Hiring non-EU workers in Romania after EO 32/2026: the new employer obligations

Labour shortages have pushed more and more Romanian SMEs to hire from outside the EU. The framework changed with Emergency Ordinance 32/2026, which digitalises the procedure and adds new employer obligations. If you are preparing your first non-EU hire, here is the map and the pitfalls.

What EO 32/2026 changes, and when

EO 32/2026 modernises the regime for employing foreign nationals and moves the process onto a digital platform. There is a transition period: until a cut-off date (around 7 August 2026) procedures run in an intermediate regime, after which the new rules apply in full. Verify exact deadlines at source before starting a file — implementation is ongoing.

The central tool is WorkinRomania.gov.ro, operated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through which registrations, authorisations and notifications are submitted and tracked.

Who is covered and what changes at authorisation

The special regime applies to non-EU / non-EEA / non-Swiss nationals. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are hired on terms close to those for Romanian citizens.

The substantive change: employment and posting permits are abolished and replaced by differentiated long-stay work visas — visa D/AM1 for highly qualified workers and visa D/AM2 for permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers in occupations on the List of Shortage Occupations. The state still sets an annual quota, and correctly classifying the role against that list directly affects approval odds.

The new flow, through the platform

1. Employer registration — the company registers on WorkinRomania.gov.ro and is entered in the new Register of Employers of Foreign Workers. Conditions include: no outstanding obligations to the consolidated state budget, at least one year of actual activity in fields compatible with the Shortage Occupations List, a clean record on undeclared work, and integrity checks on legal representatives and beneficial owners.
2. Application for the worker — applications and documents are submitted and processed through the platform.
3. D/AM1 or D/AM2 visa — the worker obtains the long-stay work visa from the diplomatic mission, then enters Romania and works on that basis, completing the residence formalities.

The authorities involved are the Ministry of Internal Affairs / General Inspectorate for Immigration, the Ministry of Labour, the employment agency and the Labour Inspectorate. An incomplete file at any stage blocks the whole chain, and breaching obligations carries fines from 5,000 up to 30,000–40,000 lei depending on the offence.

Financial guarantees and economic conditions

The employer must show it can sustain the employment relationship. The ordinance provides for scaled financial guarantees and economic conditions (no debts, ability to pay the salary), checked when the application is filed. A condition also applies to the worker: medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, mandatory for any long-stay work visa application.

New employer obligations

Beyond the application file, the reform adds concrete duties:

• salary paid into a bank account (not cash), for traceability;
• a bilingual employment contract, in a language the worker understands;
• health and safety induction in a language the worker understands;
• facilitating a Romanian language course;
• notifying the immigration authority within 5 days of unjustified absence or termination;
• keeping documents for at least 5 years.

Failure to comply attracts labour inspection penalties, sometimes harsher than for hiring a Romanian national, precisely because this is an additionally protected category.

How Workly helps

A first non-EU hire is intimidating mostly because of the number of deadlines and documents. Workly supports onboarding foreign workers: it generates and stores bilingual contracts, keeps documents under the 5-year retention the law requires, tracks the deadlines toward the immigration authority (including the 5-day notification), and connects time tracking with payroll so that bank payment and hours are consistent. Sensitive documents (certificates, identity papers) are encrypted and handled under GDPR. Support is available in Romanian for SMEs facing this process for the first time.

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Informational article, accurate at the date of publication. Not legal advice. Procedures for employing foreign nationals are being implemented and may change — always verify current deadlines and conditions at source (Immigration Inspectorate, Ministry of Labour, WorkinRomania.gov.ro) or consult a specialist.