Hungary Stops Issuing Work Visas to Citizens of the Philippines, Georgia, and Armenia

Hungary suspended the issuance of work visas to citizens of the Philippines, Georgia, and Armenia on June 5, Reuters reports. The measure is being presented as the first step by the country's new government toward tighter regulation of labor migration.

Migration Reform in Hungary

The Hungarian government announced changes to the system for recruiting foreign workers through simplified procedures that previously allowed staffing agencies to bring in employees from these countries more quickly. Authorities stress that this mechanism will now be restricted.

Government spokeswoman Vanda Szondi said the reform is aimed at reducing the inflow of migrant workers and protecting the domestic labor market. The government believes that foreign workers may put downward pressure on wages.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who came to power following the April 12 election, had previously stated his intention to stop issuing visas to workers from non-EU countries starting in June. The manifesto of his Tisza party argued that foreigners should not take jobs away from Hungarians or drive down wages. This position was included in the party’s election platform and forms part of a broader agenda to tighten migration policies. The decision also aligns with the overall direction of the new government, which replaced Viktor Orbán’s administration after 16 years in power.

Background of the Restrictions

Partial restrictions on the employment of third-country nationals had already been introduced in Hungary on January 1, 2025. Under those rules, work permits were largely limited to citizens of a restricted list of countries, including Georgia, Armenia, and the Philippines.

At the same time, the annual quota for such permits was reduced from 65,000 to 35,000. The move was justified by expectations of a weakening labor market and potential job losses in early 2025.

These measures marked the first stage of a broader tightening of migration policy and effectively laid the groundwork for further restrictions, including the current suspension of work visas for new categories of foreign workers.

Fines Over Migration Policy

While Hungary’s new government is significantly reshaping many areas of policy, it appears to be continuing former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s approach to migration.

Euronews notes that in 2020 Hungarian authorities were accused of severely restricting access to asylum procedures. The Court of Justice of the European Union also ruled that the detention of asylum seekers in so-called transit zones at the border was unlawful and that their right to appeal had been violated. Brussels additionally criticized Budapest for forcibly removing migrants who had crossed the border illegally. According to the court, migrants were escorted beyond the fence on the Serbian border and left there without adequate infrastructure.

Hungary failed to comply with the court’s ruling, prompting the European Commission to launch new legal proceedings. As a result, on June 13, 2024, the country was ordered to pay a lump-sum fine of €200 million. An additional penalty of €1 million per day was imposed for continued non-compliance with EU asylum legislation.

Viktor Orbán described the decision as “outrageous and unacceptable.” He later stated on several occasions that Hungary was prepared to continue paying the daily fine rather than abandon its strict migration policy.

Hungary’s Labor Market and Dependence on Foreign Workers

According to official data, foreign workers accounted for around 2% of Hungary’s workforce in 2026. However, dependence on migrant labor is much higher in certain sectors, including manufacturing and services.

Ákos Jánza, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, said that migrants account for as much as 20% of the workforce in some companies. He noted that certain businesses would be forced to reduce production shifts without access to foreign labor.

Robert Keszte, head of the German Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, stated that the country’s economy cannot currently function without workers from outside the European Union. Sandor Baja, regional head of staffing firm Randstad, warned that a complete ban could prove unsustainable in the long term. He pointed out that a large share of Hungary’s workforce is expected to retire over the next decade, exacerbating labor shortages.

According to Baja, Hungary has a potential reserve of around 400,000 workers among people under 25, those over 55, and residents of smaller towns. However, limited labor mobility makes it difficult to fill existing workforce gaps quickly.

Conclusion

Analysts at International Investment note that Hungary’s tightening migration rules are taking place against the backdrop of similar trends across Europe. The EU has approved the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which broadly reflects measures Hungary has advocated for years. These include stricter border screening, faster procedures for refusing entry, and shorter timelines for handling migration cases.

The new framework also allows migrants to be detained while their status is being processed. In addition, the EU plans to establish migrant reception centers outside its borders. Some of these measures are scheduled to take effect as early as June 12.

At the same time, many European economies continue to face labor shortages, with Germany experiencing particularly acute workforce deficits. Hungary has consistently restricted migration flows since the 2015 migration crisis and maintains one of the strictest external border control regimes in the European Union.

Even after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the impact of incoming migrants on Hungary was significantly lower than in neighboring Central European countries. Yet Hungary once again stands apart by introducing restrictions not only on refugees but also on foreign workers.