Key facts
- Hungary will cease issuing worker visas to individuals from the Philippines, Georgia, and Armenia starting Friday.
- The government stated this is the first step in regulating the inflow of guest workers.
- Concerns were raised about guest workers pushing down local salaries.
- The move affects a simplified procedure for importing workers from these three countries.
- Existing foreign workers can still apply for extensions, and pending requests will be processed.
Hungary's government will stop issuing worker visas to individuals from the Philippines, Georgia, and Armenia starting Friday. This decision, announced by government spokeswoman Vanda Szondi, is framed as the first step in a broader strategy to regulate the influx of foreign labor. The government has expressed concerns that guest workers may be driving down wages for local employees. While foreign workers currently constitute only 2% of Hungary's total workforce according to official statistics, certain sectors like manufacturing and services are significantly dependent on them. The government plans to alter a decree that allows manpower companies to import workers from these three nations through a simplified process. Employees already working in Hungary will be able to apply for extensions, and any visa requests already submitted will be evaluated. Some of Hungary's major foreign investors have voiced concerns that a complete halt to guest worker immigration could negatively impact companies and the overall economy.