At least half of the foreign IT specialists who had relocated to Georgia over the past few years have since left the country, according to Tornike Tokhadze, Chairman of the Georgian IT Association.
Speaking on BMGTV, Tokhadze noted that the outflow is ongoing, especially among Russian and Belarusian IT professionals who had initially chosen Georgia as a relocation destination amid regional instability and international sanctions.
“The number of foreign IT specialists in Georgia had reached around 40,000,” said Tokhadze. “However, at least 50% have now left, and the departure trend continues.”
Tokhadze outlined a timeline of Georgia’s rise as a regional IT hub. The process began as early as 2019, when international IT companies started testing the Georgian market. This trend accelerated due to several factors:
- Sanctions on Russia and Belarus, which drove companies to relocate staff to countries with better legal environments;
- Georgia’s “Virtual Zone” status and later the “International Enterprise” regime, offering tax incentives;
- External pressures such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, which pushed professionals to seek stable and economically favorable locations.
However, according to Tokhadze, regional competition, particularly from Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Turkey, alongside recent political developments in Georgia, notably the perceived stalling of the country’s European integration, have led to a reversal of this trend.
“Countries in the region have actively competed for talent. And Georgia’s internal political developments were the final trigger that stopped growth,” he said.
According to Geostat, IT sector salaries have now been overtaken by those in the financial sector, a development Tokhadze partly attributes to a natural correction following an anomalous period of rapid growth.
“We practically doubled the number of IT professionals in a very short time, which inflated demand and wages. Now, with the decline in foreign talent, the market is adjusting.”
Tokhadze also offered a critical assessment of the state’s IT development strategy, saying it was initially built on reactive policies that delivered results but are now losing momentum.
“We’re seeing a similar approach in the draft strategy for 2025–2030,” he noted, pointing to planned initiatives such as 3-year residence permits for foreign IT professionals and tax incentives for innovative startups.
While the new strategy includes some promising proposals, Tokhadze emphasized the need for a long-term, proactive vision to retain international talent and maintain Georgia’s status as a competitive IT destination.
