HUNGARY – 2024 Brings Changes to Immigration Rules

December 22, 2023


The Hungarian Parliament announced that a new immigration law will come into effect from January 1, 2024. Hungary is introducing changes to existing immigration rules, with an aim to tighten regulations. The updates will affect foreign nationals wishing to enter Hungary on a work permit permission as well as the processing of current applications.

It is expected that there will now be two separate employment permit categories:

  • Skilled Workers permit: This permit will allow eligible skilled applicants to reside in Hungary for up to three years
  • Guest Workers permit: The number of guest workers allowed will correspond to the number of vacant job positions in Hungary, and holders’ stay in Hungary will be for a limited time. Guest workers will not be eligible to apply for permanent residency and cannot sponsor family members. Additionally, a resident labour market test will need to be completed by the Hungarian sponsoring company.

The Hungarian authorities have announced the following plan to implement the changes:

  • Between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, processing of immigration applications will be suspended. During this period no new employment permit requests may be submitted. Applications which have been submitted before January 1, 2024 will be processed after February 29, 2024. It is possible that Registrations Certificates for EU nationals may also be suspended, but this has not yet been confirmed.
  • Work permit applications that were submitted before January 1, 2024 will be considered under the previous regulations. Applications will be considered submitted if they have been submitted electronically and fully paid before December 31, 2023.
  • Residence permits that are due to expire during this period will be automatically extended until April 30, 2024.
  • New applications can be submitted from March 1, 2024.

The suspension will also apply to any new residence permit applications, residence cards and EU registration cards. Applications for these will only be accepted if they are of national interest and the government has mandated that these applications are needed.

Immigration Insights

Employers should be aware of these changes to immigration legislation for the upcoming period and be aware that no applications will be accepted, or permissions issued, during the suspension period. This could significantly impact on workforce planning and also on current pending applications.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case or company-specific assessments.