Hungary to halt non-EU work visas starting June 1

Hungary plans June 1 freeze on non-EU work visas

Hungary's new Tisza-led government plans to stop issuing work visas and work-based residence permits to non-EU nationals starting June 1, 2026, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said after his party's April election win. The stated goal is reducing new non-European migrant worker arrivals "to zero."

No implementing decree has been published. Until one appears in the Official Gazette, the current quota system, which caps non-EU work permits at 35,000 per year, remains in force. Business groups in manufacturing and logistics, sectors that lean heavily on third-country labor, have pushed back on the abrupt timeline.

Who gets hit and who doesn't

The freeze targets so-called guest workers and third-country nationals applying for local employment in Hungary, including those using the single permit that combines residence and work authorization. After June 1, that pathway would close for new non-EU applicants.

Existing permit holders are expected to keep their status until expiry, based on how Hungary handled prior reforms. Renewals will likely face stricter rules rather than mass revocation.

Digital nomads on the White Card sit outside the main target. The permit is tied to foreign employers and foreign-sourced income, not the Hungarian labor market, so commentary on the proposal flags little direct impact for remote workers. Anyone trying to combine White Card status with a Hungarian local job should reconsider.

Schengen short-stay tourism is untouched. Visa-free visitors and C-type visa holders see no change from this specific policy.

Costs, thresholds and next steps

The White Card remains the cleanest route for remote workers. Applicants must show:

• Net monthly income of at least €3,000 ($3,260) over the prior six months from foreign sources
• A registered Hungarian residential address before applying
• Valid health insurance and a clean criminal record
• No Hungarian-registered employer or company

Applications run through the Enter Hungary platform or at consulates abroad. The card is valid for one year and renewable once, with the income threshold reapplied at renewal under Decree No. 88/2025.

Anyone with a pending non-EU work permit application should track the Official Gazette and immigration authority channels for the implementing legislation, which will determine whether pending files get processed or shelved.

Read our full Hungary guide for the complete picture and follow our visa updates for the decree text when it lands.