14
May 2026
Romania has rewritten the rulebook for hiring non-EU workers.
Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026 landed in the Official Gazette on April 27, replacing the old work permit and visa process with a digital system.
The legislation is already in force. Full operations begin once the new WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform launches, currently scheduled for August 8, 2026.
Until then, applications still run under the previous immigration rules.
New visas replace old framework
Two long-stay visa categories now define non-EU labor migration into Romania. The D/AM1 covers highly qualified workers and special categories, without quotas or shortage-list constraints.
The D/AM2 covers general labor. It comes with an annual quota and a newly introduced List of Shortage Occupations.
That list will gate most non-EU recruitment. If a job is not on it, employers cannot bring in workers under D/AM2.
The list is due within 45 days of the ordinance taking effect, according to analysis from Newland Chase Consulting.
One platform, one entry point
WorkinRomania.gov.ro will become the single point of submission for employer registrations and visa applications. The platform is currently in testing.
Lawyers from Pavel, Mărgărit și Asociații and Hațegan Attorneys, in a review published by Economica.net, told companies using non-EU labor to fully reassess their internal processes.
Hannah In-Chan, Director at Newland Chase Consulting, wrote that employers should expect procedural complexity during the early months as workflows stabilize.
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Employers face stricter rules
The ordinance splits employers into two categories: Registered and Authorized. The Authorized tier carries stricter eligibility requirements.
New obligations follow. Bilingual employment contracts are now mandatory.
Minimum language training applies to workers, and reporting duties are tighter across the board. Financial guarantees are also part of the package, and the sanctioning regime that backs the rules is harsher than before.
In-Chan called the shift a step toward a more transparent and digitally managed system, while warning companies not to underestimate the compliance burden.
Posted workers get tighter definition
The reform narrows the meaning of posted worker, or detașat, for non-EU nationals. It limits the category to non-EU staff seconded to Romania by employers established in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland.
Direct postings from non-EU companies to Romania no longer fit. Companies running such arrangements may need to restructure them as intra-corporate transfers or as direct local employment.
EU/EEA and Swiss nationals posted to Romania face no change.
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Visas link to identity numbers
Traceability gets a major upgrade under the new rules. The D/AM1 and D/AM2 visa stickers will display the worker’s Romanian personal identification number, known as the CNP.
Residence permits will display the employer’s unique registration code, the CUI. That ties each worker visibly to a specific employer record.
In-Chan said the combination of new employer classes, mandatory bilingual contracts, tighter reporting, and quota constraints will require careful internal planning during the transition.
EES, ETIAS run alongside
The reform sits inside a wider EU shift toward digital border management. Romania is one of 29 countries operating the Entry/Exit System (EES), which has been fully operational since April 10, 2026.
EES registers non-EU nationals on short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Holders of long-stay visas and residence permits, which will include future D/AM1 and D/AM2 holders, are exempt from EES registration.
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) covers visa-exempt nationals on short stays. It begins operations in the last quarter of 2026.
Workers from visa-exempt countries cannot use ETIAS to take a job. They still need a D/AM1 or D/AM2 to legally work in Romania.
Pre-employment visits tell a different story. Candidates traveling to Romania for interviews or site visits before securing a work visa will be logged in EES on each entry and exit.
That digital trail can be matched against any later long-stay visa application. Overstays caught by EES could affect later D/AM1 or D/AM2 eligibility.
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Two systems, one paper trail
Romanian authorities will hold worker and employer linkage data domestically through WorkinRomania.gov.ro, while EES holds short-stay entry data at the EU level.
Together, the two systems give immigration authorities complementary records to cross-check against each other.
Non-EU nationals on intra-corporate transfers are already exempt from EES registration.
Companies that previously rotated non-EU staff in and out of Romania on short-stay visits will face dual scrutiny going forward, with EES flagging border crossings and the new Romanian framework requiring proper long-stay status.
Compliance gets deadline
Companies have a short runway. In-Chan recommended that employers review all current and planned hires of non-EU nationals in Romania to determine which visa category applies.
She also advised auditing existing posting arrangements, monitoring publication of the shortage list, preparing for registration or authorization ahead of the August launch, and engaging local counsel on the new contract, reporting, and language training duties.
The platform launch sets the practical deadline for getting compliance in order. Workers and employers operating under the old rules during the transition should expect their files to migrate to the new digital system once it goes live.
For non-EU staff already in the pipeline, that timing could affect when they actually start work in Romania.