Hungary to Stop Issuing New Work Visas to Citizens of Georgia and Armenia

Hungary will no longer issue new work visas to citizens of Georgia and Armenia, according to government spokesperson Vanda Sondi, as reported by Reuters.

According to Sondi, the Hungarian government plans to tighten regulations governing the employment of foreign workers, arguing that the growing number of foreign employees is slowing wage growth for local workers.

“This will be the first step toward regulating the inflow of foreign labor into the country,” Sondi stated.

She clarified that foreign nationals who are already residing and working in Hungary will still be able to apply for extensions of their existing work permits. In addition, applications submitted before the new rules take effect will continue to be processed under the established procedures.

In recent years, Hungary has employed tens of thousands of foreign workers to address labor shortages across various sectors of the economy, including citizens of Georgia and Armenia. However, the government’s new policy is aimed at protecting the domestic workforce and supporting wage growth for Hungarian citizens.

The government of Prime Minister Péter Magyar has indicated that conditions for admitting foreign workers may become even more restrictive in the future as part of broader labor market reforms.

The move reflects Hungary’s efforts to balance labor market demands with domestic employment priorities while responding to ongoing economic and workforce challenges.