Georgia’s large-scale public employment scheme for socially vulnerable citizens is set to end in 2026, a significant shift in the government’s welfare and labor policy. The program, introduced by Irakli Garibashvili and funded with more than GEL 300 million over four years, provided 300-GEL monthly payments to participants while allowing them to retain their social vulnerability status and related benefits.
The Deputy Minister of Finance Giorgi Kakauridze stated that the decision reflects the government’s intention to move beneficiaries into the private sector rather than keep the state in the role of employer. He noted that consultations with line ministries resulted in a reduced allocation for the program and a renewed focus on retraining initiatives designed to help participants transition into regular labor market positions.
Between 2022 and 2024, the scheme employed up to 40,000 socially vulnerable individuals. Over the same period, overall social assistance reached 461,796 beneficiaries as of October 2025. The employment program’s budget also expanded steadily, rising from GEL 48 million in 2022 to GEL 113 million in 2025.
However, the 2026 draft budget cuts funding dramatically, setting aside only GEL 21 million.
