Georgia Tightens Controls as Digital Nomad Era Faces Regulatory Shift

The Remote Work Paradise

For years, Georgia positioned itself as one of the world's most accessible destinations for remote workers. Citizens from over 90 countries could enter visa-free and stay up to 365 days—a policy virtually unmatched globally. Tbilisi attracted a growing community of freelancers and entrepreneurs with affordable living costs and favorable tax structures. The country's Individual Entrepreneur status offered qualifying foreign workers a 1% tax rate on revenues up to approximately $165,000 annually, creating what many considered a remote work paradise at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

The Regulation Gap

By 2023, Georgia's permissive system created unintended consequences. While official registration captured approximately 42,000 foreign workers as of 2025, government estimates suggested the actual number of foreign labor migrants staying six months or longer reached approximately 239,000. This nearly six-fold gap between official records and reality exposed a regulatory blind spot. The Georgian government lacked authority to refuse employment permits that might harm local workers, leading to what officials described in explanatory notes as an influx of unqualified labor that negatively impacted domestic employment conditions.

Parliament Acts

On June 26, 2025, Georgia's Parliament adopted sweeping amendments to the Law on Labour Migration and the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners in a third reading. The reforms introduce a mandatory work permit system requiring most foreign nationals—including employees, self-employed individuals, registered entrepreneurs, and remote workers for Georgian startups—to obtain government-issued authorization before engaging in any employment or business activity within Georgia.

New Permit Requirements

The new framework creates a two-stage process. Foreign workers must first secure a "right to labor/entrepreneurial activity" permit from the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs—a review that can take up to 30 calendar days. Only after obtaining this permit can they apply for the required D1 immigration visa or work residence permit. Individual entrepreneurs previously operating through simple online registration now fall under the definition of "self-employed foreigner" and must independently navigate the permit system. Exemptions exist for refugees, asylum seekers, diplomatic mission employees, accredited foreign journalists, and holders of investment or permanent residence permits.

Implementation Timeline Set

The law takes effect March 1, 2026. Foreign workers already registered in the labor migration system on that date receive a transition period extending to January 1, 2027, to obtain required permits and matching residence documentation. Enforcement mechanisms include fines of 2,000 Georgian lari (approximately $740) for both unauthorized foreign workers and their employers for first offenses, with penalties doubling for repeat violations within one year and tripling thereafter. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and regulatory bodies gained authority to conduct workplace inspections and impose financial penalties for violations.

The Cost of Compliance

The regulatory shift fundamentally alters Georgia's value proposition for registered remote workers and entrepreneurs. What was once a nearly paperwork-free destination for those using the Individual Entrepreneur tax scheme now requires advance planning, government approval, and compliance monitoring. The administrative burden falls particularly hard on small businesses and startups that previously hired foreign talent informally. Foreign nationals performing labor activity fully remotely without entering Georgian territory or establishing local business registration may not require permits, though this distinction awaits clarification during implementation.

From Open Door to Controlled Entry

Georgia appeared prominently in digital nomad destination rankings during early 2025, with Lonely Planet featuring the country in its remote work destinations list and Euronews in February 2025 highlighting Georgia alongside Portugal and Hungary as popular nomad hotspots. The country still maintains its visa-free entry policy for 90+ nationalities and its favorable 1% tax structure for qualifying entrepreneurs. However, for those who previously registered as Individual Entrepreneurs to access the tax benefits—the core of Georgia's appeal to digital nomads—the freedom to work without government oversight ends with the new permit requirements.

A New Era of Oversight

Georgia's shift from regulatory permissiveness to controlled labor migration mirrors broader global trends toward formalizing remote work arrangements. The reforms aim to protect domestic workers, improve statistical tracking, and formalize previously grey-market employment relationships. For foreign professionals who relied on Georgia's Individual Entrepreneur system, the changes mean the country transitions from an accessible remote work hub to a more traditional immigration system requiring advance authorization and ongoing compliance. The actual impact on digital nomad flows to Georgia will emerge through 2026 as the permit system becomes operational and enforcement begins.

Sources & Verification

Source 1 — Parliament of Georgia (matsne.gov.ge) –

Official legal database confirming Law on Labour Migration framework

Source 2 — Georgian Government Explanatory Notes (2025) –

Statistical data citing 42,000 registered vs. 239,000 estimated foreign workers

Source 3 — Eurofast Legal Advisory (July 2025)

Detailed analysis of June 26, 2025 parliamentary amendments, March 1, 2026 effective date

Source 4 — VisaVerge.com (August 2025)

Reporting on work permit requirements, transition periods, and enforcement mechanisms

Source 5 — IBCCS Tax Georgia (November 2025)

Legal advisory firm detailing Special Labour Permit requirements and penalties

Source 6 — Euronews (February 2025)

Reporting on Georgia's prominence in digital nomad destinations

Source 7 — Multiple legal advisory sources

AACC, JUST Advisors, F-CHAIN reporting consistent implementation dates and requirements