Work Permits for Romania

The laws governing work permits for Romania are similar to most European Union member states. After securing a work permit, non-EU citizens need to obtain a long-stay visa for employment purposes, which is also known as the D/AM employment visa. To start this process an applicant first needs to have been offered a job in Romania.

The Romanian government has a quota system in place that regulates the number of work permits granted to foreign employees each year, which may limit an expat's opportunities. 

Applying for a Romanian work permit

In most cases, a work permit has to be applied for by a business in Romania on behalf of its prospective employee. It is the employer’s responsibility to prove that the position could not be filled by a Romanian or a candidate from another EU/EEA country.

The employer must also prove that the candidate has the qualifications and experience for the position, and these documents must be provided by the expat. The process for obtaining a Romanian work permit can take several weeks.

Once an expat receives their work permit from their employer, they need to apply for a long-stay visa for work purposes at the Romanian embassy in their home country. To get the visa, a number of documents will have to be submitted.

After arriving in Romania, a non-EU expat will need to register with the Romanian Ministry of Finance and get their Cod de Identificare Fiscala (CIF), a tax registration certificate with similar functions to a personal identification number. Again, this will require several documents.

An expat’s long-stay visa is tied to their work permit, which is valid for a maximum of one year. Provided that they still work for the same employer, an expat would need to renew their long-stay visa at least 30 days before it expires, and the work permit would be renewed at the same time.

Expats travelling with their families will have to apply for a separate visa for each family member. Family members are not allowed to work in Romania unless they also have their own work permit. Those already in the country on a temporary residence permit would have to apply for a work permit if they want to take up employment in the country.

*Visa regulations are subject to change at short notice and expats should contact their respective embassy or consulate for the latest details.