Self-employed foreigners and the May 1 deadline: what we know now

Where things stand

When we wrote about the 1 March 2026 changes back in February, much of it was still on paper. Two things have changed since then:

• The official portal labourmigration.moh.gov.ge is live (from 1 March 2026).
• For self-employed foreigners already operating in Georgia on 1 March 2026, the enforcement mechanism activates on 1 May 2026. That deadline is here.

This post is a calm, practical update for foreign individual entrepreneurs (PEs) and freelancers. It’s not legal advice. The rules and procedures are still being clarified by the Ministry, and the legal community keeps publishing new guidance. Always confirm before acting.

What “1 May 2026 enforcement” actually means

The work-authorisation requirement existed on paper from 1 March 2026. But for self-employed foreigners already doing entrepreneurial or labour activity in Georgia as of that date, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs gave a two-month transition window before enforcement kicks in.

In short:

• 1 March → 30 April 2026: existing self-employed foreigners had time to apply.
• From 1 May 2026: the enforcement mechanism is active.

What “enforcement mechanism” means in practice is being clarified case by case, but the fines that have been published are:

• GEL 2,000 to a foreign self-employed person working without the right to work.
• GEL 2,000 to a local employer or service organiser who engages such a person (per person).

How the portal works (high level)

If you’re a self-employed foreigner applying yourself, the typical flow looks like this:

1. Register on labourmigration.moh.gov.ge and start an application.
2. Submit information about your activity, qualifications, and address.
3. Video interview with the State Agency — at the end of the interview you confirm your electronic application.
4. Decision by the Agency. The law allows up to 30 calendar days to review a complete application.
5. Pay the service fee (capped by law at up to GEL 500).
6. Permit is issued electronically.

For self-employed foreigners outside the IT sector, the first-time permit is typically valid 6 to 12 months. For foreigners doing work in the IT sector, the initial permit can be valid for up to 3 years.

If you obtained the right to work from outside Georgia, the legislation gives roughly 30 calendar days to apply for a D1 immigration visa. If you obtained it from inside Georgia, you generally have 10 calendar days to apply for a work residence permit.

Things that are still moving

Two months in, several things are still being refined:

• The exact documentation expected from self-employed applicants has been changing as the Ministry adds guidance.
• What counts as “active registration” on 1 March 2026 for the transitional rule has been interpreted in different ways by different practitioners.
• The video interview format and language expectations are still settling.

If you read something today and it contradicts what you read last week, it probably means the guidance was updated, not that you misread it. Lean on the official portal and, ideally, a local advisor.

A simple checklist if you’re still figuring this out

If you are a foreigner running a Georgian PE and you spend time physically in Georgia doing the work:

1. Decide which category you’re in.
   • I work fully from outside Georgia → likely not the main target.
   • I work while physically in Georgia → assume you’re affected.
2. Open an account on labourmigration.moh.gov.ge and read the current self-employed flow on the portal itself.
3. Prepare your basic documents (ID, qualification evidence, description of activity, address). The list has been moving; check it on the portal before you collect.
4. Apply early. Reviews can take up to 30 days. Booking a video interview slot has been the most common bottleneck.
5. Plan your immigration status separately. The right to work is one layer; legal stay (visa / residence permit) is the second.
6. Don’t ignore the May 1 enforcement. Even if procedures feel unfinished, the fines on paper are real.

Two practical points many people miss

Long absences can void your “right to work”

If you obtain the right to work as a self-employed person and then leave Georgia for more than 6 months, that right can be terminated. If your lifestyle is “in Georgia for a few weeks at a time”, build that into your plan — don’t assume the permit follows you forever.

Your PE tax routine is separate

The right to work is an immigration/labour matter. Your monthly SBS declarations on rs.ge are a tax matter. They run on different systems, different ministries, and different deadlines. Don’t mix them — and especially don’t skip the monthly declaration while you’re busy sorting out the work permit.

If you’re an SBS holder, our Order N38 post explains why a quiet month still needs a filing.

How Taxocat fits in

Taxocat is a tax tool. It is not a labour migration tool, and it does not file work-permit applications.

What we do help with is the part that does not pause while you’re dealing with paperwork: the monthly tax routine. If you’re in the middle of applying for the right to work this month, the last thing you want to add to the pile is a missed monthly declaration on rs.ge.

See also:

• /en/blog/changes-from-march-1-2026/
• /en/blog/order-n38-monthly-returns-mandatory/
• /en/blog/georgia-pe-freelance-worldwide/

Official sources

• Government portal: https://labourmigration.moh.gov.ge/
• Law of Georgia: On Labour Migration — https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/2806732
• Law of Georgia: On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons — https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/2278806