As stated in the explanatory notes to the bills, since September 1, 2023, reforms have achieved some progress in accounting for
labor migrants. In 8 years (from 2015 to 2023), only 3,800 foreign workers were officially registered, while over the past year and a half after the new rules came into effect — already more than 42,000.
However, the current system remains incomplete: according to Geostat statistics, over 2022−2023 more than 239,000
foreigners entered the country and stayed for more than six months. A significant portion of them is likely engaged in
work activities, but without official registration. This creates problems for
legal employment in Georgia and obtaining accurate
labor market data.
The following problems were also identified:
- lack of a mechanism for refusing employment;
- no requirement to obtain a special permit for visa-free entry;
- influx of unskilled labor, reducing the quality and protection of local labor resources.
- To address these challenges, new legal mechanisms are being introduced with an emphasis on protecting the local labor market and collecting objective statistics, which will improve migration legislation in Georgia.