Hungary stops issuing worker visas to people from three countries

Hungary's government stopped issuing worker visas to employees from the Philippines, Georgia and ‌Armenia from Friday (June 5), a government spokeswoman said, calling the ​move ⁠a first step towards regulating ‌the inflow of guest ‌workers.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which ended right-wing leader Viktor Orban's 16-year rule ‌in an April 12 election landslide, has said it ⁠would stop issuing visas to workers from outside the European Union from June.

Government to tighten employment opportunities for guest workers over what it says are concerns they are pushing ​down local salaries, spokeswoman Vanda Szondi told a ‌media briefing.

Citing Szondi, Reuters reports that the new government led by Peter Magyar of the Tisza party is tightening work opportunities for guest workers over what she said were “concerns they are pushing down local salaries.”

For this end, the government is amending a decree that previously allowed employment agencies to import workers from the three countries through a simplified procedure.

The report does not specify whether the workers from the three identified countries will still have employment opportunities in Hungary under any other procedure.

According to Reuters, foreign workers already residing in Hungary will still be able to apply for extensions of their existing permits, while applications submitted before the change of the rule will continue to be processed.

Hungary’s move follows a similar policy change adopted by Poland. Since December 1, 2025, Georgian citizens have no longer been eligible for Poland’s simplified employment procedure and must instead use the standard process, including obtaining a national D-type visa.

Foreign workers account for just 2% of Hungary's workforce based on official statistics, ⁠but some sectors, like services and manufacturing, are heavily reliant on foreign workers.

Government to change decree ​allowing ‌manpower companies to import workers in a simplified ‌procedure from the Philippines, Georgia and Armenia as of Friday.

 Employees already present can still apply ‌for an extension, ‌while requests already submitted ⁠would be assessed.

Government calls reforms ‌a first step in a planned long-term solution.

 Some of Hungary's largest foreign ⁠investors have said a complete halt ​to the inflow of guest workers would hit companies and the wider economy.

Reuters