Debrecen4U June 5, 2026

Government Suspends Fast-Track Recruitment of Guest Workers from Three Countries

Reporting on Thursday’s cabinet meeting, Spokesperson Vanda Szondi stated that, in line with its previous commitments, the government is tightening the conditions for employing guest workers in Hungary. As a first step, an amendment will be made, effective on 5 June, to the government decree that had previously allowed temporary employment agencies to recruit workers from the Philippines, Georgia, and Armenia through a simplified procedure.

According to the spokesperson, guest workers already employed in Hungary will still be able to extend their permits. However, new entrants from these countries will no longer be eligible to arrive under the fast-track scheme.

The Government Spokesperson also stated that the previous administration had left behind a system characterised by inconsistency and disorder. At present, foreigners can legally work in Hungary under a total of 24 different categories, while there is no precise, unified register of foreign workers employed in the country. She added that the government is preparing a comprehensive long-term review aimed at restructuring and regulating the system.

In connection with the planned measure, several companies and business organisations linked to Debrecen and Hajdú-Bihar County spoke to Dehir.hu, highlighting labour shortages, demographic challenges, competitiveness risks, and concerns regarding the continued functioning of the economy.

According to the companies and representative organisations, there is no question that Hungarian workers should be given priority. At the same time, they argued that in several sectors continuous operations cannot currently be maintained using only domestic labour. Those interviewed stressed that employing workers from third countries is not a primary objective, but in certain industries it is currently indispensable for sustaining production and services.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Pixabay