foreign company whose business is outside Georgia needs no right under (l); a C5 visa costs USD 300 once. As a Georgian individual entrepreneur needing a residence permit, she would fall outside (l) under Resolution 321.
Right to labour activity, work residence permit, D1 visa and C5 visa compared
| Term | Issued by | What it permits | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right to labour activity | State Employment Promotion Agency | The work, for one employer and position | Labour Migration Law Art. 3(zh) |
| Work residence permit | Public Service Development Agency | The stay; first 6 months to 1 year | Aliens Law Art. 15(a) |
| D1 visa | A Georgian consulate | Entry and stay, applied for from abroad | Aliens Law Art. 7(3)(d.a) |
| C5 visa | e-VISA PORTAL | A tourist stay, working only for non-residents | Aliens Law Art. 7(3)(g.e) |
Holders of any Georgian residence permit skip rows 2 and 3 (Article 13-5(2)). Individual entrepreneur registration is a tax status, not a right to work. A property-based temporary residence permit gives residence only; a permanent residence permit removes the requirement; a visa-free year never grants it.
The term in five languages
| Language | Work permit (everyday) | Right to labour activity | Work residence permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgian | სამუშაო ნებართვა | შრომითი საქმიანობის უფლება | შრომითი ბინადრობის ნებართვა |
| English | work permit | right to labour activity | work residence permit |
| Russian | разрешение на работу | право на трудовую деятельность | ВНЖ для работы |
| Hebrew | היתר עבודה | זכות לעבוד | היתר שהייה לצורכי עבודה |
| Arabic | تصريح عمل | الحق في العمل | تصريح الإقامة لغرض العمل |
Georgian contracts and Agency decisions use the statutory forms in the third and fourth columns; სამუშაო ნებართვა is spoken usage only.
Mistakes foreign owners make with the work permit
- Reading exemption (k) as any remote work. It requires a local employer.
- Posting a vacancy as the test. The quota agreement replaced it on 10 July 2026.
- Treating C5 as a work permit. It covers only non-residents' foreign activity.
- Changing jobs on the old right. A new employer or field needs a new right.
- Sending a representative. The self-employed must apply personally.
To be added by the team: scans to add: a redacted Agency decision, a screenshot of the labourmigration.moh.gov.ge application screen, and a redacted page of a bilingual employment contract, used only with written consent.
Checking whether you need the right to labour activity, step by step
Name the activity
Job, self-employment or remote work.
Check the 14 exemptions
Article 1(4), one by one.
Check your residence status
Permanent and investment permits are exempt.
Confirm the employer's turnover
GEL 50,000 per foreigner, by certificate.
Choose the review speed
GEL 200 in 30 days or GEL 400 in 10 working days.
Diary the deadlines
10 or 30 days after the decision, 30 days before expiry.
Frequently asked questions
Is "work permit" the legal term in Georgia?
No. The law says right to labour activity, followed by a work residence permit or D1 visa.
Who issues it?
The State Employment Promotion Agency, online at labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.
How much does it cost?
GEL 200 in 30 calendar days, GEL 400 in 10 working days.
Does a property residence permit allow work?
No. Among property-based permits, only a valid investment residence permit is exempt.
Do I need it to work remotely for a foreign company?
Usually not, under exemption (l), unless you are an individual entrepreneur needing a residence permit.
Must employers still post vacancies?
No. Since 10 July 2026 a quota agreement applies above 5 foreigners or 5% of staff.
What is the fine for working without it?
GEL 2,000 each side, then 4,000, then 12,000.
Is the C5 visa a work permit?
No. It is a 5-year visa for work serving non-residents abroad.
Sources
- Law on Labour Migration, consolidated 25 June 2026 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Law No 862, 26 June 2025
- Government Resolution No 70, 20 February 2026
- Resolution No 85, 26 February 2026
- Resolution No 109, 13 March 2026
- Resolution No 321, 9 July 2026
- Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, consolidated 25 June 2026
- Law No 1511, 15 April 2026
- Resolution No 184 and Resolution No 253 amending visa Resolution No 280
- Labour migration changes from 1 March 2026, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
- Work residence permit, Public Service Development Agency (accessed 2 November 2026)
Change log
- - Glossary entry published from the Law on Labour Migration, Laws No 862 and 1511, Government Resolutions No 70, 85, 109, 321, 184 and 253, the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Development Agency.