Hungary: Residence Permit Restrictions
The Hungarian government has introduced amendments to regulations concerning the employment of third-country nationals under Residence Permit for Employment Purpose and Guest Worker Residence Permit and. The Government Decree No. 450/2024, published on December 23, 2024, came into force on January 1, 2025.
Key changes:
1) Starting January 1, 2025, only nationals from the following countries can be eligible for Guest Worker Residence Permits and Residence Permit for Employment Purposes in Hungary:
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Georgia
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Armenia
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Republic of the Philippines
2) Nationals of countries that are not included in the list will be able to obtain the aforementioned permits in the event their home country government signs a readmission agreement with Hungary (such agreement will guarantee return of foreign nationals to their home country in case of incompliance with local laws) as well as opens an official state representative office which will enforce the readmission agreement policies.
The list of countries is also expected to be extended.
3) Exemptions from the new decree:
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Applications for permits submitted before January 1, 2025, will be processed under the previous regulations
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Permits issued before December 31, 2024, can be extended
Implications:
Changes introduced by the Government Decree are in line with ongoing immigration politics of Hungary, which focuses on protecting local labour market.
New rules do not impact other specific residence permit types, such as EU Blue Cards, Seasonal Employment Permits, Investment Residence Permits, etc. Employers seeking to hire foreign workers should take note of the updated requirements and ensure compliance with the revised permit application process, as well as assess which particular permit type should be used for a particular applicant.