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Hiring Foreign Workers in Romania in 2026: What Everyone Needs to Know About GEO No. 32/2026

Romania quietly dropped one of the biggest changes to its labour law in years. If you’re planning to bring foreign workers into the country — or doing it — the way you do things has fundamentally shifted.

GEO No. 32/2026 came into force on 27 April 2026. And no, this isn’t just a tweak to an existing process. The government scrapped the old permit system entirely and built something new from the ground up.

Here’s what changed, what it means for employers, and what you need to do about it.

Need Help with Your Romania Work Permit? Trenity Consultants are trusted Romania work permit and visa consultants based in the UAE and across the GCC. We guide professionals and employers through every step of the process.

Why Romania Overhauled Its Foreign Employment Rules

Romania has faced a growing labour shortage for years. With a large portion of Romanian workers based across Western Europe, key industries — including construction, manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, and IT — have increasingly relied on non-EU workers to fill the gap.

The previous system, governed by Government Ordinance No. 25/2014, required employers to obtain individual employment permits for each foreign hire. It was slow, paper-heavy, and hard to scale. GEO No. 32/2026 replaces that system entirely, moving everything to a centralized digital platform and creating clearer pathways for both highly skilled workers and those filling shortage occupations.

The Biggest Change: Employment Permits Are Abolished

One of the most significant shifts under GEO No. 32/2026 is the complete elimination of employment permits and secondment permits. As of 27 April 2026, the old permit regime under GO No. 25/2014 has been repealed.

The process now begins with applying for a long-stay employment visa — either a D/AM1 or D/AM2 type — submitted through the new national electronic platform, WorkinRomania.gov.ro.

This isn’t just a renaming exercise. The entire process is now digital, application-centric, and tied to a single submission framework that makes the employer’s role more accountable and trackable.

WorkinRomania.gov.ro — The New Platform Everything Runs Through

The centerpiece of Romania’s new foreign employment system is the WorkinRomania.gov.ro electronic platform, developed by Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Everything flows through this platform:

Employer registration and authorisation applications
Single visa applications for foreign workers
Authorisation and registration of placement agencies
Publication of the official List of Shortage Occupations
Ongoing monitoring and compliance tracking

If you’re an employer—or if you’re working with a Romania work permit and visa consultant to prepare your application—this platform is your starting point. There is no alternative route.

Key transition note: Until 7 August 2026, the platform is being used for employer registration, agency authorization, and system testing. Full visa processing will roll out from August 2026 onwards.

Two New Visa Types Explained: D/AM1 vs D/AM2

The new system creates two types of long-stay employment visa, and which one applies to you depends on the kind of work you’re doing.

D/AM1 — The Highly Skilled Route

This visa is for professionals with specialist qualifications and certain other categories defined by law. If you fall into this group, the process is relatively straightforward—your employer registers on the platform and submits the application. No full authorization is required on the employer’s side. This is the faster track.

D/AM2 — Shortage Occupation Roles

This one covers permanent workers, seasonal workers, and cross-border workers in roles that appear on Romania’s official List of Shortage Occupations. Think construction, food production, agriculture, logistics, and hospitality.

The D/AM2 route comes with more steps and, depending on how your employer is set up, may require them to go through a full authorization process before they can even submit your application. More on that below.

Not Sure Which Visa Route Applies to You? Our Romania work permit consultants in Sharjah and across the GCC can assess your profile and identify the right pathway — D/AM1 or D/AM2 — so you don’t waste time on the wrong application.

What Employers Actually Need to Do

This is where it gets detailed — and where a lot of employers will need guidance, because the requirements differ depending on how you’re hiring.

If You’re Hiring Highly Skilled Workers or Using a Placement Agency

You register on WorkinRomania.gov.ro. That’s the main requirement. Registration is the lighter-touch option and works for D/AM1 hires, as well as D/AM2 hires where you’re going through an authorised placement agency.

If You Want to Hire Directly Without an Agency

This is where the bar gets higher. If you want to hire permanent, seasonal, or cross-border workers under the D/AM2 visa yourself — without routing through a placement agency — you need full authorisation from the National Agency for Employment.

To get that authorisation, your company needs to tick every one of these boxes:

No outstanding tax debts to the state
No history of fiscal offences — tax, accounting, customs, financial discipline
At least two years of uninterrupted business activity before you apply
An average of 50 or more employees in the previous year
In the prior year, no more than 20% of your previously hired foreign workers had their visa cancelled or revoked
A financial guarantee of EUR 1,000 per foreign national you’re applying to hire

That last point adds up fast. If you’re bringing in 50 workers, that’s EUR 50,000 sitting as a guarantee. These aren’t casual requirements — they’re designed to filter out fly-by-night operators.

Placement Agencies Have a New Legal Framework Now

GEO No. 32/2026 brings foreign worker placement agencies into a formal legal framework for the first time. Previously operating in something of a grey area, these agencies must now be specifically authorized by the National Agency for Employment.

To operate legally, an agency must:

Only place workers in roles on the List of Shortage Occupations
Work exclusively based on firm job offers from registered employers
Hold valid authorization—renewable every two years
Provide a financial guarantee of EUR 75,000 for up to 250 workers placed, plus EUR 50,000 per additional tranche of 250 workers

If you’re currently working with a recruitment or placement partner in Romania, make sure they are—or will be—properly authorized under the new regime.

The Shortage Occupations List: Why It Matters So Much

Almost every part of the D/AM2 visa process hinges on the List of Shortage Occupations, to be published by the Minister of Labour within 45 days of GEO 32/2026’s publication in the Official Gazette.

If the role you’re trying to fill is not on this list, you can only hire foreign nationals through the D/AM1 (highly skilled) route or other special categories. This is an essential checkpoint before starting any application, and something your immigration consultant should verify on your behalf.

Watch this list closely. It will define which sectors can access foreign talent through the standard D/AM2 pathway.

The Labour Code Changes—These Affect Your Employment Contract Right Now

Beyond the visa and immigration framework, GEO No. 32/2026 also amends Romania’s Labour Code in ways that directly affect how you structure employment contracts with foreign workers.

Here are the changes you need to act on now:

Bilingual contracts are now mandatory. Every individual employment contract with a foreign employee must be prepared in both Romanian and the worker’s native language — or an internationally understood language. Your existing contract templates will need to be updated.
Medical certificates can follow the contract. A foreign employee no longer needs to present a medical certificate before signing their contract — it just has to be obtained no later than the date employment starts.
Two new grounds for automatic contract termination. Employment contracts with foreign nationals now end automatically if the single visa application is rejected or if the General Inspectorate for Immigration finds the worker is staying illegally.
RON 6,000 fine per contract. Employers who issue contracts only in Romanian — without the required foreign-language version — face an administrative fine of RON 6,000 per contract. This is enforceable immediately.

Already Mid-Process? Here's What Applies to You

If you were already in the system before 27 April 2026, you don’t have to restart under the new rules. Applications for employment or secondment permits submitted before that date, including scheduled appointments, will be processed under the old legislation.

Applications for long-term residence rights submitted up to 31 December 2026 are also still processed under the previous framework.

So there’s a transition window. But it’s not indefinite—and the sooner your processes align with the new system, the less disruption you’ll face as the old process winds down.

Your Action Plan: What to Do Right Now

If you’re an employer with foreign workers on your team—or you’re planning to hire internationally in the coming months—here’s what to do:

Audit all employment contracts for foreign staff and prepare bilingual versions
Register on WorkinRomania.gov.ro as soon as the full system goes live in August 2026
Check the Shortage Occupations List once published to confirm which roles qualify for D/AM2 hiring
Assess your eligibility for full employer authorisation if you plan to hire without a placement agency
Brief your HR and legal teams on the new termination grounds and the bilingual contract requirement
Speak to a specialist — especially if you’re based in the UAE or GCC and managing Romanian employment remotely

Ready to Apply for a Romania Work Permit?

Trenity Consultants are among the leading Romania work permit and visa consultants in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and across the GCC. From eligibility checks to full application support, we handle the complexity so you don’t have to.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a Romania work permit under the new 2026 rules?

The old employment permit no longer exists. Under GEO 32/2026, your employer registers on WorkinRomania.gov.ro and submits a single visa application on your behalf — either D/AM1 or D/AM2 depending on your role. If you want someone to handle this process for you, our Romania work permit consultants at Trenity deal with exactly this.

Are employment permits still a thing in Romania?

No. They were scrapped on 27 April 2026. If anyone tells you that you need one, they're working from outdated information. The visa application through WorkinRomania.gov.ro is now the primary process.

What is the Shortage Occupations List and why does it matter?

It's a government-published list of roles where Romania has a documented labour shortage. The D/AM2 visa — which covers the bulk of non-EU workers entering Romania — is only available for roles on this list. If your role isn't on it, you'd need to qualify through the D/AM1 (highly skilled) route instead. The list hadn't been fully published at the time of writing, but sectors like construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and hospitality are expected to feature heavily.

What's the difference between the D/AM1 and D/AM2 visa?

D/AM1 is for highly skilled workers and certain other defined categories. The employer just needs to register on the platform to apply. D/AM2 covers permanent, seasonal, and cross-border workers in shortage occupations — and depending on whether the employer uses a placement agency or not, it may require full authorisation from the National Agency for Employment before the visa application can even be submitted.

Can an immigration consultant handle my Romania work permit application?

Yes, and honestly, for most people applying from outside Romania, it makes the process significantly easier. The new system has multiple steps—employer registration, authorization checks, the shortage occupations list, and bilateral contract requirements—and getting one of them wrong can delay everything. Our team at Trenity Consultants handles Romania work permit applications for clients across the UAE and GCC.

What documents will I need?

The core documents remain: valid passport with at least six months validity, signed employment contract — now required in both Romanian and your native language — educational and professional certificates, experience letters where applicable, police clearance, proof of accommodation in Romania, and health insurance. Your specific category may require additional documents.

How long does the whole process take?

The approval stage typically runs 30 to 60 days, followed by visa processing at the Romanian Embassy. After you arrive in Romania, you'll apply for a residence permit on the ground. Total timelines vary depending on your visa category, whether your employer is already authorised, and how complete your documentation is from the start.

The Bottom Line

GEO No. 32/2026 isn’t just a paperwork shuffle. Romania has replaced its entire foreign employment system, and the new one has real teeth—financial guarantees, authorization requirements, bilingual contract mandates, and a single digital platform that everything now runs through.

That creates challenges. But it also creates a cleaner, more transparent process for employers and workers who get it right.

If you’re figuring out what the new Romania work permit process means for your situation — whether you’re an employer, a worker, or both — talking to someone who’s already working through the new system is the fastest way to get clarity.

Trenity Consultants have been helping people from the UAE and GCC navigate European work permits and visas for years. Our Romania work permit and visa consultants know the new framework inside out.

Trenity Consultants provides end-to-end support for Romania work permit applications, including eligibility assessment, employer compliance guidance, documentation review, and full application assistance under the new GEO No. 32/2026 framework.

Book Your Free Consultation: Get expert guidance before starting your application to avoid delays and rejections under the new system.

Where Trenity Comes In

If you’re unsure whether you qualify under the new Romania work permit framework introduced under GEO No. 32/2026, our team can review your profile and help identify the most suitable employment or immigration pathway.

Trenity Consultants provides Romania and European immigration services across the UAE and GCC, assisting clients with:

• Romania work permits under D/AM1 and D/AM2 visa categories
• European work permit opportunities across Schengen countries
• Long-term residence and settlement pathways in Europe
• Employer-sponsored job opportunities and compliance guidance
• Immigration planning and end-to-end consultation

Contact our team today to discuss your options and ensure your application aligns with the latest European immigration and work authorization requirements.