In its statement, the Ministry stressed that Hungary “belongs to Hungarians” and that the country does not aim to become a destination for large-scale labour migration. Officials said the government intends to fill vacancies primarily with local workers and highlighted that Hungary maintains some of the strictest regulations on the employment of foreign workers in the region.

Under current rules, foreign nationals may work or reside in Hungary only for purposes defined by the state and only with prior approval. Permits are issued for a specific purpose, under strict conditions, and for a limited period of time. Employers may hire non-Hungarian workers only if a given role cannot be filled domestically.

According to the Ministry, several recent policy changes have contributed to a decrease in the number of guest workers entering the country.

The quota for 2025 has already been reduced to 35,000, and the same limit will apply in 2026.

As in previous years, a ministerial decree will continue to regulate residence and employment permits for guest workers as well as permits linked to new investment projects.

The Ministry noted that Hungary currently has the lowest proportion of third-country nationals among the Visegrád countries — 2.6 percent, according to their data.

The topic has recently sparked political debate. In November, opposition MPs criticised the government for what they described as excessive reliance on foreign labour while “hundreds of thousands of Hungarians” are seeking work. In response, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán argued that Hungary has one of the lowest shares of foreign workers in the EU and that permits are issued strictly based on labour-market demand.

Orbán cited several figures: in September, employers reported 65,000 job vacancies, the state issued 35,000 work permits, and only 10,000 guest workers actually arrived in Hungary. “Nowhere else in the EU is the proportion of foreign workers as low as it is here—just 2.8 percent,” he said.
 

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