The Romanian Government has announced that 5,500 spots will be available for foreign workers in 2016, the same number that was available in 2015. The General Immigration Inspectorate will start issuing work authorizations once this information has been published in the Official Gazette of Romania, which is expected to happen within the next few days.
The quota numbers will be allocated as follows:
- 3,500 spots for permanent workers (up from 3,300 available in 2015);
- 200 spots for trainees (the same as in 2015);
- 200 spots for seasonal workers (the same as in 2015);
- 700 spots for intra-company transferees/seconded workers (down from 900 available in 2015);
- 800 spots for highly-skilled workers (the same as in 2015); and
- 100 spots for cross-border workers (the same as in 2015).
If the number of work permit applications exceeds 5,500, the number can be increased by a proposal from the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Employers seeking to send foreign workers to Romania should contact their immigration professional to start gathering documents for work permit applications for 2016, as the quota numbers are expected to be announced soon.
