Romania has become a hub for issuing work permits in the EU over the past few years. According to the immigration department IGI, 76,713 work permits have been issued from January to September 2024. The Romanian government has established a quota of 100,000 foreign workers for 2024.
The number of non-EU foreign citizens with valid work permits in Romania has risen to 84,218, reflecting an increase of approximately 10,000 individuals in less than a year. However, many of these workers eventually seek jobs in other EU countries which is alarming.
Increase in Foreign Workers with Valid Employment Rights in Romania
Recent data shows that 84,218 non-EU foreign citizens now have valid work permits in Romania, which is about 10,000 more than last year. In the past three years, Romania has allowed up to 100,000 foreign workers each year, although many of these workers later moved to other EU countries.
Importance of the 2024 Foreign Worker Quota
The Romanian government has set a limit of 100,000 foreign workers for 2024. Initially, they considered a higher limit of 140,000, which would have been a significant increase from the 100,000 allowed in 2022 and 2023. The decision to keep the limit at 100,000 was made after noting that the full quota was not reached in 2023.
High Rejection Rate for Long-Term Work Visas
In 2023, nearly 30% of long-term work visa applications were rejected, which is double the rate from 2022. Common reasons for rejection included missing proof of qualifications, lack of English skills, or concerns about human trafficking or security risks.
Non-EU Citizens who are in the majority in Romania
As of August 2024, most foreign workers in Romania come from:
- Nepal: 20,636
- Sri Lanka: 16,115
- India: 8,306
- Bangladesh: 6,298
- Turkey: 6,240
- Pakistan: 2,790
There are 73,077 men and 11,141 women among these workers.
Growth in Foreign Workers Since 2023
In September 2023, there were 72,337 foreign workers in Romania with residence permits for work. By August 2024, this number increased by about 10,000. Over the past three years (2021–2023), about 240,000 work permits were issued.
Foreign Workers as Part of Romania’s Workforce
The Romanian government’s limit of 100,000 foreign workers for 2024 represents about 1.3% of Romania’s total workforce, which was nearly 7.7 million people in mid-2023.
On this work visa situation in Romania, Melania Pop, Business Development Manager International Work Finder (IWF) said:
The process of bringing foreign workers to Romania in 2024 has become more complex compared to last year due to stricter regulations and bureaucracy. In addition, the language, skills and experience requirements are more rigorous, and the authorities are more attentive to selecting foreign workers to ensure an efficient integration into Romanian society.