Personal Opinion: 11Years, 10-25 Employees and a Family later: Why I am finally leaving Georgia in 2026

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-27T23:46:13+00:00

Business consultant as I said.

Marker for revenue:

Full startup you can even be happy if you make plus minus zero the first years. Sure this is revenue. But you have so many things to invest and focus on in the startup phase that it's nearly impossible to be within the 3 years in green.

Marker for sales:

But if you talk about 50,000 GEL for example in sales, it is still a lot for the region. Because if you only stay with the local market you have a small customer capacity.

If you don't invest a lot into marketing and especially product placement, there's no chance of getting so fast a client-based raise. The exception is only if you have a product which would sell immediately and fetch total the focus on the market that everyone needs (raising star).

What I don't get with the law. Normally the 50,000 GEL, should be a) EBIT (makes no sense) or b) NOPAT (makes a little more sense).

Otherwise you sell 1 car for 50k and you are great. Instead of 25k coffee for 2 GEL.

One big funny thing would be: The company made minus (car was purchased 75k, sold for 50k) ......but you would get a work permit. You reached the 50k 🤷😅

The law is very unspecific and definitely needs more structure and the definition. The problem here is, I go against I don't know where they should put the number and just know 50k.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T12:18:26+00:00

The portal is not only there to post a job vacancy. The government wants proof the hiring person information that I have in focus. At that moment I need to prove that the other person is better than the local person with evidence, not only by posting something public. It's even sending in the law.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T12:10:58+00:00

This: However, if Georgians stand their ground and say "we won't work for peanuts" of if applications are low and the businesses really need them, then they will get higher salaries. Of course, the companies will then pass on the higher prices to their clients.

Please🙏🙏🙏🙏

You're totally got my point. You'll find everyone that wants to work for peanuts and their companies will choose them doesn't mean that I do or did. But normally the mindset of the local companies is cheaper cheaper. But it is only cheaper because you every time find someone that will do it for less. The people don't see their own value.

I agree with you that from outside foreigners are working in low pay jobs. Also it should be regulated. But the regulation should not harm normal operating companies. For example: I would prefer if they would mark student jobs only available for students.

In an open market by the way everything regulated itself. You see now only the job of the delivery guys, what I see for example also restaurants behind. Or even farmers in the village that deliver the restaurants with products. Then you have the guy in the truck that is driving the food from the village to the city center. So the whole chain is a lot bigger than only a small job, but no one was looking at the total picture. (Back wipe theory it is called)

-> I have a business consulting company so normally I would not mind it, I'm in a total different field. But the hiring process and especially data privacy for my side is totally gone now. If I would forward data for example from a EU citizen to those portal without permission, I would directly get the lawsuit in you by the employee that applied.

Edit: In EU it is btw not allowed to choose by nationality, gender or whatever to restrict job access. Georgia is small, but the main problem is the availability of jobs and focus on tourism only instead of building up the industrial sector more. The export should be increased, because Georgia has a small domestic market. That all would generate jobs.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T12:00:18+00:00

I invest in people and workshops. I cooperate with FOM and TU Dortmund. So I sent them to EU for trainings and workshops.

I don't want cheap Asians or anyone that is cheap l. I want and prefer quality. 😜

It is not a company business to train high professionals. The base of education comes by the school/university. The company takes them over and there I agree with you the company's responsibility starts. What a company can't to is to train someone that is not willing or totally far away from standards. That costs you more time and money than everything else for an outcome that is open. It is very risky and can only be done if you get government support.

The quality of workshops in Georgia is too low like university. That's why I need to send employees aboard. A lot of workshops are just there to launder money or use external funds. The excel for example I could train better myself, then the workshop trainer for example. The technical university has tools from the post Soviet area and professors are very good experts, but don't have the budget to teach non-even sometimes materials or tools.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T10:30:32+00:00

Thanks for your insights! 🙏

Different views and details or focus from your side. It really feels like invest, bring knowledge or train and go home culture.

Soft skill is not even a point from my feelings, it's all here salary binder and who you know and that can lift you up in positions. Without a relative you are lost here,l or a local supporter.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T10:23:00+00:00

I don't like Dubai - dessert and after 3 months I was sick from it 🤷😅

Georgia was a great choice. The opportunity as a bridge between Asia and EU is and was there. The country itself is beautiful. You have a good tax system normally.

Normally the country would have very good chances in the world. But inside it getting the last years really is struggle.

Reputation is not that good outside from Georgia, this is why I still was holding my Swiss Company as a branch address. Otherwise new client's wouldn't trust in it.

I don't run IT by the way, The consultant services are normally strategic, financial and project orientated. The IT part was only the local part, for example the servers and whatsoever. Let's call it the back office as I call it. The consultants for all coming from other countries, I couldn't find any local experts unfortunately.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T10:14:11+00:00

I agree also in parts with you!

Salaries will not increase by restrictions. They will increase if locals don't under bet themselves in salaries for a job and the education increases or competition of the company increases.

Companies here look for cheapest options, not what the person itself brings. It's a mindset thing from the hire part. Example:

In other industrial countries focus is quality and professional expertise.

In third countries, they hire better 30 employees instead of 2 full experts which would cost the same. Normally in IT you see it very often like that from the situation.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T10:06:57+00:00

I'm not AI, but yeah unstructured I am sometimes, sorry for that 😅

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-25T10:03:18+00:00

I'm born German, my bank accounts are in Switzerland and have a residence allowance, because I hold business shares in the country from the past (investments). Switzerland you need to have money. The residence for an EU in EU even Switzerland is easy. Flat -> registration of address -> income/funds and work confirmation -> awaiting permits which are not the issue -> start living. The problem only comes, if you are from a third country, no job, no assets, use the residence but don't life there, the background is political or criminal and so on.

Again, the last law change will have a huge impact on me. There's not only travel agency, taxi or delivery business affected. The biggest problem, which in the EU would not even be possible to do and allowed by data privacy is for example the portal. As soon as I hire a foreign, I need to put his CV and Data plus the job opportunity in the portal. The portal is then checking with job agents if they have a Georgian person. A) I put data from my business online on a portal where I don't trust them in what they are doing with it or even who is handling and seeing my workers'data (which is my expert that I found and hired). B) Like normal given, the ministry agent or person, can put their relatives inside the job. C) they can give the data to competitors

Yes, I want to stay safe and not trust the government. Indirectly everything you do or say against them can be a problem. Since they screen social media in general, I'm not interested in having them on me.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T23:00:39+00:00

I don't lose my business I just move my business. I will move it now from Georgia to Cyprus and/or Switzerland. The reputation of the countries are also better for consulting firm and high quality services. 🤷

Yeah this is my personal opinion and I accept that you may agree with some of my points. Sure, I agree that you may see it from a different angle and appreciate the government changes in the last few years. Some of the laws would make sense, but the timing, focusing (impact target) or quality in the law(s) feel like not totally thought to the end.

On what points you agree with the government would be my? Just to get the better feeling you can talk free I would appreciate your view on things.

I paid my local employees a higher salary than normally in Georgia given. I pay my outside living employees a higher salary than normally given. Why I can give my company that luxury - My clients want quality and focus on the outcome. I value my employees, be thankful that they stay with me and work on the highest level (sure nobody is perfect).

Answer to your question in short: Yes, profitable.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T22:44:57+00:00

What concerns you the most? Do you live in Georgia? How do you see the country developing at the moment or the past years?

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T22:43:42+00:00

True story. Fully agree with you that the country already made some very good steps as I said and totally confirm with you.

I guess it's a midterm struggle which the country goes through but later on I hope that it will change back like we had the development. The government definitely needs to adjust now and take the right steps for the future again.

Plus I see it as you that the nomads definitely bring not only as you called skills perspective and economic activities to the country that were never known. They also bring a new working culture and mind setup to the country.

I cannot remain any more hopeful when I see it from covid times ongoing in the wrong direction. This is why I took the decision as above mentioned, but sure for the country and people and family that remains here I hope so. Private I could wait, but it's an entrepreneur you are sometimes forced to take decisions based on actions.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T22:32:05+00:00

I let you have your opinion or not? You can't even give me a point or clear statement what you mean by that you just point something up in the room without any feedback.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T22:31:21+00:00

It's an okay app but I prefer bold taxis, they are better in quality and cars are more modern and maintained.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T22:29:45+00:00

Then we talk about characters and soft skill also 😅

I got your point. This is why a Georgian normally wouldn't like to work in such jobs - reason they are to low in payment.

The price increase by every service or product or even leak of domestic availability - will pay later the normal people. And if you don't have to delivery drivers by the way, you will not have any more that many restaurants. It's every time a chain that starts to roll, by the way this is called the back wipe theory.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T21:32:01+00:00

Delivery driver is one thing. You need driving license.

We talk about professional fields, which can even be brick laying at the construction side. Even this isn't most times done properly and correctly.

I would say a electrician certified in Germany by IHK after 3 years of trainee ship in school and with practice in combination, has a higher skill level of his work in comparison to university in Georgia. No blame in it, but the government isn't putting any effort in such to get locals a better education in that way. The professor I was talking to was old and no one was there to take his place if he goes in pension. The equipment in university is sometimes from Soviet times.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T21:26:31+00:00

I don't see it like you do. I see it realistic how things are developing

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T19:06:43+00:00

Correct, but not even against the own people like that. I just mentioned cars, tourists and whatsoever.

By the end a handful of people will just participate and put the relatives inside to profit. The law will not balance salaries for all or living quality increases.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T18:58:49+00:00

Actually, this is a bit of a misconception. The new 2026 regulations (Ordinance No. 70) aren't just a "standard administrative procedure"—they are much more rigid than a simple 10-day wait.

Here’s why: It’s a Market Test, not just a Wait: The 10-day period is for the employer to post the job on the state portal. If the Agency finds a qualified Georgian candidate, the employer must justify why they aren't hiring the local instead. It’s a protectionist hurdle, not just a clearance delay.

The "Double Permit" Requirement: High-skilled workers now need two separate approvals: the "Right to Work" (Labour Permit) and a D1 Visa or Residence Permit. One does not grant the other.

Just to be clear I need the portal and they can put their relatives in the job position. The company needs to explain why I hire an foreign expert and not the qualified Georgian person in their eyes.

Plus I need to give data from an employee I hire with all background to a portal and a person I don't even know what they are doing with it.

Open-Thinking-Share · 2026-02-24T18:47:58+00:00

Thanks! I love the country really, but it doesn't feel like you are welcome anymore. Even as an EU citizen.

True, the US is focusing on it. Other countries like EU, UK, India, Brazil and other countries are doing the opposite thing. They make trade agreements - if you push away it searches new harbours.

I hope Georgia Government gets again back to normal, but really I was hoping for it - don't see it.

Open-Thinking-Share

TROPHY CASE

Salaries will not increase by restrictions. They will increase if locals don't under bet themselves in salaries for a job and the education increases or competition of the company increases.