Right to work for self-employed foreigners and freelancers: what to do under Georgian law

What to do

1. Classification: a “self-employed foreigner” is a foreigner without a permanent residence permit who conducts trade, services or similar activity in Georgia, or is a partner in a company (Law of Georgia on Labour Migration, Art. 3). A sole proprietor with small business status is also one, since that is a tax status, not a permit. A self-employed person obtains the right personally (a worker obtains it through the employer) (Art. 13⁴). Both the right to work and a work residence permit, a D1 visa or another residence permit are required (Art. 13³).
2. Deadlines: for those who were working on 1 March 2026, sanctions apply from 1 May 2026 (Rules on the Right to Work, Art. 14). The grace period has expired. Those registered in the labourmigration database with active status as of 1 March 2026 must obtain the right and a residence permit by 1 January 2027 (Law on Labour Migration, Art. 17).
3. Application: filed through labourmigration.moh.gov.ge (Rules on the Right to Work, Art. 5). A mandatory video interview with the Agency is required (Art. 4). For an operating business, a Revenue Service document on the annual turnover of the sole proprietorship or company is required (Art. 14). For a new business, a business plan is submitted instead. The decision is made by the 30th calendar day, or by the 10th working day on an expedited basis (Art. 5). The fee is GEL 200 (GEL 400 expedited), paid by the foreigner (Art. 11).
4. After obtaining the right, name everything: in Georgia, a work residence permit must be applied for within 10 calendar days of obtaining the right at the latest, if there is no other residence permit (Rules on the Right to Work, Art. 9). A work residence permit requires income not below five times the subsistence minimum and a turnover of the enterprise created of at least GEL 50,000 per foreigner (Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, Art. 15). Check the sole proprietor’s turnover in advance. If the residence permit is not applied for on time, or is refused, the right terminates (Rules on the Right to Work, Art. 7). The right is issued for a specific specialty and field; a change of field requires a new right (Art. 2). Renewal must be applied for no later than 30 calendar days before the right expires (Art. 8). Being outside Georgia for more than 6 consecutive months terminates the right (Art. 7).
5. Risks: working without the right carries a fine of GEL 2,000, doubled for a repeat offence (Law on Labour Migration, Art. 16¹). The same GEL 2,000 applies to the client (“service organiser”) for each such performer (Art. 16¹). A refusal may be appealed to court within 1 month, and work during the dispute is not allowed (Rules on the Right to Work, Art. 6).
6. Where to apply: Employment Support Agency (right to work); Public Service Development Agency (residence permit); court.
7. Evidence: registry extract, turnover certificate, diplomas.
8. Traps: waiting until 2027 without registration in the database; missing the deadline to apply for a work residence permit after obtaining the right.

Be sure to check

• sole proprietor, company partner or freelancer is a self-employed foreigner who obtains the right personally, and also needs a residence permit
• transitional deadlines (sanctions from 1 May 2026; registered persons until 1 January 2027)
• filing procedure: portal, video interview, documents, decision period and fee
• work residence permit within 10 days of obtaining the right, and its income and turnover thresholds
• fine for the self-employed person and their clients for working without the right