Hire Workers in Romania Within the 2026 Quota
Romania caps how many non-EU workers may be admitted each year, and the cap has tightened. We recruit from India, Nepal and Bangladesh and file the employment endorsement early enough to matter.
- The quota is finite and it does run out
The 2025 allocation was exhausted before the year ended. 2026 is smaller.
A Smaller Quota Than Last Year
Romania sets an annual ceiling on how many workers from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland may be newly admitted to its labour market. For 2026 the Government approved a quota of 90,000, down roughly ten per cent from the 100,000 set for 2025.
That reduction matters because the previous allocation did not survive the year. The Immigration Inspectorate reported the 2025 contingent as effectively exhausted by December, having warned earlier that more than eighty per cent of places were already gone. A smaller ceiling being consumed at a similar rate is a planning fact, not a scare story: on a Romanian requirement, filing early is worth more than filing perfectly.
The mechanism is employer-led. You apply to the General Inspectorate for Immigration for an employment endorsement — the aviz de angajare — which the worker cannot apply for themselves. Once it is issued the worker applies at the Romanian consulate for a long-stay employment visa, enters, and obtains a residence permit.
Romania is also introducing a shortage occupations list to govern which roles may be admitted within the quota. At the time of writing the list still requires approval by ministerial order, and an indicative version has been displayed on the state platform during testing. We work to whatever is actually in force on the day we file, and we will tell you if your occupation’s position is unsettled.
Who We Are
Hire Across Euro is an independent international recruitment consultancy with an active sourcing network across India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The founder runs every engagement personally, so a Romanian employer is advised to file against this year’s quota rather than last year’s assumptions.
What We Handle for Romanian Employers
Sourcing and Vetting
We shortlist workers whose training documents and work history stand up to consular scrutiny. Every file is checked for document completeness and practical competence before it reaches you.
- Document verification
- Trade competence check
Aviz de Angajare Filing
We prepare and file the employment endorsement application with the General Inspectorate for Immigration, including the labour market evidence and company documentation it requires.
- IGI endorsement filing
- Quota timing advice
Consular Visa Support
Once the endorsement issues we support the long-stay employment visa application at the Romanian consulate and track it to decision.
Arrival and Onboarding
Workers are briefed on Romanian working-time rules and site safety expectations, and we support the residence permit step after arrival.
Sectors We Staff in Romania
Four areas where Romanian employers hire consistently within the annual contingent.
Construction and Infrastructure
Masons, steel fixers, formwork carpenters and general site trades for contractors and civil works.
Manufacturing and Assembly
Production operatives, machine minders and assembly staff for automotive and industrial plants.
Logistics and Transport
Warehouse operatives, loaders and distribution staff for logistics and retail supply chains.
Hospitality and Facilities
Kitchen, housekeeping, cleaning and facilities staff for hotels, catering and services groups.
Hire Workers in Romania: The Route at a Glance
The ceiling, the filing, and the constraint that decides whether a Romanian placement lands this year.
| 2026 quota | 90,000 admissions for nationals of non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss countries |
|---|---|
| Change from 2025 | Roughly ten per cent below the 100,000 approved for 2025 |
| What happened last year | The 2025 contingent was reported effectively exhausted by December, with more than eighty per cent gone earlier in the year |
| The route | The employer applies to the General Inspectorate for Immigration for an employment endorsement — the aviz de angajare |
| Who files | The employer. A worker cannot initiate the endorsement themselves |
| After the endorsement | The worker applies at a Romanian consulate for a long-stay employment visa, enters, then obtains a residence permit |
| Shortage occupations list | Being introduced to govern which roles may be admitted within the quota; at the time of writing it still required approval by ministerial order |
| Critical path | The annual contingent, not the paperwork |
Working Within Romania’s Annual Foreign Worker Contingent
Romania has been one of the most accessible European markets for employer-led recruitment from South Asia, and it remains so — but the shape of the opportunity is changing, and employers who plan from a two-year-old picture will be disappointed. The annual quota for 2026 is 90,000 admissions, roughly ten per cent below the 100,000 set for 2025.
What makes the reduction consequential is that the previous, larger allocation ran out. The Immigration Inspectorate reported the 2025 contingent as essentially exhausted by December, having flagged earlier in the year that over eighty per cent of places had already been taken. If demand holds and the ceiling is lower, the practical window for filing is shorter than it was. On Romanian files, being early beats being elegant.
The process itself is straightforward and firmly employer-led. You apply to the General Inspectorate for Immigration for an aviz de angajare; the worker cannot initiate it. With the endorsement in hand the worker applies at the Romanian consulate for a long-stay employment visa, travels, and obtains a residence permit after arrival. Alongside this, Romania has been moving to a shortage occupations list that will govern which roles can be admitted within the quota, though that list still awaited formal approval by ministerial order at the time of writing.
The honest summary is that Romania is still open, still built for volume manual hiring, and less forgiving of a slow start than it used to be. Our live roles are on the vacancies board, our fee and treatment standards are in ethical recruitment compliant with EU labour law, and employers building a regional workforce usually also read Croatia, Serbia and Slovakia.
How the Process Works
Six steps from the first requirement call to workers on site in Romania.
Requirement Call
We go through headcount, roles, worksite location, contract length and the start date you are working back from.
Shortlist
We present vetted workers from India, Nepal, Bangladesh or Pakistan with their training and work-history evidence attached.
Permit Filing
We file the aviz de angajare with the General Inspectorate for Immigration and track it to issue.
Visa Application
We prepare the consular file and the employer-side documents your HR team is asked to produce, and track it to decision.
Arrival
We coordinate travel and the first days in Romania, including the residence permit step and registration.
Onboarding
We support induction at the worksite and stay reachable through the first weeks of the placement.
Quick Answers
What is the aviz de angajare?
It is the employment endorsement a Romanian employer files with the General Inspectorate for Immigration before a non-EU worker can be admitted. It is an employer application: the worker cannot start it, and only once it has been issued can they apply for the long-stay employment visa at the consulate.
Why does the quota decide the timeline?
Because it is finite and it does run out. Romania approved 90,000 admissions for 2026, about ten per cent below the 100,000 set for 2025 — and the larger 2025 allocation was reported effectively exhausted by December. No amount of preparation helps once the year’s places are gone, so filing early is worth more than filing perfectly.
Is the shortage occupations list in force?
Not settled at the time of writing. Romania has been moving to a list governing which roles may be admitted within the quota, but it still required approval by ministerial order and only an indicative version had been displayed on the state platform during testing. We file against what is actually in force on the day, and we will tell you if your occupation’s position is unsettled.
Official Sources and Further Reading
The quota, the endorsement and the visa are administered by three different Romanian bodies. These are the official references.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Romania’s foreign worker quota for 2026?
90,000 admissions for nationals of non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss countries — about ten per cent lower than the 100,000 approved for 2025.
Does the quota actually run out?
Yes. The Immigration Inspectorate reported the 2025 contingent as effectively exhausted by December, having warned earlier that more than eighty per cent had been used. With a smaller ceiling in 2026, filing early genuinely matters.
Can the worker apply for the permit themselves?
No. The aviz de angajare is an employer application made to the General Inspectorate for Immigration. Only once it has been issued can the worker apply for the long-stay employment visa at the consulate.
Is there a shortage occupations list in Romania?
One is being introduced to govern which roles may be admitted within the quota, but at the time of writing it still required approval by ministerial order and only an indicative version had been displayed during testing. We file against what is actually in force on the day.
When should we start for a placement this year?
As early as you can commit to a headcount. The binding constraint in Romania is the contingent rather than the paperwork, and no amount of preparation helps once the year’s places are gone.
Request Workers for Romania
Tell us the roles, the headcount and when you need people on site. A consultant replies within one business day with the quota position and what the file will take.
Talk to Us
If your operation in Romania needs workers from India, Nepal or Bangladesh, send us the requirement and a consultant replies within one business day with the route, the quota position and a quote.