Foreign nationals employed in Georgia's IT sector will now be eligible for a 3-year residence permit. This change comes as part of amendments to the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreigners”, aimed at strengthening the legislative framework to attract skilled professionals in the field of information technology to Georgia.
Tornike Tokhadze, Chairman of the Information Technology Association of Georgia (ITAG), views the initiative as a positive step. However, he emphasizes that its impact is unlikely to be significant or long-lasting in terms of economic growth.
Speaking on the “Business Morning” program, Tokhadze explained that the new residency option targets individuals with just two years of work experience—an insufficient benchmark to drive substantial sector development, in his opinion. He stressed the importance of investing more in domestic education and creating pathways to attract highly skilled international talent.
“There were some noteworthy points in the proposal,” he noted, “including the observation that Georgia is experiencing a talent outflow from international companies. While the IT sector is generally expanding, export figures indicate a decline of up to 30%. This decision seems aimed at countering that negative trend rather than fostering long-term, stable growth.”
Tokhadze believes both the state and private sector must prioritize sustainable development. He advocates for better utilization of domestic talent, including individuals from regions such as Zugdidi, Telavi, and Sagarejo.
“If only 6% of university students in Georgia are studying IT-related fields, compared to 13% in Estonia, it’s clear that the education system is not aligned with the sector's growth. The core issue lies here—more people need access to quality IT education.”
He also emphasized the need to set clearer and more strategic criteria for incoming talent. “We’re not talking about highly qualified professionals—these are people with just two years of experience. That means we’ll be seeing an influx of entry-level professionals. Numbers alone don’t matter; it’s the quality that counts, and quality has its own specific requirements.”
“Our goal should be to attract intellectual capital that can share knowledge, drive innovation, energize the market, and inspire broader participation in the sector,” Tokhadze concluded.
