Hungary's incoming Tisza government, which unseated Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule in an April 12, 2026 election landslide, has said it will halt issuance of non-EU worker visas from June 1, 2026 — and business groups are warning the abrupt move could hit output in an already tight labour market.
The economy cannot currently function without workers from third countries.
Germany's business chamber in Hungary (AHK)
Why the government is doing this
Tisza's election manifesto framed the halt as protecting Hungarian jobs and wages, arguing domestic workers should not be undercut by foreign guest labour brought in through licensed labour hire agencies.
Where it bites hardest
Foreign workers make up only about 2% of Hungary's overall workforce nationally, and unlike Germany, Poland or the Czech Republic, Hungary hasn't absorbed a large wave of Ukrainian refugee labour. But in specific sectors the reliance is much higher — manufacturing and services firms report foreign workers accounting for up to 20% of their workforce, and the American Chamber of Commerce says at least one member manufacturer would need to cut a full shift without them.
- Foreign workers make up roughly 2% of Hungary's total workforce nationally
- Up to 20% workforce reliance reported at some manufacturing and services companies
- Untapped domestic pool estimated at ~400,000 workers among under-25s, over-55s, and residents of smaller towns — limited by mobility constraints
- Germany's business chamber in Hungary warns the economy "cannot currently function without workers from third countries"
Hungary is not currently a Globaris pathway, but this is useful regional context: a harder line on non-EU guest labour is politically popular right now in parts of Central Europe. Anyone considering Hungary specifically should treat this as an active political fight, not settled policy — worth watching how the June 1 implementation and any exemption list actually land before making plans.
