Georgia's right-to-work system took effect on 1 March 2026. Later amendments added important exclusions, so the position should not be reduced to a statement that every foreign director, freelancer or remote worker needs the same permission. Work authorisation, lawful stay, residence permits and tax status are separate questions.

Who needs a right to work?

The Labour Migration Law regulates covered employment and paid labour or entrepreneurial activities by foreigners who do not hold permanent residence. A labour immigrant normally applies through the local employer; a covered self-employed foreigner applies directly.

The current law contains exclusions, including valid investment residence permits and specified special residence permits, certain professional or institutional activities, fully remote work for a local employer that does not require entry into Georgia, and certain services for a non-resident connected with its activities outside Georgia. It also addresses management roles at specified categories of enterprise. Each exclusion has conditions; a job title or a foreign customer alone should not be treated as the answer.

We review the person, location, employer or customer, services and residence status before deciding whether an application is required. Small-business tax status and an LLC appointment do not independently settle the work-authorisation question.

Work approval and immigration documents

Where the statutory follow-up requirement applies, a person outside Georgia must apply for a D1 visa within 30 calendar days after obtaining the right to work. A person already in Georgia must apply for a work residence permit or qualifying IT residence permit within 10 calendar days.

Article 13⁵ contains exceptions to that follow-up obligation, including where the person already holds a Georgian residence permit. An exception from applying for a new residence document is not the same legal question as an exclusion from the work-authorisation system itself.

For covered applications, the law sets a review period of up to 30 calendar days after the full application and documents are submitted. Missing information, eligibility and any expedited service need to be considered separately.

The transition ending on 1 January 2027

The transition is not available merely because a foreigner was already in Georgia. The law refers to labour immigrants whose registration in the Ministry's unified database was active on 1 March 2026. Those persons must obtain the required right to work and appropriate residence permission by 1 January 2027, subject to the applicable rules and exclusions.

Employers should check the actual registration record and the worker's current position now. A company extract, old employment contract or proof of entry does not replace evidence of the qualifying active registration.

IT residence permits

The IT residence category has separate grounds for eligible employees, qualifying individual entrepreneurs with small-business status, authorised representatives of international IT companies and eligible family members. The evidence depends on the ground relied upon.

For the relevant employee and entrepreneur categories, the agency's requirements include at least two years of qualifying IT experience and at least USD 25,000 equivalent in annual remuneration. Its evidence requirements include separate receipts at least 30 days apart. These tests should not be copied indiscriminately onto every executive or family-member application.

Applicants must also address lawful stay, any required right to work, the specified activity and the documents appropriate to their category. The agency's current requirements should be checked before filing.

Property-based residence

The current short-term property residence category requires qualifying non-agricultural immovable property with an appraised market value exceeding USD 150,000 equivalent in GEL. The old USD 100,000 figure should not be used for a new application under the current rule.

The registered title and accredited valuation matter, rather than the advertisement or purchase price alone. Property ownership does not itself grant a residence permit, a right to work or citizenship.

Foreign directors and employers

A director's registration at the Public Registry does not establish compliance with the Labour Migration Law. At the same time, the current law contains exclusions affecting specified management roles and other activities. The company's category and the actual role must be checked before treating an appointment as requiring, or being exempt from, work authorisation.

For covered employment, keep the contract, permission, residence record and electronic notifications consistent. The law includes reporting obligations for termination or changes and advance procedures for extending work permission. Do not wait for a residence card or work approval to expire before reviewing renewal requirements.

What to prepare for legal review

Passport, entry information and current visa or residence document.
Employment contract, director appointment or description of self-employed services.
The employer's or customer's country and the place where the work is performed.
The Ministry registration record, particularly any active status on 1 March 2026.
Existing decisions, refusal letters, deadlines and relevant IT or property evidence.

We can then identify whether an exclusion applies, which permission is needed and what must be done before an existing deadline. Tax residence and corporate or small-business status are assessed separately.

Official sources

For help with a current application or the transition, contact our legal team and include any approaching deadline.

Georgia’s Immigration Reform 2025–2026: What Employers, Investors, and Expats Need to Know