Drastic change concerning the rules of temporary work in Hungary: it may affect many guest workers

Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration announced that from 1 July, nobody can work in Hungary for more than 120 days a year as a seasonal worker. Based on statistics, the number of such workers reaches 300,000 each month. Therefore, the new rule affects hundreds of thousands of families and their employers.

New rules may affect many guest workers

According to Portfolio, current rules allow a seasonal worker to work even 365 (or 366) days in Hungary, but they must switch their employer every 120 days. In practice, this means that if somebody is able to find 4 employers, they can work in Hungary as a seasonal or casual worker throughout the entire year.

After 1 July, the number of workdays will be added regardless of whether the worker is engaged by one employer or multiple employers. The cumulative number of days spent on seasonal or temporary work can no longer exceed 120. The new rule will also apply to film industry background actors. The only good news is that this year, employers can count on the entire 120 days between 1 July and 31 December.

The tax authority has promised to develop an easy-to-use mobile app in which both workers and their employers will be able to track the number of days they have left. The authority recommends the use of the Online Form Completion Application (ONYA) for employers, which automatically evaluates the conditions of employment.

Historic Hungarian company dismisses 1,700 employees

The government has pledged to help workers at the Dunaferr steelworks in Dunaújváros (Central Hungary) find new jobs or participate in retraining programmes. On its official website on Tuesday, the government said it had contacted the biggest employers in the region to gauge potential for hiring former Dunaferr employees. The government will also pay participants in retraining programmes at least 70% of the minimum wage for periods up to twelve months, it added.

The government noted that it had already spent around HUF 33bn to preserve jobs and meet payroll at the steelworks. The government said Brussels’ sanctions policies had “ruined” the steelworks.

Dunaferr has dismissed more than 1,700 employees on Monday.

Read also:

• Surge of guest workers in Hungary: where are they coming from and why?
• PM Orbán’s brother named in shady guest worker recruitment scheme

Featured image: depositphotos.com