Romania has introduced important changes to its foreign worker recruitment system, making it easier for certain occupations to qualify for the country’s official shortage jobs list.
The government has reduced the minimum foreign employment contract threshold from 10 to 5 and introduced a 10-calendar-day review procedure for urgent requests to update the shortage occupation list.
The changes became effective on 5 November 2026, following the publication of Ministerial Order No. 1,668/2026 in Romania’s Official Gazette No. 928.
These measures could benefit Romanian employers struggling to recruit workers locally and potentially create additional employment opportunities for people from countries outside the European Union.
However, the changes concern the process for identifying shortage occupations. They do not automatically approve work permits, guarantee employment or remove existing immigration requirements.
New Rules Explained
The Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity introduced the amendments through Order No. 1,668, signed on 4 November 2026.
The order modifies the methodology established under Ministerial Order No. 987/2026, which regulates the preparation and updating of Romania’s List of Shortage Occupations.
The main changes include:
• Reducing the qualifying employment contract threshold from 10 to 5.
• Reducing the historical work permit threshold from 10 to 5 for the initial list criteria.
• Introducing a 10-calendar-day examination period for urgent occupation-list proposals.
• Requiring relevant government institutions to respond to information requests within 3 working days.
• Introducing clearer requirements for employers to justify labour shortages.
• Requiring the Labour Ministry to prepare updated guidance within 30 days.
The purpose is to make the shortage occupation system more responsive to labour market needs.
Lower Employment Threshold
One of the most significant changes concerns the minimum number of foreign employment contracts needed for an occupation to meet the shortage-list criteria.
Previously, the methodology required at least 10 full-time employment contracts with foreign nationals for the relevant occupation. The new order reduces this minimum to 5 contracts. For the original compilation of the list, the amended rules refer to:
• At least 5 qualifying full-time employment contracts active on 31 December 2025.
• At least 5 employment permits issued during 2025 for the relevant occupation.
For subsequent half-yearly updates, the revised methodology requires at least 5 qualifying full-time employment contracts active nationwide on the final calendar day of the relevant half-year.
Importantly, this is an occupation-level threshold measured across Romania, not a requirement for each individual employer to hire five foreign workers.
An employer wishing to hire one foreign worker is not automatically required to employ four additional foreign nationals under this amendment.
Furthermore, reaching the five-contract threshold does not guarantee that an occupation will be included. Other conditions concerning labour market demand and recruitment difficulties must still be satisfied.
Faster 10-Day Review
Romania has also introduced a faster procedure for examining certain proposals to add or remove occupations from its shortage list.
Previously, the relevant examination period was generally 30 days for employers’ urgent proposals.
Under the amended Article 14, qualifying requests for an update whenever necessary must now be examined within 10 calendar days from registration.
The procedure covers proposals submitted by:
• Romanian employers demonstrating an immediate recruitment need.
• Ministries and central government bodies requiring workers for qualifying infrastructure projects.
• Nationally representative social partners submitting properly justified requests.
During the 10-day period, the Labour Ministry must examine the available evidence and prepare a reasoned assessment explaining whether the requested list update is justified.
If the assessment supports an amendment, the ministry must also prepare the draft updating order within that period and begin the required consultation and approval procedures.
The 10-day deadline does not mean that a foreign worker’s visa or work permit will be approved within 10 days.
It also does not guarantee publication of an updated occupation list within that period. Mandatory consultation, approval and publication procedures still apply.
Faster Government Responses
The revised methodology also introduces specific deadlines for institutions participating in the review.
Within one working day after receiving a proposal, the Labour Ministry’s responsible department must request the required labour market information.
The institutions involved include:
• The National Employment Agency (ANOFM).
• The Labour Inspectorate, where relevant.
• The General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), where relevant.
These institutions must respond within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Where information is unavailable, the institution must communicate this and provide whatever relevant information is available.
The regulation also specifies that a lack of institutional data cannot automatically be treated as proof of a labour shortage.
These requirements aim to reduce administrative delays while maintaining evidence-based decisions.
Existing Shortage Jobs
Romania established its initial shortage occupation list in August 2026 under Ministerial Order No. 1,073/2026.
The list included 289 occupations, covering different areas of the labour market.
Examples appearing on Romania’s official Work in Romania employment platform include:
| Occupation | Romanian Code |
| Agricultural worker | 611101 |
| Assistant cook | 941101 |
| Cook | 512001 |
| Baker | 751201 |
| Courier agent | 432333 |
| Bartender | 513201 |
| Manual packer | 932101 |
| Concrete worker | 711401 |
| Sales agent | 332203 |
| Barista | 513203 |
These are examples from the official list, not newly added occupations under the November amendment.
Order No. 1,668/2026 does not itself introduce additional occupations. It changes the conditions and procedures through which future updates can be made.
Employers and prospective workers should consult the most recently approved list before beginning recruitment or immigration procedures.
The list is available through Romania’s official Work in Romania platform.
Opportunities For Migrants
The revised rules could benefit non-EU nationals interested in employment in Romania, including applicants from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and other countries.
The main potential benefit is that occupations with relatively small existing numbers of foreign workers may become eligible for future inclusion in the shortage list.
For example, an occupation with seven qualifying full-time employment contracts would previously have fallen below the minimum threshold of ten.
Under the revised threshold, it may satisfy that particular requirement.
However, inclusion still depends on the remaining criteria and the government’s assessment of labour shortages.
Foreign workers should also understand that Romania’s shortage occupation list is not a direct job application service.
The official platform explicitly states that foreign nationals cannot submit their CVs or job applications through this list. Recruitment takes place through employers and, where applicable, authorised placement agencies.
Work Visa Requirements
Although the shortage occupation rules have become more flexible, foreign nationals must still meet Romania’s applicable employment and immigration requirements.
Romania’s General Inspectorate for Immigration describes employment-based long-stay visa procedures under the revised framework, including D/AM1 and D/AM2 categories.
Depending on the worker category and recruitment arrangement, employers or authorised recruitment agencies are responsible for submitting the relevant electronic application.
Applicants may need to satisfy requirements concerning:
• A qualifying Romanian employment arrangement.
• Relevant professional training or experience.
• Recognition of qualifications where required.
• A valid travel document.
• Criminal record documentation.
• Medical insurance and financial requirements, where applicable.
The precise documents and conditions depend on the worker category and application route.
Being employed in an occupation on the shortage list does not remove these requirements or guarantee approval.
Applicants should consult the Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration before making arrangements or payments.
Employer Application Process
Romanian employers requesting the inclusion of an occupation missing from the official list must provide a properly supported justification.
For urgent proposals, employers must demonstrate why the occupation should be considered before the next regular half-yearly update.
Relevant evidence may include:
• Recruitment efforts undertaken locally, regionally or nationally.
• Attempts to find suitable candidates through the National Employment Agency.
• Labour market conditions and recruitment difficulties.
• The immediate need for workers in the occupation concerned.
• Statistical information supporting the shortage.
Under the amended rules, requests for additional clarification do not suspend or extend the 10-day examination deadline.
A proposal with insufficient evidence may receive a reasoned negative assessment. The ministry must identify the missing information that could support a fresh proposal.
The regulations also clarify that requesting only a small number of workers is not, by itself, sufficient justification for rejecting a proposal.
Important Dates
The following dates are relevant to the changes:
| Date | Development |
| 23 July 2026 | Previous methodology published under Order No. 987/2026 |
| 6 August 2026 | Initial 289-occupation list published |
| 4 November 2026 | Order No. 1,668/2026 signed |
| 5 November 2026 | New methodology amendments entered into force |
| 5 December 2026 | Deadline to prepare updated guidance |
| 31 December 2026 | Reference date for qualifying contracts in the next half-yearly review |
The new 10-day examination period applies to eligible proposals registered from 5 November 2026.
Proposals registered before that date remain subject to the examination period applicable when they were submitted.
Meanwhile, the ordinary 30-day review period for employers’ proposals within the half-yearly update procedure remains unchanged.
What Happens Next?
The Labour Ministry must develop a new guide explaining how proposals to update the shortage occupation list should be justified.
The deadline for preparing this guide is 5 December 2026, which is 30 days after the new order entered into force.
The guide must be prepared in consultation with representative social partners and subsequently approved through a ministerial order.
It is intended to become available through the official Work in Romania platform.
The new methodology refers to this guide even though it had not yet been approved when the order entered into force. Consequently, employers submitting proposals during the transitional period should pay particular attention to the supporting documentation required.
The next regular half-yearly review may also offer an opportunity for additional occupations to qualify under the lower five-contract threshold.
Nevertheless, the number and identity of any newly added occupations will depend on further official decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Romania’s new rules already effective?
Yes. Ministerial Order No. 1,668/2026 entered into force on 5 November 2026.
2. Can employers hire foreigners with only five contracts?
The five-contract threshold concerns qualification of an occupation for the shortage list. It is not a requirement that each employer must already employ five foreign nationals.
3. Will work permits be issued within 10 days?
No. The deadline concerns the review of urgent shortage-list proposals, not individual immigration or visa applications.
4. Have new occupations been added?
Not through this order. New occupations require a separate official amendment to the list.
5. Can foreign workers apply directly through the shortage list?
No. Workers must follow the relevant employer or authorised recruitment procedure.
6. When will further guidance become available?
The Labour Ministry must prepare the guidance by 5 December 2026. Its formal approval and publication are separate steps.
Final Assessment
Romania’s November 2026 changes represent an important administrative reform in the recruitment of foreign workers.
By reducing the qualifying employment contract threshold from ten to five and creating a faster examination procedure for urgent occupation-list proposals, the government has made the system more flexible for employers facing labour shortages.
Smaller and specialised occupations may particularly benefit if they meet the remaining legal conditions.
For international workers, the reform could gradually increase access to certain job opportunities in Romania.
However, the actual impact will depend on which occupations are included in future updates and how efficiently employers and authorities implement the new procedures.
The central point is that Romania has simplified its shortage occupation assessment system, not introduced automatic or unrestricted work visa approvals.