The Georgian Dream Party has introduced a draft law to tighten the regulations for the employment of foreign nationals with concerns about the saturation of the labor market and the non -regulated migration. The proposed changes, which are now under urgent parliamentary review, would remove the current system by presenting a new framework for the granting of special work permits and increasing the penalties for violations.
The explanatory note of the legislation indicates “an influx of unqualified or excess workers” as the main challenge, since the trend “negatively affects both the local workforce and the general labor market conditions”.
According to the applicable rules, employers only have to register foreign employees in an electronic labor migration system. The government has no authority to refuse to work on the basis of the labor market requirement that legislators want to change now.
The invoice suggests:
- A new system for special work permits
- Defined criteria for granting permits
- Regulation of independent and entrepreneurial foreigners
- Monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
- Finnats for non -authorized employment and activity
- A clear division of responsibilities among the enforcement authorities
As official data show in the proposal, 239,334 foreigners remained at least six months between 2022 and 2023 in Georgia. “This discrepancy shows that the current system does not cover the actual extent of labor migration in Georgia,” says the document.
If the law was passed, the law would come into force on March 1, 2026. All foreign employees registered in the current system would have to obtain both a special work permit and a residence permit by January 1, 2027. Legislation does not apply retrospectively.
In the calculation defined in the invoice:
- 2,000 gel for each foreign employee without permission
- 2,000 gel for independent foreigners who are missing the labor rights
- Double penalties for repetition offenses
