- Hungary includes the Philippines in its Guest Worker Program starting January 2025, allowing temporary, legal employment for Filipinos.
- New Philippine Labor Office opens in Budapest to assist Filipino workers and strengthen bilateral labor relations.
- The program expands job opportunities in sectors facing shortages and enhances the global recognition of Filipino workers’ professionalism.
Hungary has extended its Guest Worker Program to the Philippines, starting January 2025. This action enables Filipino workers to work in Hungary legally under certain circumstances, along with Armenia and Georgia, the other two nations privileged to join the program. The action highlights the high quality and professionalism of Filipino workers, which have been praised for their excellent work ethic and law-abiding mentality.
The Guest Worker Program is a controlled system that allows non-EU citizens to work temporarily in Hungary. The visas are time-limited and employer-specific, and they do not provide permanent residence.
This program is especially useful for industries facing manpower shortages, including manufacturing, hospitality, and the services sector. As it stands today, there are about 14,000 Filipino workers in Hungary, and this is set to increase as new employment quotas become available.
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Aside from the increase in the Guest Worker Program, the Philippines opened a new Philippine Labor Office in Budapest, which was inaugurated on October 18, 2025. This office is situated close to the Hungarian Parliament building and is designed to provide assistance and labor-related services to Filipino workers in Hungary.
The opening of the office shows the Philippine government's effort to assist its overseas workers as well as promote bilateral relations with Hungary. The admission of the Philippines to Hungary's Guest Worker Program is a major breakthrough for Filipino workers who pursue employment opportunities overseas.
Not only does it create new venues for job opportunities, but it also raises the profile and visibility of Filipino workers in the international labor market. It is poised to make positive contributions to the economic relations between the Philippines and Hungary.
