The process by which foreign workers arrive and work in Romania is currently too complicated and difficult to track, and must be simplified, according to economy minister Irineu Darău.
To improve the entire process, the government will issue an Emergency Ordinance project, developed by the Ministry of Labor together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new legislation will simplify the system governing foreign workers, so that the state knows exactly who is coming, where they work, and under what conditions.
“Romania needs labor force, but not with an opaque system vulnerable to abuse. The government will change this!” Darău said on Facebook, adding that he approved an Emergency Ordinance to that end.
The minister also highlighted the upcoming WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform, “where all procedures will be managed, so that employers have a faster and clearer process. We will have strict rules for recruitment agencies to eliminate intermediaries who exploit people or bypass the law,” he said.
The platform and accompanying regulations will protect workers “so that everyone knows from the start where they are going, what salary they have, and under what conditions they will work,” the minister explained.
The official also stated that the hiring of foreigners will be aligned with the real needs of the economy and that Romania will retain in the country foreigners who have studied here, easing their access to jobs.
“It is a necessary change, with a clear objective: a fair and controlled system in which the rules are respected by everyone. This is the foundation of a functional economy,” he said.
According to industry data referenced in the report, although Romania set an official quota of around 90,000 newly admitted foreign workers for 2026, employer demand significantly exceeds that ceiling. In some years, requests have reportedly been more than double the approved quota.
Still, filling vacancies is only part of the challenge. A large share of newly arrived workers subsequently seek opportunities in other EU member states, where wages, working conditions, and social benefits are often more attractive.
(Photo source: Irineu Darău on Facebook)
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