Working in Budapest

Budapest has a large population, and among its residents are highly skilled professionals. Despite this, demand for skilled labour remains high, and expats with suitable skills and qualifications needn't worry about finding work in Budapest.

EU and EEA nationals will only need a valid passport to work legally in Budapest. Conversely, non-EU and EEA nationals have to secure a job before going through the tedious process of acquiring a visa and work permit.

Job market in Budapest

Hungary's working hours are some of the world's longest, while wages in the country lag in comparison to other European countries. As a result, Hungary as a whole, and specifically Budapest, are suffering a brain drain, although it has shown signs of slowing recently, due to some of its citizens leaving for better prospects in countries such as the UK or Germany.

At this stage, some top sectors open to job-seeking expats in Budapest include the IT, education, finance and construction industries.

Finding a job in Budapest

Many expats secure a job before making their move to the country, as this helps to facilitate the visa process. Jobs can be found through online job portals and social networking sites such as LinkedIn. Expats who are already in Budapest can also check out job listings in local newspapers.

One of the most common ways to find work in Budapest, and perhaps the most straightforward, is to work for a multinational company and make a transfer.

Work culture in Budapest 

Although English is spoken with increasing popularity by businesspeople, Hungarian is more commonly spoken. Bridging the communication gap can be challenging. To minimise this, it is important that expats pursuing a job in Budapest take the time to learn at least basic Hungarian to ease the adjustment.

Being punctual and dressing neatly are both important aspects of work conduct. Expats can also benefit from observing and copying the conduct of their co-workers.