Resources for employers in Georgia
Resources for employers in Georgia
We use "refugees" to encompass forcibly displaced people with different legal statuses, such as refugees, subsidiary protection holders, temporary protection holders, asylum seekers, and other people needing international protection.
In cases where differentiating information relating to each status is essential (i.e. regarding the right to work), this is clearly indicated.
Why hire refugees and stateless people in Georgia?
Georgia hosts a small population of recognized refugees and asylum-seekers from Syria, Russia, Iraq, and Iran. The country received large numbers of Ukrainians after the outbreak of the Russian invasion in 2022, with many crossing from Russia into Georgia, taking advantage of the fact that Georgia is one of the few international locations they can enter without a valid international passport. Throughout 2022, almost 190,000 Ukrainians entered the country, out of whom 85% have transited onwards to other locations. As of mid-2024, nearly 27,000 Ukrainians reside in Georgia.
Read the needs assessment report of refugees in Georgia
Georgian companies play a key role in the socioeconomic inclusion of refugees by opening their doors to forcibly displaced individuals and helping them become self-reliant and financially independent. In Georgia, tourism and other service sectors employ almost half of the workforce and contribute 80% of GDP. Many forcibly displaced individuals can find employment in these sectors, particularly in cities like Tbilisi and Batumi. Refugees and asylum-seekers can help make the Georgian economy more diverse, international, and resilient and contribute to the growth of key sectors.
Success stories of refugee employment in the private sector in Georgia.
Meet three refugees — Said Yusuf from Afghanistan, Alina Anisimova from Ukraine, and Moe Thin Kyu from Myanmar —who are all thriving in their new roles with Teleperformance Georgia, AgroHub and local restaurant Adjika. See how these businesses that believe in the power of a diverse workforce are benefitting from hiring refugees. Watch the video here.
How many refugees and stateless people are there in Georgia?
In 2024, Georgia will host 27,000 refugees, primarily from Ukraine (26,711 individuals), with smaller groups from Syria (439), Iraq (247), and Russia (151). The country also hosts approximately 1,100 asylum-seekers, primarily from Iran (234), Türkiye (195), Ukraine (136), and Russia (128). As of mid-2024, there were approximately 490 recorded stateless people and people of undetermined nationality in Georgia.
Visit the Refugee Data Finder to learn more
How many of them are working?
According to a survey conducted in 2022 by the NGO 'People in Need' among 850 Ukrainian refugee households in Georgia, at least one person was employed in just 30% of all households. Of these, 43% worked in a fixed place with an informal verbal agreement, 36% were engaged in remote work, and 21% worked in a fixed place with a written employment contract. Among the households who reported not having family members in employment, the top 3 reasons were problems with finding employment (36%), caring for other family members (35%), and not having family members of working age or in good health (22%).
What are the main challenges?
For refugees and stateless people, the principal problems faced in finding employment are the language barrier (54%), the high level of unemployment in the district (23%), and low salaries (23%). In addition, while refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people can access service jobs in sectors like tourism, they face extreme competition, and they may end up accepting seasonal or temporary work with insufficient remuneration. Despite multiple information campaigns and outreach efforts, stateless individuals are generally less informed about their rights and benefits, which can hinder their ability to seek and secure employment opportunities.
Read the 2023 report by UNHCR and World Vision: “Refugees from Ukraine in Georgia: Profiles, Intentions, and Needs."
Since 2017, the Ministry of Internally Displaced People from Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia has been running programs for the local integration of people with international protection through an "Integration Center", including Georgian language courses; Civic education and history courses; and Individual consultations and registration in the governments "Worknet” platform. In addition, World Vision International provides complementary integration programs through their Multi-Service Center, such as Community-based programs and training; Consultations regarding employment; Cultural, recreational and other socializing events; and Free access to a computer and internet.
| Status | Who it applies to | Right to work? |
| Asylum-seekers | Individuals who have applied for international protection in Georgia but still have not received a decision on their application. | Asylum-seekers have the right to work in Georgia. |
| Refugee status | Individuals who have a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. | Refugees have the right to work in Georgia. |
| Humanitarian status | Individuals who do not qualify for refugee status but, due to real risk of serious harm, are unable to return to their country of origin because they would face capital punishment, torture or inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment due to international or internal armed conflict or mass violation of human rights. | Humanitarian status holders have the right to work in Georgia. |
| Ukrainian citizenship | Individuals who are citizens of Ukraine can stay in the territory of Georgia without a visa. | Citizens of Ukraine have the right to work in Georgia (except for civil servants). |
| Stateless person | A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a citizen by any country (whether recognized as such or not) | Recognized stateless people as well as applicants for statelessness status have the right to work |
For more information on the legal framework, see the UNHCR Help page.
Did you know?
In 2023, the Association "Consent" organized several vocational trainings for displaced women within the project "Innovative support of Ukrainian children and women displaced by the war". These included manicure, pedicure, and massage classes,selected based on a survey with the participants. The trainees also attended a training on "Leadership among internally displaced people", received consultations on preparing a business plan and benefitted from legal advice on how to set up their own business. Almost everyone who attended the courses was employed afterwards, either in beauty salons or as self-employed people working from home. Read more about the project in this report (in Georgian).
How do I connect with refugee and stateless talent?
Companies interested in hiring refugees may contact several NGOs that work with forcibly displaced communities and can make referrals to suitable candidates. These include World Vision Georgia, which offers Ukrainian refugees skill-building and retraining courses, job matching, and support with livelihoods through counselling; UNDP, which is working on enhancing income generation activities for refugees, with self-employment promotion and employment profiling cards for job seekers; Care Caucasus which has a unique program for supporting the economic recovery of Ukrainian refugees in Georgia; People in Need (PIN) which provides livelihoods support through online language classes, vocational training, business startup support, and capacity-building activities; and Action Against Hunger (AAH) which runs Social Adaptation and Inclusion Clubs for Ukrainian women in Tbilisi and Batumi to enhance the social and economic inclusion of participants by developing their personal, professional, and entrepreneurial competencies. With regards to employment of stateless people, companies can contact UNHCR.
What can I do to support refugee and stateless employees?
Employers wishing to support refugee candidates should ensure that recruitment processes are transparent and fair and consider the skills and potential of individuals. Recruiters may consider refugees' and stateless peoples’ challenges regarding the language barrier and lack of self-presentation skills. Employers can facilitate refugees who do not speak Georgian by subsidizing language classes or referring them to free courses organized by the government and NGOs. Finally, it can be very beneficial to support women in finding adequate childcare services so that they can fully participate in the labour market.
A good example
Carrefour is a leading supermarket and hypermarket retailer, employing approximately 3,000 people across Georgia. The company partnered with UNHCR and World Vision Georgia to recruit a total of 16 asylum seekers, mainly from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen. The employment consultants of UNHCR and World Vision Georgia played a key role in the recruitment process by pre-selecting candidates and helping to implement internal measures for their work integration, such as frequent communication, more flexible supervision, and involving compatriots of refugees to help overcome language barriers, issues with communication, or cultural differences. Carrefour managers share that their experience has been highly positive: Asylum seekers brought valuable skills and extensive knowledge and demonstrated a strong work ethic to the company. They also helped address staffing shortages while contributing to workplace diversity. Despite initial challenges, the company has found the integration process rewarding. It views it as an opportunity to demonstrate social responsibility.
Useful resources
Job platforms
Businesses can publish available vacancies on several job platforms, which have a special section for Ukrainian refugees. These include jobs.ge and hr.ge, as well as the Employment section on the Dopomoga platform, which is meant specifically to support Ukrainians in Georgia with access to information and resources.
Vocational training
Businesses that wish to hire refugees but require specialized skills may refer candidates to the Vocational Education and Training programs provided by the Georgian government. These programs focus on specialized manual labour (welding, plumbing, automation, car repairs, etc.) and may be coupled with a one-year Georgian language course.
“Skills for Employment” toolkit prepared by IKEA with best practices on how employers can open employment pathways for refugees
A report by the Association "Consent": "Support for the socioeconomic condition of internally displaced women” (in Georgian)
This is a video by World Vision showcasing the successful employment of refugees from Ukraine, Congo, and other countries at the ice cream shop "Loca Polcare."