The ruling party Georgian Dream has initiated a legislative amendment aimed at tightening regulations on labor migration. The draft law, currently under urgent review in parliament, proposes the creation of a special permit system for employing foreign workers. The legislation also introduces new penalties for violations, including higher fines for employers who do not comply.
Medea Tabatadze, Managing Partner of the consulting and recruitment company Insource, weighed in on the proposal in a comment to BMG, stating that while control mechanisms are necessary, the criteria for granting foreign nationals the right to work should remain balanced and manageable.
“In my opinion, certain control mechanisms should exist so that labor migration becomes measurable and accountable,” said Tabatadze. “This draft law envisions the development of specific criteria for introducing immigrant labor into the country. On one hand, this may reduce the risks related to who enters Georgia; on the other hand, it can help businesses ensure that the foreign workers they hire have the necessary skills.”
However, she also raised concerns regarding the practical implementation of the law. Specifically, she questioned how businesses will be expected to prove that employing foreign workers is necessary due to labor shortages in particular sectors.
“There’s a legitimate question here: how will businesses demonstrate that a shortage exists for specific roles, thus justifying the hiring of migrant labor?” Tabatadze noted. “While a more structured approach to managing foreign labor may be needed, the criteria should not become overly burdensome.”
Drawing from international practices, Tabatadze suggested that multiple indicators could be used to assess applicants. These might include the safety profile of the migrant’s country of origin, employment status, relevant work experience, and documentation verifying their clean legal standing in the host country.
Ultimately, she stressed the importance of balance: “Minimum criteria are necessary, but they should not be onerous.”
