The Ministry stressed that, contrary to what they called HVG's misleading claims, the government remains firmly committed to prioritising Hungarian workers and is making every effort to mobilise the domestic labour market reserve. “This is in the shared interest of the national economy,” the statement read.

As such, the Ministry strongly rejected what it described as HVG’s denigration of Hungary’s internal labour resources, calling such criticism unacceptable.

It also reminded the outlet that Hungary enforces some of the strictest regulations in Europe regarding guest workers, precisely to protect its own job seekers. Foreign nationals may only reside and work in Hungary for clearly defined purposes, and under conditions strictly regulated by the Hungarian state.

Protecting Hungarian families and jobs is a key priority for the government, the Ministry stated. This is why foreign residence is always purpose-specific, subject to official authorisation, and strictly time-limited.

The Ministry urged a shift away from emotional rhetoric and toward a fact-based discussion. It pointed out that the number of foreign workers in Hungary dropped by 3% between February and June 2025, following the introduction of stricter employment rules on 1 January.

From this year forward, job seekers may only enter Hungary if their home country has a readmission agreement with Hungary, or if a recognised organisation or office in their country of origin guarantees that individuals will return home should they fail to comply with Hungarian law.

The Ministry also highlighted that since Hungary’s labour market turnaround in 2010, a substantial portion of the domestic reserve has been successfully integrated into the workforce.

In 2010, the labour reserve totalled 738,000 people; by 2024, that number had decreased to 315,000. The majority — roughly two-thirds — are registered job seekers, to whom the state employment service actively offers jobs suited to their skills.

They also noted that the proportion of foreign workers in Hungary remains low. Citizens of third countries make up just 2.8% of the total workforce, and when including EU/EEA nationals, the overall proportion of foreign workers stands at 3%.

This is the lowest rate among Visegrád Group countries: in Slovakia, the figure is 4.5%, in Poland 7.1%, and in the Czech Republic 16%.

 

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