Georgia's 2026 work permit, explained for newcomers
4 March 2026 · 1 min read
For years, Georgia's appeal to remote workers and founders rested partly on how light-touch it was: register as an Individual Entrepreneur, pay 1% tax, and get on with your work. In 2026 that picture changed — not dramatically, but enough that getting it wrong now costs time.
What changed
From March 2026, almost anyone performing paid work in Georgia needs a "Right to Labour Activity" permit before they begin. Crucially, this isn't limited to traditional employees — freelancers and sole traders are explicitly in scope.
The rule is sensible. The experience of complying with it, from abroad and often in a second language, is where people get stuck.
Who needs it
- Employees of a Georgian or foreign company working from Georgia.
- Freelancers invoicing clients while resident in Georgia.
- Individual Entrepreneurs on the 1% regime — the permit now sits on top of IE status.
How it fits with your residence permit
The work permit and your TRC (Temporary Residence Card) are separate applications, but they need to be aligned. If they fall out of sync — wrong category, mismatched dates — you can end up legally resident but not legally working, which defeats the purpose.
Staying compliant
The practical advice is simple: don't start earning before the permit is in place, and don't try to guess the right category yourself. We prepare the application correctly the first time, tie it to your residence permit, and track the deadlines so you stay on the right side of the rules from day one.