Hungary’s strategic sector in great need of diligent guest workers, but the anti-guest worker campaign continues

According to a media outlet focused on Hungarian agriculture, the sector would face serious problems if guest workers, mainly Filipinos, disappeared from the labour market. Even so, there are strong voices in Hungarian politics that would block the influx of guest workers in Hungary, and, in some ways, even the Hungarian government is a partner in that smear campaign.

Anti-guest worker campaign reduced, anti-migration campaign strengthened

PM Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz began a successful anti-migration and anti-guest worker campaign in 2015, at the European migration crisis peak, when tens of thousands of people went on foot towards Western Europe. Following the 2018 election win of Fidesz, the Orbán cabinet reduced anti-guest worker attacks, enabling thousands of third-country nationals to come to Hungary and work on construction projects, in the manufacturing industry, or in Hungarian agriculture.

All those sectors face serious challenges due to the labour shortage. Meanwhile, the anti-migration campaign remained, and the Hungarian government still fights against all EU initiatives that would like to deal with the migration crisis in Europe, saying that Hungary does not want migrants within its borders.

• How much can guest workers earn in Hungary? – read our article HERE

The guest workers, easing the problems caused by the labour shortage, can remain only for a limited time, which, in most cases, is 2 years plus a maximum of one more year. They cannot acquire a permanent residency permit, which could be the first step towards Hungarian citizenship, the citizenship and passport of an EU and Schengen member state. However, their presence is very much needed.

Hungarian agriculture would collapse without guest workers

According to Agrárágazat, Hungary’s agriculture is facing significant challenges in the summer and autumn of 2025 due to the lack of workforce in the fields. Costs are rising, and it is increasingly difficult to find dependable employees. Based on the media outlet, the daily payment for seasonal workers reaches HUF 18,000 (EUR 45) in some regions, but it is challenging to find a diligent workforce. Salaries would rise by 5% this year, but that would not be enough to mobilise the Hungarian workforce reserves to begin working in the fields.

The 2025 market overview by the WHC Group also confirms that the greatest demand this year is for seasonal agricultural work. Among the most sought-after positions are topping, hoeing, field guarding, factory sorting, as well as husking, sorting, combine harvester operator, and dryer operator roles.

Filipinos welcome

According to Agrárágazat, the Hungarian government reduced the number of guest workers who can potentially enter Hungary in 2025 to only 35,000. However, they are still helpful for enterprises active in the sector. The largest group of guest workers in Hungary’s agriculture is the Filipinos, who are very punctual and trustworthy; they are actually more reliable and punctual than many local workers.