The elections in April 2026 bought a regime change in Hungary, which promised a review of immigration regulations. As a first step of that reform, the so called “guest worker residence permit”, which is a specific type of work permit relevant only to mass employers and a small fraction of foreign workers, has become unavailable for new applications as of June 6, 2026. Ongoing procedures and existing permits remain unaffected, as well as other work permit types.
Who is affected by the June 6 change?
The latest update to Hungarian immigration regulations affects only employers that were planning to bring big groups of foreign workers to Hungary through the guest worker residence permit. This is a special permit type available only to strategic partners of the Hungarian government and labor rental agencies licensed specifically for the employment of guest workers.
The change affects only new applications, which cannot be submitted as of June 6. Applications already in progress will be evaluated the same as before.
What happens to guest workers?
Guest worker residence permits that are already in use remain valid until the expiry date indicated on them. Expiring permits will be eligible for renewal.
This way the rights of foreign workers already in Hungary or whose application was already in progress remain intact. The intention behind the freeze of new applications is to remove risks posed by the immigration of large group with little control, and reduce the unfair advantages of certain employers, in line with the program of TISZA Party, winner of the 2026 general elections in Hungary.
No change to other Hungarian work permit types for now
In this context, guest worker residency means a very small sub-category of Hungarian work-permits.
The name is unfortunate, because in everyday language, “guest worker” simply means a foreign person working in Hungary. This makes it easy to confuse guest worker residency with other work permit types. However, the new regulation is relevant to the above mentioned subset of workers.
Instead of guest worker residency
If you were interested in bringing a large number of foreign workers to Hungary with guest worker residency, you are not out of options. You can still apply for a regular work permit for them, which continues to be available for the same nationalities (from Armenia, Georgia, and the Philippines) without restrictions on salaries or qualifications.
Other work permit types also remain available.
Immigration law to be reviewed in Hungary
Hungarian immigration law is going to be reviewed in the near future by experts of the new government. The goal is to create regulations which are better for every stakeholder, including both employers and employees, and which also comply with EU directives.
Get help from the experts
Are you planning to bring foreign workers to Hungary? Helpers offers assistance with work permit and residence permit applications with 20+ years of experience and a dedicated team of professionals. Tell us more about your plans in Hungary, and we will help you navigate Hungarian bureaucracy. With our help, adding foreign employees to your Hungarian operation will be like a breeze.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can. The latest regulation change applies only to one specific type of work permits, relevant only to certain employers. Other work permit types remain available. (The name of this specific type of residence permit makes it easy to confuse with other types of work permits, because in a legal context, “guest worker residency” is just one type of work permit, while in everyday language, the term “guest worker” covers everyone who is not Hungarian but works in Hungary.)
Hungarian immigration law is currently under review. The goal is to improve it in a way that would serve everyone’s interests better. As soon as there are updates, we will let you know. Watch this space.
Yes, they can. Foreign workers who have a guest worker residence permit can stay in Hungary until their permit expires, or even longer, if they extend it before it expires. The same is true for other work permit holders too if their permit is eligible for extension.
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