Romania New Immigration Law 2026: Work Permits & GEO 32/2026 Guide

1. The WorkinRomania.gov.ro Electronic Platform

 

The cornerstone of the new system is the WorkinRomania.gov.ro electronic platform, administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It will centralise:

• Registration and authorisation of employers of non-EU nationals
• Licensing of foreign worker placement agencies
• Submission and processing of unified applications — a single application covering both the work and long-stay work visa for employment purposes
• Data collection and generation of reports and statistics

 

The platform will be interconnected with the databases of ANOFM (National Employment Agency), the Ministry of Labour, MAI, MAE, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, and other public institutions.

 

The new system becomes fully operational on 8 August 2026.

 

The platform is expected to be published in the near future; no firm launch date has been communicated by the authorities.

 

The period between the platform’s activation and 7 August 2026 is dedicated to employer registration, licensing of placement agencies, and platform testing.

 

  2. New Employment System for Permanent Workers

 

The employment of permanent non-EU workers must be carried out exclusively through the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform.

 

The work visa D/AM is split into two distinct categories:

• D/AM1 — highly qualified workers, specialists with special qualifications, professional athletes, citizens of Moldova/Ukraine/Serbia, and workers on infrastructure projects
• D/AM2 — permanent, seasonal, and cross-border workers

 

Obtaining a D/AM2 work visa is only possible for occupations included in the Shortage Occupations List, drawn up and updated by ANOFM, through two routes:

 

Through a licensed placement agency

A registered employer hires through a placement agency licensed by ANOFM, with whom it concludes a services agreement. A tripartite placement contract is signed between the agency, the employer, and the non-EU worker. This is the standard route for the D/AM2 visa.

 

Directly by an authorised employer

Employers meeting additional criteria may hire directly, without an intermediary agency. Cumulative conditions:

• Uninterrupted economic activity for at least 24 months in a sector compatible with the Shortage Occupations List
• Average of at least 50 employees in the year preceding the application
• No more than 20% of non-EU workers employed in the preceding year were in an irregular situation
• No sanctions for undeclared work in the preceding 24 months

 

Authorised employers must provide a financial guarantee of EUR 1,000 per non-EU worker employed, prior to the issuance of the authorisation.

 

Obtaining a D/AM1 work visa can be done directly by:

 

Registered employers who meet the eligibility conditions set out by law and may hire directly and obtain D/AM1 visas for the categories specified by current legislation: highly qualified workers, specialists with special qualifications, professional athletes, citizens of Moldova/Ukraine/Serbia, and workers on infrastructure projects.

 

  3. Employer Registration — General Conditions

 

Any employer wishing to employ non-EU nationals must register in advance on the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform. Cumulative conditions for approval:

• No outstanding tax liabilities to the consolidated general budget
• At least one year of activity in sectors compatible with the Shortage Occupations List (exceptions apply for highly qualified workers, professional athletes, citizens of Moldova, Ukraine, and Serbia employed full-time, etc.)
• No sanctions for undeclared work or serious violations of labour law in the preceding 6 months
• No final criminal convictions relevant to the employer, its representatives, or administrators

 

Non-compliance may result in the suspension or cancellation of the employer’s account on the platform.

 

  4. Foreign Worker Placement Agencies

 

Placement agencies may only operate under a licence issued by ANOFM and may place workers exclusively for occupations on the Shortage Occupations List. Specific requirements:

• Legal representatives, directors, and shareholders must be EU/EEA/Swiss nationals
• Persons who have held civil servant positions in the preceding 3 years within authorities with migration competencies (IGI, MAE, MMFTSS, ANOFM, Labour Inspectorate) are prohibited
• Mandatory financial guarantee: EUR 75,000 for up to 250 placed workers, plus EUR 50,000 per additional tranche of 250 workers
• Licence valid for 2 years, renewable for successive 2-year periods

 

A worker placed through an agency may not initiate a change of employer for 6 months from the date of commencing activity in Romania. Agencies are required to conduct quarterly on-site visits to both the workplace and the accommodation of each placed worker.

 

  5. Changes to Work Visas

 

GEO no. 32/2026 restructures the categories of work visas as follows:

 

Visa type	Eligible categories
D/AM1	Highly qualified workers, specialists with special qualifications, professional athletes, citizens of Moldova, Ukraine, and Serbia, and workers on infrastructure projects. The unified application is submitted directly by the employer.
D/AM2	Permanent, seasonal, and cross-border workers. The unified application is submitted through a licensed placement agency (or directly by an authorised employer). Only for occupations on the Shortage Occupations List.
D/VM	New Holiday and Work visa, granted under the terms of bilateral treaties on Holiday and Work Programmes.

 

Mandatory health insurance: minimum EUR 30,000, valid across EU territory, covering repatriation, emergency medical treatment, and death for the entire planned period of stay. Long-stay visa fee: EUR 300.

 

  6. Amendments to the Labour Code and Posting Rules

 

Labour Code — key changes

• Employment contracts for non-EU nationals must be drafted bilingually: in Romanian and in the worker’s native language (or an internationally recognised language the worker understands). Failure to comply: fine of RON 6,000.
• Salaries of non-EU workers must be paid exclusively via bank transfer (from 8 August 2026). Cash payment: fine of RON 5,000 – 10,000 per worker.
• A non-EU national may be hired without an initial medical certificate, provided the certificate is obtained no later than the start date of employment.
• New grounds for contract termination: rejection of the unified application by the competent authorities and establishment of illegal residence by IGI.

 

Posting of non-EU workers — important restriction

From 8 August 2026, non-EU nationals may only be posted to Romania by an employer established in an EU Member State, EEA country, or Switzerland, subject to presenting a valid residence permit issued by the authorities of that state.

 

Maximum duration: 12 months, extendable up to 18 months in any 36-month period. The ICT (Intra-Corporate Transfer) posting regime is not materially affected.

 

  7. New Employer Obligations (from 8 August 2026)

 

• Bilingual employment contract (Romanian + worker’s native language or an internationally recognised language)
• Remuneration paid exclusively via bank transfer
• Provision of adequate accommodation if this obligation is assumed in the employment contract
• Organisation of Romanian language and cultural integration courses — minimum 6 months from the start of employment
• Occupational health and safety training delivered in a language understood by the non-EU worker
• Notification of IGI and the placement agency in the event of absence, contract termination, or risk situations
• Retention of supporting documentation in accordance with platform requirements

 

  8. Penalties

 

Fines provided under GEO no. 32/2026:

 

Violation	Fine
Employing non-EU workers without registration/authorisation on the platform	RON 5,000 – 40,000 / worker
Placement without ANOFM licence	RON 20,000 – 40,000 / worker
Employment contract not drafted in bilingual form	RON 6,000
Payment of salary in cash (from 8 August 2026)	RON 5,000 – 10,000 / worker
Non-compliance with accommodation or integration course obligations	RON 5,000 – 20,000

 

  9. Key Deadlines

 

Date / Deadline	What happens
27 Apr 2026	GEO no. 32/2026 enters into force. Immediately applicable: bilingual contracts, EUR 300 visa fee, new visa conditions. Pending applications are completed under the previous rules.
By 11 Jun 2026	Publication of the Shortage Occupations List is expected — essential for initiating any D/AM2 procedure.
26 Jun 2026	Deadline for non-EU nationals remaining in Romania without a right of residence (and without a return obligation) to present themselves to IGI and declare their residential address.
From platform launch – 7 Aug 2026	Transition period: employer registration, agency licensing, and platform testing only. Real unified applications cannot yet be submitted.
8 Aug 2026	New system becomes fully operational. Mandatory: employer registration/authorisation, unified application, salary payments via bank transfer, and all new employer obligations.
By 31 Dec 2026	Eligible non-EU nationals (registered with IGI by 26 Jun) may apply for extension of residence rights without obtaining a new visa. Long-term residence applications filed by this date are processed under the previous legislation.

 

  10. What Employers Should Do Now

 

The period from 27 April to 7 August 2026 must be used for preparation. Priority steps:

 

• Check whether the occupations for which you intend to hire non-EU nationals will be included in the Shortage Occupations List (expected publication: by 11 June 2026)
• Decide on your hiring route: through a licensed placement agency (standard) or by obtaining authorised employer status
• Register on the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform as soon as registration opens
• Update existing employment contracts to include bilingual form and bank transfer payment clauses
• Inform current non-EU workers of the obligation to open a bank account before 8 August 2026
• Prepare contractual documentation in line with the standard templates to be issued by the Ministry of Labour
• Seek specialist advice on your administrative compliance eligibility for registration purposes

 

 

 

How Rilvan Moving & Relocations Can Help

Rilvan provides integrated immigration and relocation services across Romania, Slovenia, and the Republic of Moldova: advisory on the new GEO no. 32/2026 framework, assistance with employer registration and authorisation on the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform, management of visa and residence permit files, and end-to-end relocation solutions for your non-EU workforce.