From January 1, 2025, temporary residence permits for the purpose of employment and temporary residence permits for guest workers will be available only to a very limited group of people
In short
Starting January 1, 2025, only citizens of Georgia and Armenia will be eligible for temporary residence permits for the purpose of employment and temporary residence permits for guest workers. This represents a significant strengthening of the previous rules, which allowed citizens of 10 countries to obtain temporary residence permits as guest workers and had no such restrictions for temporary residence permits for the purpose of employment. Although these changes do not affect existing permits, the new rules will apply to all new permit issuances.
More details
On January 1, 2025, Government Resolution 450/2024 (XII. 23.) on the employment of guest workers in Hungary entered into force. According to the decree, only citizens of the countries listed in Annex 1 can be employed with a residence permit for the purpose of employment or with a residence permit as a guest worker. Currently, Annex 1 includes only Georgia and Armenia. The new restrictions do not affect immigration procedures that are ongoing as of December 31, 2024, as well as the validity period of residence permits issued before that date. Extension of permits is also possible under the old rules. However, new permits can be issued only on the basis of a new resolution.
According to the aforementioned decree, the countries listed in Annex 1 are the countries with which Hungary or the European Union has concluded a readmission agreement. As a general rule, only citizens of these countries can obtain a residence permit for the purpose of employment or a residence permit as a guest worker. However, citizens of countries not listed in Annex 1 can also obtain a temporary residence permit if their country has a state-recognized organization or office in Hungary that ensures that their citizens leave Hungary if they do not comply with the rules. The list of these countries will be published in a statement by the minister responsible for foreign policy. At this time, no such statement has yet been published, so employers should keep an eye out for it in the future.
After the changes come into force, employers who are unable or unwilling to employ third-country nationals on the basis of a seasonal worker residence permit or an investment residence permit have the option of applying for a highly skilled worker permit or a nationality-specific permit .
For nationality-specific permits, employers should be aware of the list of countries whose nationals can obtain a national card. Citizens of these countries can live and work in Hungary with relatively few restrictions and under favorable conditions.
If there are no options available based on nationality, opportunities for highly skilled workers may be considered. For third-country nationals who have a higher qualification in the field of IT, engineering or natural sciences, a Hungarian card may be relevant. For those with various degrees and a salary above the special minimum wage, an EU Blue Card may be the solution.
As of January 1, 2025, a decree of the Minister of National Economy was published on the total number of residence permits for the purpose of employment and residence permits for guest workers that can be issued annually in Hungary. According to the decree, the maximum number of such permits for 2025 is 35,000. Although it is unlikely that the number of permits issued will exceed this limit due to existing restrictions, employers should keep this in mind in case restrictions are relaxed in the country.
