Amid the continuous labor shortage, Romania’s work permit quota has been announced for 2025. The number of visas has remained the same as last year. This will be the third consecutive year that the country will issue more than 100,000 work visas to non-EU workers. The work visa bearers of Romania are now also able to travel to other 28 Schengen countries because the country has now had full Schengen member status since 1 January 2025.
The overall visas issued according to the quota system till 2025 are as follows:
| Year | Employment/Posting Permits Issued |
| 2025 | 100,000 (New quota) |
| 2024 | 99,268 (till November as 5,957 are still in processing) |
| 2023 | 101,254 |
| 2022 | 108,882 |
| 2021 | 49,954 |
Key Sectors Facing Labor Shortages
Between January and October 2024, the top industries with the highest number of vacancies, as reported by the National Employment Agency, included:
- Courier services (31,160 vacancies)
- Goods handling (27,445 vacancies)
- Construction labor (26,331 vacancies)
- Assembly and installation (21,492 vacancies)
- Commercial workers (19,887 vacancies)
- Manual packing (15,406 vacancies)
- Security services (15,056 vacancies)
During this period, 311,796 job vacancies were repeatedly declared by employers as difficult to fill, averaging over 31,000 unfilled positions monthly.
Non-EU Workers in Romania
As of August 2024, 84,218 non-EU workers held valid employment rights in Romania, up by 10,000 compared to the previous year. The majority came from:
- Nepal: 20,636 workers
- Sri Lanka: 16,115 workers
- India: 8,306 workers
- Bangladesh: 6,298 workers
- Turkey: 6,240 workers
While many foreign workers fill critical roles such as truck drivers and elderly care staff, authorities and employers report challenges, including high cultural differences and a significant number of workers leaving Romania prematurely for other EU countries.
Temporary Residence Permits Issued
Data from the General Inspectorate for Immigration shows a steady rise in temporary residence permits issued for employment purposes:
- 2024 (Jan-Nov): 102,777 permits for employment, 311 for posting
- 2023: 82,321 permits for employment, 455 for posting
- 2022: 56,974 permits for employment, 190 for posting
- 2021: 36,660 permits for employment, 422 for posting
As of November 30, 2024, 97,732 foreign nationals held valid temporary residence permits for various employment purposes.
Labor Migration Trends
Reports suggest up to 40% of foreign workers do not complete their contracts before seeking employment in Western Europe. For example, the Arad Public Custody Accommodation Center recorded 400 migrants in the first half of 2024, many of whom entered Romania legally with work visas but were caught attempting to cross into the Schengen Zone.
Romania’s 2024 Foreign Worker Quota and Labor Market Insights
In December 2023, the Romanian government set a quota of 100,000 foreign workers for 2024, a figure initially considered for an increase to 140,000. This decision followed a review prompted by the Employers’ Federation of Labor Importers (PIFM), which revealed that the 2023 quota of 100,000 foreign workers was underutilized, with only half being employed in Romania.
Challenges in Visa Approvals for Foreign Workers
The rejection rate for long-stay visas for foreign workers reached nearly 30% in 2023, doubling the rate from 2022. Key reasons included missing qualifications, insufficient English proficiency, and concerns over human trafficking or national security risks.