Hungary employment purpose permit after June 2026
From 6 June 2026 Annex 1 of Decree 450/2024 lists Georgia, Armenia and the Philippines for Hungary's employment purpose residence permit, capped at three years.
From 6 June 2026 the guest worker country list is empty, while Annex 1 of Decree 450/2024 lists three countries for the employment purpose residence permit: Georgia, Armenia and the Philippines. The permit rests on section 28 of Act XC of 2023, runs for at most two years and is tied to the employer, the role and the place of work.
The country list and how countries qualify
Annex 1, as set by Decree 92/2026, lists Georgia, Armenia and the Philippines for the employment purpose permit. Under section 1(2) of Decree 450/2024, a country can be listed only if it has a readmission agreement with Hungary or the European Union, or a state recognised office in Hungary that guarantees its citizens' return.
The list is not fixed. Under section 2 of the decree, the Government may review the Annex 1 countries whenever needed, so recruitment plans have to follow the annex in force at the time. An employment purpose permit valid before 6 June 2026 keeps its validity, and under section 5 its extension is judged on the country list in force on 5 June 2026.
The permit's scope: work, numbers and duration
Under section 28(1) and (2) of Act XC of 2023, the permit covers paid work under an employment relationship. It also covers work for a third country employer fulfilling a contract with a Hungarian client. The minister responsible for employment policy may publish occupations for which no employment purpose permit can be issued.
Numbers are capped each year. Under section 28(4), guest worker and employment purpose permits together may not exceed the annual permit number set by the minister responsible for employment policy. How that number works is set out in the guide to Hungary's employment quota.
| Point | Rule | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible countries | Georgia, Armenia, the Philippines | Decree 450/2024 Annex 1 |
| First permit | at most two years | Act XC s. 28(5) |
| Extension | up to one year | Act XC s. 28(6) |
| Upper limit | three years from first issue | Act XC s. 28(6) |
| Permit numbers | annual number, shared with guest worker permits | Act XC s. 28(4) |
| Excluded occupations | as published by the minister | Act XC s. 28(1) |
What the holder does not get
Under section 28(8) to (10), the holder cannot switch to another residence title from inside Hungary, cannot found residence rights for family members save one exception, and gets no national residence card. The employer should therefore match the term of the employment contract to the term of the permit, because residence cannot continue in Hungary on a different title.
An extension request for every change
Under section 28(11), a new employer, a new job role or a new place of work requires the worker to file an extension request for the permit. A Philippine worker moved to a second site of the same employer without an extension request works outside the permit's terms. That can lead to expulsion. Under section 5(1) of Decree 450/2024, employment purpose permits issued before the amendment stay valid and give a right of residence until their stated expiry.
HR teams should plan every transfer, change of role and change of employer together with the extension request, before the work starts.
Departure when the job ends
Under section 29(1) and (2), when the job ends the employer must ensure the worker leaves Hungary by the sixth day. Failure brings a HUF 5 million fine from the immigration authority. The sanctions are covered in the guide to employer sanctions and the departure obligation.
The Act is published in the National Legislation Database, and so is the decree. Open roles are listed on the Werklist job board.
Keep reading
All posts →Hungary guest worker residence permit: the employer's full procedure
Under Act XC of 2023 the Hungarian guest worker permit runs two years first, three years in total, and only a registered employer may apply for it.
Hungary ends new guest worker permits: Decree 92/2026
From 6 June 2026 Decree 92/2026 leaves Hungary's guest worker country list empty, so no new guest worker residence permit can be granted to any applicant.