Here’s the new list of countries from which guest workers can come to Hungary

Two lists were published in the 8 July issue of the Hungarian Gazette concerning guest workers arriving in Hungary. Previously, only Serbian or Ukrainian citizens could apply for a National Card (Nemzeti Kártya), which was available to those seeking work in Hungary.

The latest issue of the Hungarian Gazette published two lists concerning guest workers coming to Hungary, Világgazdaság reports. They detailed the National Card, which allows temporary residence in Hungary for more than 90 days but not more than two years within a 180-day period. It can be used to provide employment for those who come to work, including temporary employment, or for those who work as owners or managers of companies.

Over a hundred thousand guest workers were in Hungary in January

Photo: depositphotos.com

In January, Sándor Czomba, State Secretary for Employment Policy, told Világgazdaság that about 120,000 foreigners were working as guest workers in Hungary. The vast majority of them, about 40,000, were Ukrainian citizens. There were also a significant number of Serbs, around 16,000 Vietnamese, and slightly more than 10,000 Filipinos. The number of other nationalities, such as Indians and Mongolians, was well below 10,000.

According to the new list published by the Hungarian Gazette at the beginning of July, third-country citizens who are eligible for employment with the National Card may come from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of North Macedonia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Ukraine.

Persons from the Philippines, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Federative Republic of Brazil, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Colombia are eligible for employment as general residence permit holders in Hungary. This permit is similar to the National Card but can also be obtained by anyone whose employer is a registered preferential employer or a registered lender, 24.hu reports.

Photo: pixabay.com

The publication of the two lists follows the Ministry of National Economy’s announcement at the beginning of the year that it will cap the total number of guest worker residence permits and residence permits for employment purposes at 65,000 persons in 2024, based on the law on guest workers adopted last year. The decree was signed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

As we previously reported, the Asian workforce is steadily increasing in Hungary. Due to the labour shortage experienced in recent years, companies are trying to compensate for the lack of Hungarian workers by employing guest workers. However, the government has recently tightened the sanctions regarding the employment of foreign workers. Among Asian guest workers, Filipinos have been the most frequently employed group. Most of the employees have high school degrees or even college degrees.

There now appears to be a general consensus regarding the employment of a foreign workforce: if Hungarian companies plan to hire foreign workers, they prefer to hire Asian guest workers. Hungarian companies not only offer salaries but also benefits. These include accommodation, catering, and travel passes, which could offset the lower wages compared to what they might earn in Western Europe.

Read also:

• Number of guest workers exceed psychological barrier in Hungary – Read here
• Filipino guest workers in Hungary may far exceed government claims – Read here