Georgia targets 20,000 removals under new Right to Labour permit rules

A 20,000-person removal target

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Georgia's goal is that "not a single illegal migrant remains in Georgia," putting the current irregular population at roughly 20,000 foreigners. He said more people were deported in the past year than in the previous decade combined.

Expulsions hit 1,131 people through November 2025 and the government has set a floor of 3,500 deportations for 2026. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is running street and workplace checks, a faster removal pipeline and steeper overstay penalties.

The crackdown pairs with a labour-migration overhaul that took effect March 1, 2026, requiring most foreign workers to hold a Right to Labour/Entrepreneurial Activity permit. Self-employed foreigners came under active enforcement May 1, 2026 under Government Decree No. 70.

Who gets caught in the net

Tourists using Georgia's 365-day visa-free entry remain welcome, but casual overstayers now face escalating fines, removal and re-entry bans flagged at exit checks.

Expats on temporary residence permits no longer have an automatic right to work. Salaried employment, freelancing for Georgian clients or running a local business without the new permit triggers fines and possible deportation.

Digital nomads sit in a grey zone. The rules explicitly cover remote workers tied to Georgian companies or the local economy. Those working entirely for foreign clients with no Georgian business registration may fall outside scope, though authorities haven't issued clear guidance.

Citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria entering on Gulf visas or residence permits now need documentation valid for at least one year at entry.

Permits, fines and timelines

The work permit runs in two stages: first the Right to Labour/Entrepreneurial Activity permit from the State Employment Promotion Agency, then a D1 visa or work residence permit. Standard processing takes 30 calendar days; an expedited track runs 10 working days at double the fee. Applications go through the Labour Migration portal.

Working without the permit draws a 2,000 GEL fine for both worker and employer on first offence, doubling on second offence within 12 months and tripling after. Foreigners already in the labour migration system have until Jan. 1, 2027 to obtain the new permit.

Read our full Georgia guide for the complete picture or browse our latest visa updates.