Send Us Your Georgia Work Visa
Under the new rules, the first part of a work visa for Georgia is a work permit, which your firm gets for you from the State Employment Support Agency. For a long stay you then add a work residence permit from the Public Service Development Agency, so you need a job offer first. The country has EU candidate status, but talks to join have never opened, and it sits outside the EU and the Schengen zone.
EU Helpers links you with local firms we have checked, gets the papers for both permits in order and keeps an eye on each date. The authorities in Tbilisi decide each case, and we tell you so before you start.
Quick facts:
- Work permit: needed by most foreign staff and by those who work for themselves, and asked for online by the firm.
- Permit fee: 200 lari for a check of up to 30 days, or 400 lari for 10 working days.
- Right to stay: a work residence permit from the Public Service Development Agency, at one of its halls.
- Job post first: your firm must post the job on Worknet for at least 10 working days before it can apply.
- Health cover: if you come in as a tourist, you need cover worth at least 30,000 lari for the whole stay.
Georgia's Labour Migration Law and EU Standing
Europe has no common work visa, and the rules change with the kind of job you do, from a post with a firm to running your own trade. The official EU Immigration Portal is for EU states, and Georgia stands outside the EU, so it sets its own rules. They have no link to work permits in Turkey, the work rules in Armenia or jobs in Azerbaijan, so a permit from any of those does not count here.
The Law on Labour Migration sets the right to work, and the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons sets the rules on visas and stays. The country has EU candidate status, but talks to join have never opened and the EU says the process has come to a halt, so EU permits and Schengen visas give you no right to work here. To weigh up other routes, see our work visa hub for all of Europe.
Georgian Work Permit Rules by Passport and Purpose
Your passport decides how you get into the country, but it is your job that decides which permits you need, and the table shows the main cases.
| Your situation | What applies in Georgia |
|---|---|
| Citizen of an EU country, the UK or the US | No visa for a visit, but a job needs a work permit, then a D1 visa or a work residence permit |
| Other nationality allowed in without a visa | A lawful stay on arrival, which does not by itself allow paid work |
| Nationality that needs a visa | A visa from a Georgian embassy or consulate before travel, then the work permit and residence permit |
| Employee of a company in Georgia | A work permit requested by the employer, plus a work residence permit for a longer stay |
| Business owner or self-employed person | A work permit you apply for yourself, with a video interview, plus residence based on your business |
| International student | A study residence permit, so check its work conditions before taking a job |
| Holder of a permanent or investment residence permit | No work permit needed under the Law on Labour Migration |
Conditions Georgian Authorities Expect You to Meet
A yes turns on the job, the firm and your papers, and in most cases the file needs to meet each of the points below before the state signs it off.
- You need a signed contract with a firm that the National Agency of Public Registry has on its books.
- The job must have been on Worknet for at least 10 working days, with no local person found who fits it.
- Your work permit must come from the State Employment Support Agency, and it is tied to your firm and your post.
- You need a valid passport and a lawful way in, with a D1 visa or a card to stay where the rules call for one.
- You must show skills or years of work that fit the job, since the state can say no if the two do not match.
- Each paper you bring from abroad must have a Georgian translation, signed off by a notary in the country.
For the card that lets you stay, the Public Service Development Agency also looks at the pay on offer and at how much trade the firm does each year for each worker from abroad. A clear job with fair pay gives your file the best base it can have.
Permits and Residence Types for Work in Georgia
The law keeps the right to work apart from the right to live here, so most people from abroad hold two papers, and the table lists them with the other cards you may meet.
| Permit | Who it suits | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit | Foreign employees of companies in Georgia | Requested by the employer from the State Employment Support Agency; up to one year, tied to one employer and post |
| Work residence permit | Foreign employees staying long term | Issued by the Public Service Development Agency through Public Service Halls |
| Residence for business activity | Company owners and self-employed people | Tied to proof of business income; self-employed people also need their own work permit |
| Investment residence permit | Foreigners who invest a large sum in Georgia | Holders need no work permit; check the current investment amounts |
| Family reunification residence permit | Close relatives of Georgian citizens and residence permit holders | Work rights follow the labour migration rules |
| Study residence permit | Students at Georgian universities | Granted for study, so check the work conditions first |
| Permanent residence permit | Long-term residents | No work permit needed; brings wider rights after years of lawful stay |
The cards for those who invest or who may stay for good have their own rules and sums. Check the latest ones at a Public Service Hall before you plan on them. Some jobs, such as courier work, taxi driving and tour guide work, are now closed to most people from abroad or held to a small quota.
How a Georgian Job Turns Into Legal Work
For most people, a work visa for Georgia now takes the seven steps below, and the work permit has to be in your hands before you start the job.
- Find a job in Georgia: a local firm wants to hire you, and the two of you sign a contract that meets the Labour Code of Georgia.
- Job goes on Worknet: your firm posts the job on Worknet, the ministry's job board, for at least 10 working days, so that local people get the first chance.
- The firm applies: if no local person fits, the firm applies online to the job agency and pays a fee of 200 or 400 lari.
- Get a D1 visa or card: once the permit is granted, you get a D1 work visa at an embassy, or go straight on to the card.
- Apply at a Public Service Hall: you hand in your file at the hall with your contract, your translated papers and proof that you paid the fee.
- Collect your card: when the answer is yes, you get a card that shows your right to stay, and you will need it at the bank too.
- Renew on time: your firm must ask to renew the work permit no later than 30 days before the end date, and you renew your card at the same time.
A permit covers just one firm and one post, so a new job or a new role with the same firm means a new permit. Those who were on the ministry list as foreign staff when the rules changed have until 1 January to get both the work permit and the card to stay.
Documents for a Public Service Hall Application
The halls work in Georgian, so plan your translations early, and most of the papers you bring from abroad will need an apostille or a stamp from a consul as well.
Papers You Provide
- A passport that will still be valid at the end of the stay you plan, with some months to spare.
- Your signed contract, or a note on firm paper about the work you will do and what it pays.
- Proof of your skills and past work, such as a degree, a trade paper or a letter from a past boss.
- Georgian translations of each paper you bring from abroad, signed off by a notary in the country.
- Proof that you have a home to live in, such as a lease on a flat or a letter from the host you stay with.
- Proof that you paid the state fee for the speed of service you chose when you went to the hall.
- New photos, if the hall asks for them on the day you go in to hand over your file.
Papers From Your Georgian Employer
- An extract from the list of firms that the National Agency of Public Registry keeps up to date.
- The work permit that the State Employment Support Agency granted for your post at the firm.
- A letter on firm paper that gives your job title, your pay and the hours you will work each week.
- Records of the firm's trade, such as tax returns, if the hall asks to see them before it decides.
State Fees in Lari and Other Costs
Fees are set in lari, and both the work permit and the card to stay cost more if you want a faster answer, so check the sums with each office before you apply, as they can change.
| Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Work permit fee | 200 lari for a standard review of up to 30 days, or 400 lari for 10 working days, paid by the employer |
| Residence permit fee | The agency's charge, with a standard service and faster options |
| Visa fee | Paid to a Georgian embassy, consulate or the e-Visa portal, if your nationality needs a visa |
| Translations and notary | Georgian translations of foreign documents, certified by a notary |
| Apostilles or legalisation | Arranged in the country that issued each document |
| Housing and first weeks | Rent, a deposit and living costs until your first salary |
Your pay is set in your contract under the Labour Code, so agree on it with the firm before any form goes in. Plan in lari for your costs in the country, even if you keep your own savings in euros or dollars.
Timing for Georgian Permits and Residence Cards
The job post runs for at least 10 working days, and then the job office has up to 30 days to rule on a work permit at the standard fee, or 10 working days at the higher one. The Public Service Development Agency also has a standard pace and faster ones that cost more, so you can weigh speed against cost when you hand in the file for your card.
Most delays come from papers with no Georgian translation, from gaps in the firm's records or from a stay that is close to its end. We map each date before you travel, so that the work permit, your entry and your file for the card all line up.
Jobs for Foreign Workers From Tbilisi to Batumi
Growth in hotels, building work and transit trade means a steady need for staff, and the table shows where people from abroad most often find work. It rests on the main trades in the country, as no state list of skills in short supply turned up when we looked.
| Sector | Where | Typical roles |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Tbilisi and the Black Sea city of Batumi | Builders, finishers, crane and machine operators |
| Tourism and hospitality | Batumi in summer, Gudauri and Bakuriani in winter, and Tbilisi all year | Hotel staff, cooks, waiters and resort workers |
| Farming and wine | Kakheti, especially during the autumn grape harvest | Vineyard and harvest workers, winery staff |
| IT and digital services | Tbilisi | Developers, testers and customer support agents |
| Transport and logistics | The ports of Poti and Batumi and the east to west transit routes | Truck drivers, warehouse workers and port staff |
EU Helpers Guides to Working in Georgia
Each of these guides goes into more depth on one part of the move, from jobs and time frames to the way of life on the Black Sea coast.
- How long the Georgian permits take, from the first day the job is on Worknet to the day you hold your card.
- Jobs in Georgia that are in demand and pay well, with roles on building sites, in hotels, on farms and in IT.
- What working in Georgia offers, from what you pay for rent and food to life and work in Tbilisi and Batumi.
- Moving to Georgia, with pointers on finding a flat, setting up a bank account and getting through the first month.
Where Georgian Work Applications Go Off Track
- Starting a job before the work permit, and any card to stay that you need, is in your hands.
- Thinking that a long stay with no visa also lets you take paid work while you are there.
- Handing in papers from abroad with no Georgian translation that a notary has signed off.
- Asking the firm to apply before the job has been on Worknet for the full 10 working days.
- Leaving the renewal too late, as the firm has to send it in 30 days or more before the end date.
- Taking courier, taxi or tour guide work, which is now closed to most people from abroad.
- Moving to a new firm or a new post before a new permit has been granted to cover it.
Our Help With Georgian Work and Residence Files
- We check that your firm has put the job on Worknet and is ready to apply before you travel.
- We help you get your papers ready for the hall, with a Georgian translation of each one.
- We help you choose between the standard pace and the faster one for both of your permits.
- We plan your entry, whether you need a D1 visa first or can go straight to the hall for your card.
- We remind you and the firm well before the 30-day mark, so that each renewal goes in on time.
Only the state can rule on your case, and we say so at the start, before you or the firm spend a single lari. See our list of visa approvals, read reviews from people we helped or find out the story behind EU Helpers.
Get Started With EU Helpers
Tell us which group you belong to below, and one of our team will take you through the permit and card steps, or you can book a call about work in Georgia right away.
Register as a Worker (Find Jobs in Georgia)
Sign up once, and we can put your name forward to firms we have checked, from the capital to the coast and the wine towns, then help with both of your permits.
- Jobs with local firms that our team has looked at with care before they reach you.
- A list of the papers the hall will want to see, built for the passport that you hold.
- Help to get Georgian translations of your papers made and signed off by a notary.
- Help to work out if you need a D1 visa first or can go straight to the hall for your card.
- A note in good time before your work permit or your card is due to run out.
Register as a Recruiter / Agency
Place your people in jobs here with a partner that tracks the new rules on foreign staff as they settle in and as the state adds to them.
- Open roles from the capital to the coast, each with a short note on what the firm wants.
- Help on what each worker must give the firm so that the work permit file is full.
- A look at each file before the firm applies, so that any gaps come to light in time.
- News at each stage, from the Worknet post to the day each worker holds a card.
- Help to plan hires for the busy Black Sea summer well ahead of the first rush.
Register as a Recruitment Partner
Register as an Employer (Hire Foreign Workers in Georgia)
If your firm here cannot find enough staff at home, EU Helpers can help you bring in workers from abroad and keep each hire within the new rules.
- Checked workers for jobs on building sites, in hotels, on farms and in freight and ports.
- Help with the Worknet post and the work permit form, so both meet the new rules.
- Checks on the translations and on each worker's papers before you send in the file.
- Help to time when each worker lands, so that the D1 visa and the file for the card fit.
- A note in good time before each worker's permit is due to be renewed.
Why Registration Is Important
Once your profile is set up, we can check who you are, as a worker, firm or partner, before any file reaches the state, and your translations and permit dates then sit in one place for each time you renew.
Author
EU Helpers Team. We place staff with firms across Europe and in the South Caucasus, Georgia among them, and we update this guide as the new rules on work bed in and change.
Official Sources
Georgia's labour migration rules are changing, so confirm each detail with these official bodies:
- Georgia, residence permits and Public Service Halls, Public Service Development Agency: sda.gov.ge
- Georgia, labour migration and employment policy, labour ministry: moh.gov.ge
- Georgia, laws in force including the Law on Labour Migration, Legislative Herald of Georgia: matsne.gov.ge
- Georgia, visas for foreign nationals, e-Visa portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: evisa.gov.ge
- EU member states' immigration rules, EU Immigration Portal, European Commission: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
Planning a job in Tbilisi, Batumi or Kakheti?
Line Up Your Georgian Work Permit Papers
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the new law, must I hold a work permit before I start a job in Georgia?
Yes, in most cases, since the new law asks foreign staff and those who work for themselves to hold one before they start. A few groups are left out, such as those who have the right to stay for good and those with a card for investors.
Does a stay in Georgia with no visa give me the right to take a paid job there?
No, a stay with no visa lets you come in and stay for a time, but it does not let you work. For that you need a work permit first, and then a D1 visa or a work residence permit.
Where do I go to apply for a Georgian residence permit so that I can work?
At a Public Service Hall, and you will find one in most big towns. The Public Service Development Agency runs the halls and decides on each card, and it sits under the Ministry of Justice.
How much does the new Georgian work permit cost, and who has to pay for it?
It costs 200 lari for a 30-day check, or 400 lari for an answer in 10 working days. Your firm pays for the staff it hires, while those who work for themselves pay their own fee.
Do my papers need to be put into Georgian before I take them to the hall?
Yes, as a rule, each paper from abroad needs a Georgian translation that a notary has signed off. Many will also need an apostille stamp from the place where they were made, so start on them early.
Does an EU work permit or a Schengen visa let me work in Tbilisi as well?
No, neither one has any force here, as the country is outside the EU and the Schengen zone. You need a Georgian work permit, and the right to stay that goes with it, before you start.
Does Georgia's EU candidate status change the rules for people who come to work?
No, the work rules come from the law of the land, since talks to join the EU have never opened. The EU says the process has come to a halt, so plan on the rules of Georgia alone.
Why does my job have to go on Worknet before my firm can ask for a Georgian permit?
Local people get first chance, so the firm must post the job for 10 working days or more. It can then apply for your work permit only if no local person who fits the job comes forward.
Do I need to speak Georgian to land a job in a hotel or a tech firm?
Not always, since a lot of hotels, IT firms and big firms from abroad work in English or in Russian. Georgian is still the language of the state, though, so the forms and the papers you hand in must be in Georgian.
Can my spouse or my child get Georgian residence through the job that I take?
In most cases, yes, close family can ask for a family card at a Public Service Hall, with proof of how you are linked. A family member who wants to take a job of their own needs a work permit too.
Can people from abroad come to pick grapes in Kakheti when the harvest is on?
Yes, if the farm sticks to the new rules, as pickers from abroad need a work permit just like other staff. The harvest peaks in the autumn, so the farm should post the jobs on Worknet well ahead.
What support does EU Helpers give for a work visa for Georgia?
We check your firm, help with your papers and remind you of each renewal date. This covers the Georgian translations for the hall, while the authorities make the final decision.