As per the Labor Code of Georgia, if the termination is due to economic circumstances, technological or organizational changes that make it necessary to reduce the workforce, incompatibility of the employee's qualification or professional skills, long-term incapacity, or other circumstances, the notice must be given at least 30 days in advance. In case of resignation, employees must also provide a notice of 30 days to their employer. Notice must be given in writing. No notice is required in case of termination during probation. Employees are also terminated without notice in case of gross violation, liquidation of the employer’s company, death, court order, etc.
Employers are entitled to notify the employee at least 3 calendar days in advance by sending a written notice. In this case, the employee will be compensated for at least 2 months' wages.
Foreign employees in Georgia are required to obtain a D1 immigration visa and apply for a work residence permit to carry out entrepreneurial or labor activities in Georgia, and professional activities. Effective March 1, 2026, foreign employees are also required to obtain a 'Right to Work' issued by the State Agency for Employment Promotion of IDPs from the Occupied Territories of Georgia before obtaining a D1 visa. Self-employed foreign nationals also require a Right to Work permit. A foreign national legally staying in Georgia also has to apply for the Right to Work to continue working. Before hiring foreign employees, employers must post vacancy on worknet.moh.gov.ge for at least 10 days to see if any local candidate is suitable for the role.
After obtaining the Right to Work, foreign employees can then apply for a D1 visa within 30 days. After entering Georgia, they can apply for a Work Residence Permit within 10 days of arrival.
The permit is granted for a duration of 6 months to 1 year. They can apply for a permit extension 30 days prior to its expiry. The validity is extended by 1 year at a time for the first 5 years. If the employee holds a Residence Permit, the validity can be extended for 3 years. Carrying out paid activities without the Right to work shall result in a fine of GEL 2,000 (Georgian Lari).
To obtain a residence permit, they must apply in person or through an authorized representative to any territorial office of the State Services Development Agency, a branch of the House of Justice, or a community center, or fill out the application electronically. Residence permits of this type are issued for the first time for a period of up to 1 year and can be extended for a period of up to 5 years. Foreign employees employed in the IT sector whose annual income exceeds the equivalent of USD 25,000 are granted a 3-year residence permit in their first attempt.
Employees in Georgia are entitled to 24 days paid and 15 days unpaid annual leave after working for 11 months with the same employer. Employees working in difficult, hazardous, or dangerous conditions are entitled to an additional 10 calendar days of paid leave per year. Employees participating in martial law and/or state of emergency, emergency situation events, once after their completion, are granted 15 calendar days of additional annual leave. Employees receive an additional 30 calendar days of annual leave after the expiration of the rotation period in the peacekeeping operation and return to Georgia. Employees are paid their average wage during annual leave. When taking an unpaid leave, the employee is obliged to notify the employer 2 weeks in advance about taking the said leave, except when, due to urgent medical needs or family circumstances, the notice is not possible.
Employees can use their leave in parts. If giving paid leave to an employee in the current year may harm the normal operation of the work process, it is allowed to transfer the leave to the next year with the employee's consent. It is prohibited to transfer the paid leave of a minor to the following year. Transferring paid leave to the following year for 2 consecutive years is prohibited.
Upon termination of the employment contract at the employer's initiative, they are obliged to compensate the employee for unused leave in proportion to the duration of the employment relationship.
Standard working hours are 40 hours per week in Georgia. Working time does not include break time and rest time. In an enterprise with a specific work mode, where there is a continuous mode of production/work process lasting more than 8 hours, the duration of the normal working time must not exceed 48 hours per week. The duration of the employee's continuous rest between working days/shifts must not be less than 12 hours.
The length of working time of a minor from 16 to 18 years of age must not exceed 36 hours per week and 6 hours per working day. A minor's working time from 14 to 16 years of age must not exceed 24 hours per week and 4 hours per working day.
In Georgia, maternity leave is not mandatory and is granted at the employee's request. The Labor Code provides 126 days of paid maternity leave and 143 days in case of childbirth complications or multiple births. Employees can decide for themselves how to allocate the leave before and after childbirth. In addition, employees get 604 days of childcare leave that can be taken after maternity leave, out of which 57 days are paid. When taking leave for child care, the employee is obliged to notify the employer 2 weeks in advance about taking the said leave. The childcare leave can be used in whole or in part by the child's mother or father, per their agreement.
Based on their request, employees who adopt a child under 1 year of age are given an adoption leave for 550 calendar days after the child's birth. 90 calendar days of this leave are paid.
Leave due to pregnancy and childbirth, leave due to child care, and leave due to the adoption of a newborn are compensated by the state budget of Georgia. The employer and the employee may agree on additional compensation for said vacations. The benefit amount is GEL 2,000 (Georgian Lari) in 2023 for the total duration of leave, whether it is shared between parents or only the mother utilizes it.
The Tripartite Commission of Social Partnership sets Georgia's minimum wage following consultations with the government. The minimum wage was last set in 1999 (retained in 2006) at GEL 20 (Georgian lari) per month.
The law requires a salary to be paid at least once a month. The employer is obliged to pay the employee 0.07% of the delayed amount for each day of delay in any payment or settlement.
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