Filipino jobseekers hoping to work in Hungary now face a closed door, after the government stopped processing new worker visas for applicants from the Philippines, alongside those from Georgia and Armenia.
Government spokeswoman Vanda Szondi announced the decision at a media briefing, framing it as the opening move in a broader effort to bring the arrival of foreign labour under tighter control. She said authorities are acting on concerns that an influx of guest workers has been dragging down wages for local employees.
The change came through an amendment to a decree that had previously let manpower agencies bring in workers from the three countries under a streamlined process. That fast-track route has now ended.
Workers already in Hungary are not immediately affected. According to the government, those currently employed may still file for extensions, and visa applications already lodged will be reviewed rather than discarded.
Officials describe the measure as the first stage of a longer-term plan rather than a one-off restriction.
Foreign nationals make up only about 2 percent of Hungary’s total workforce, official figures show, though their presence is concentrated in particular industries. Sectors such as services and manufacturing lean heavily on labour from abroad, leaving them more exposed to the policy shift.
The move has drawn unease from parts of the business community. Several of Hungary’s biggest foreign investors have warned that cutting off the supply of guest workers entirely would damage individual companies and ripple out into the broader economy.
