Hungary to facilitate immigration of Russians and Belarussians
The government has completely overhauled the rules on immigration and resettlement in Hungary since the beginning of the year. This included the introduction of the National Card for employment opportunities and the introduction of guest worker residence permits. The essence of these is:
- National Card: for third-country nationals who wish to work in Hungary in the longer term. This also includes those who are owners or managers of a company, cooperative, or other legal entity and who actually work.
- Guest worker residence permit: reserved specifically for those who arrive in Hungary as guest workers. This permit is also suitable for shorter-term work and can be used to work for employers who are registered preferential employers or qualified lenders.
Already at the beginning of the summer, the government clarified in a government decree that the order of citizens eligible for employment by country would be issued, which was surprising in the case of the National Card, because the simplified employment permit was previously only available to Serbian and Ukrainian citizens. Now, however, an extended list has been published in the Hungarian Official Gazette on Monday evening, and includes Russia and Belarus:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- North-Macedonia
- Belarus
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Russia
- Serbia
- Ukraine
The second regulation contains a list of third countries whose nationals can work in Hungary with a guest worker residence permit. This permit allows them to work in the Hungarian labour market, including through temporary employment. These countries are:
- Philippines
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Mongolia
- Vietnam
- Brazília
- Georgia
- Kirgyzstan
- Venezuela
- Columbia
The government argues that the regulations are intended to ease the situation of sectors facing labour shortages and to ensure that the necessary workforce is available. At the same time, the government will keep the lists under constant review and, if necessary, amend them to reflect the current needs of the labour market.
Cover photo is an illustration. Source: Getty Images
