Who this post is for
This is for foreign freelancers / entrepreneurs who do not have a permanent residence permit and who are planning to:
- work while being physically in Georgia, or
- run a Georgia PE (individual entrepreneur) and sometimes do paid activity while being physically in Georgia
If you are a Georgian citizen, this post is not for you.
This is a practical overview, not legal advice. Always confirm details with official sources or a professional.
What changes from 1 March 2026 (plain language)
From 1 March 2026, the rules become stricter and clearer for foreigners who want to do paid work or entrepreneurial activity in Georgia.
In most cases, you should expect two layers:
- Right to work (work authorisation; sometimes referred to as a work activity permit)
- Legal basis to stay for work/business, such as a D1 visa and/or a work residence permit
What this means in practice
- Visa-free/tourist stay is not a work status. If you want to work while being physically in Georgia, plan for the right to work + the correct immigration status.
- Expect to interact with an electronic labour migration system (you may see it referenced as
labourmigration.moh.gov.ge). The government will define the final procedures before the launch. - The right to work can be refused if your profession/qualification does not match Georgia’s labour market needs or if it is on a restricted list (the final list and criteria are set by the government).
- If you apply from inside Georgia, you generally must be legally staying in Georgia at the time you apply.
Do you need the right to work? (3 common scenarios)
1) You live outside Georgia and work from abroad
If you live outside Georgia and do not enter Georgia to perform your work, you are generally not the main target of the 1 March 2026 “right to work” requirement.
If you later come to Georgia and work while being physically in Georgia, see scenario 2.
2) You are in Georgia (or you come to Georgia) and work while you are here
Assume you are affected and plan for:
- the right to work, and
- the correct visa/residence status for work/business
3) You already have a residence permit
If you already hold any residence permit, you may not need to obtain a new visa/residence document, but the right to work can still be required.
Key exception (very important)
The official rules mention an exception for work performed fully remotely when that work does not require entry into Georgia.
One more practical point (for self-employed)
If you obtain the right to work as a self-employed person and then leave Georgia for more than 6 months, the right to work can be terminated. If your lifestyle includes long periods outside Georgia, plan accordingly.
If you travel a lot and your situation is mixed, it’s worth getting professional advice.
Deadlines you should know
If you are outside Georgia when you obtain the right to work:
- you generally must apply for a D1 immigration visa within 30 calendar days.
If you are already in Georgia when you obtain the right to work:
- you generally must apply for a work residence permit (or an IT-sector work residence permit, where applicable) within 10 calendar days.
Transitional rule:
- labour immigrants already registered in the official labour migration database with an active status on 1 March 2026 must obtain the right to work and an appropriate residence permit by 1 January 2027.
How to deal with it (simple checklist)
1) Check if you’re affected
Ask yourself:
- Am I a foreigner without permanent residence?
- Am I doing paid work or business activity in Georgia?
- Am I relying only on visa-free stay / tourist status?
If the answer is “yes”, start planning now.
2) Decide your “mode”
- Employed by a local employer: the employer generally applies for your right to work.
- Self-employed / freelancer / PE: you generally apply for your right to work yourself.
3) Apply early (don’t wait for the last week)
The law allows up to 30 calendar days to review an application in full.
Also note there can be a service fee (the law caps it at up to GEL 500).
4) Keep your records clean
Regardless of immigration status, a clean month helps reduce stress:
- record each payment
- keep dates and currencies consistent
- do a quick month review
Start here:
What happens if you ignore it?
The law introduces fines for working without the right to work.
Examples:
- working without the right to work can mean a GEL 2,000 fine (for the foreign worker/self-employed person)
- the local employer/service organiser can also be fined GEL 2,000 (per person)
Official sources
- https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/2806732 (Law of Georgia: On Labour Migration)
- https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/2278806 (Law of Georgia: On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons)