Romania is preparing for a new wave of foreign workers entering the labor market, amid an economic context in which the labor shortage remains one of the most acute challenges of recent years.
The government has approved the admission of 90,000 foreign workers in 2026, 10,000 fewer than in 2025, when the cap stood at 100,000 permits for workers from outside the European Union.
By the end of September 2025, more than 136,000 foreign citizens held valid work permits in Romania, according to the General Inspectorate for Immigration. During the same period, nearly 62,000 residence permits for employment were issued, along with over 73,000 individual employment contracts for non-EU citizens.
From the pandemic to a boom in foreign labor
In 2020, a year marked by restrictions, economic disruptions, and uncertainty, Romania had approximately 25,600 foreign workers with valid work permits. The pandemic temporarily slowed external recruitment, but as the economy recovered, the labor shortage became increasingly evident.
Growth has been accelerating: around 33,600 foreign workers arrived in 2021, over 51,500 in 2022, approximately 74,400 in 2023, and in 2024 more than 100,000 foreign workers with valid work permits were registered.
By the end of 2024, over 140,000 non-EU workers were officially registered as legally employed on the Romanian labor market. Most came from countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and India, with a significant presence in sectors including manufacturing, construction, retail, and hospitality.
Ukrainians on Romania’s labor market: a distinct case
The war that began in February 2022 brought hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees to Romania. Unlike other non-EU nationals, they benefited from temporary protection, which granted them access to the labor market without complex bureaucratic procedures.
Nevertheless, professional integration has been slow. In 2022, fewer than 2,000 Ukrainians held employment contracts in Romania. In 2023, the number increased to approximately 6,500–6,800, and by 2024, more than 7,300 Ukrainians were officially employed.
Articolul Romania, increasingly dependent on foreign workers. What lies ahead in 2026? a fost publicat prima dată în Money Buzz! • Știri Economice, Știri Financiare, Știri Business