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

Published by AttorneyAtLaw.ge · Updated August 2025

Georgia is introducing the most comprehensive immigration and labor migration reforms in over a decade. Starting September 1, 2025, with full implementation from March 1, 2026, the legal framework for residence and work permits will change significantly. These reforms affect foreign professionals, entrepreneurs, IT specialists, company directors, and investors. For employers, the changes mean a new era of compliance and accountability.

The End of Labor Migrant Registration

Georgia’s old “labor migrant registration” system will be abolished. In its place, every foreigner who intends to work, operate a business, or even provide remote services for a Georgian company must obtain the Right to Engage in Labor Activity.

This authorization becomes the gateway to legal employment. A residence card or visa will no longer be enough on its own — without the work right, any labor or entrepreneurial activity will be unlawful. For companies, this means no onboarding of foreign staff can take place until the right is issued.

From Authorization to Residence Permit

Once the work right is granted, the applicant must align their residence status. Foreigners outside Georgia will have 30 days to apply for a D1 immigration visa. Those already in Georgia must apply within 10 days for a labor residence permit or, if eligible, the new IT-sector residence permit. These strict deadlines make close coordination between employers and employees essential.

The Three-Year IT Residence Permit

Recognizing the importance of its digital economy, Georgia has created a special IT residence permit. Beginning September 2025, this permit will be valid for three years and can be renewed in three-year increments, up to a maximum of twelve years.

The permit is open to IT employees, individual entrepreneurs with small business status in the IT field, executives and representatives of international IT companies operating in Georgia, and their family members. To qualify, applicants must prove at least two years of IT-related work or economic activity, and demonstrate an annual income of no less than USD 25,000 in Georgian lari equivalent.

A strict physical presence rule also applies: the permit will be revoked if the holder spends more than 183 consecutive days outside Georgia in any 12-month period, unless exceptional circumstances apply. This ensures that the IT residence permit remains tied to genuine economic presence in the country.

Foreign Directors of Georgian Companies (LLC/JSC)

A key question for corporate clients is whether the new regime will also apply to foreign directors of Georgian limited liability companies (LLCs) and joint stock companies (JSCs). The answer is clear: yes, directors fall within the scope of the reform.

Being appointed as a company director is legally treated as performing labor or entrepreneurial activity in Georgia. Therefore, foreign directors must obtain the Right to Engage in Labor Activity before exercising their powers. A residence permit (such as the labor residence permit) must then follow. Where the company operates in the IT sector, directors may alternatively qualify for the IT residence permit.

Companies should take note: while the Public Registry (NAPR) may technically allow the registration of a foreign director, the director’s actions could still be unlawful if they lack the required authorization. Both the company and the director risk fines of GEL 2,000 per violation, which increase for repeat offenses.

The only exemption arises if the director already holds another valid residence class that makes them independent of labor permits, such as an investment residence permit or permanent residency. In all other cases, directors must comply with the new system. For multinational groups appointing foreign nationals as Georgian subsidiary directors, this means careful planning and accounting for the 30-day processing period before onboarding.

Property-Based Residency: Higher Investment Threshold

For investors seeking residence through property ownership, the minimum real estate value has been raised. A short-term residence permit will now require property valued at USD 150,000, up from the previous threshold of USD 100,000. Applicants must rely on certified Georgian appraisals to establish the value of their property.

Penalties and Deportation Rules

The reform introduces real consequences for non-compliance. Employers who hire foreigners without the necessary authorization, and individuals who work without it, will be fined GEL 2,000 per violation. Repeat offenders will face doubled and even tripled penalties. Deportation procedures are also being tightened, with harsher consequences for overstaying or working illegally.

Responsibility is shared: the employer, the worker, and even third parties who facilitate unlawful labor activity can all be fined. This shared liability framework underscores the government’s commitment to closing gaps in enforcement.

Transition Period

Foreigners already present in Georgia are not expected to comply overnight. Those registered in the labor migrant system by March 1, 2026, will have until January 1, 2027 to obtain the new work authorization and correct residence permit. New arrivals after March 1, 2026, must comply immediately.

Why These Changes?

The government has pointed to the discrepancy between inflows of foreign nationals and official registrations. In just six months of 2024, nearly a quarter of a million foreigners entered Georgia, yet only a few thousand were ever registered as labor migrants over an eight-year period. This gap left policymakers without accurate data, fostered an informal labor market, and limited oversight. The reform is designed to close these gaps, align Georgia with international standards, and preserve the country’s reputation as a transparent, investor-friendly jurisdiction.

What Employers and Expats Should Do

Employers must start preparing now. Auditing foreign staff, training HR departments on the 30-day processing times, and ensuring contracts reflect immigration compliance will be critical. For IT professionals, assembling proof of experience and income should be a priority. For company directors, corporate governance planning should include immigration timelines. Property investors should factor in the new USD 150,000 threshold before committing funds.

 

Georgia remains an attractive destination for professionals and investors, but beginning in 2025 and 2026, entry and work will be governed by clearer, stricter rules. For employers, the price of non-compliance is rising. For expats and company directors, opportunity continues, but it comes with added responsibility. Those who prepare early will navigate the transition smoothly, while those who wait risk disruption and penalties.