Georgia's government has introduced significant changes to the rules for issuing work and residence permits to foreign nationals. The decree adopted on July 9, 2026, sets out detailed document requirements, simplifies income verification procedures, and introduces a preferential regime for newly established businesses.
The employer of a foreign worker must continue to confirm the minimum annual company turnover. This amount depends on the business sector: for standard commercial enterprises, 50,000 GEL per foreign employee is required, while for medical and educational institutions, 35,000 GEL per foreign employee is required. However, the rules have become more flexible: if a foreign citizen cannot provide standard tax documents for objective reasons, the authorities will accept any other reliable evidence demonstrating the required level of turnover.
A particularly significant exemption applies to recently established businesses. Companies founded within the past three months with no more than three foreign employees are exempted from providing turnover documents if the applicant is filing for a work residence permit for the first time. Instead of financial documents, only an internal company statement of the number of foreign employees working there is required. However, such a permit is issued for a reduced period of just 6 months, during which the company must demonstrate initial financial results.
In some cases, applicants may be required to provide information about the size of the enterprise (small, medium, or large business) or about its status as a person of public interest. All such data must precisely match the official information published on the government portal of the Audit Office at reportal.ge. All other basic requirements, including the presence of an employment contract and confirmation of legal residence in the country, remain in force. The updated rules have already entered into legal force.