Table of contents
Work Authorization and Legal Residence Overview
Foreign nationals from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland must generally obtain a work permit, a long-stay visa, and a residence permit to work legally in Romania. Unlike some countries that combine these into a single authorization, Romania issues each one separately, with each step depending on approval of the previous one.
The employer applies for the work permit first, through the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI). Once approved, the applicant applies for a Long-Stay Visa for Employment (D/AM) at a Romanian embassy or consulate. Finally, after entering Romania, the applicant applies for the residence permit itself — either the Single Permit for standard hires, or the EU Blue Card for highly qualified workers.
All of this is administered by IGI, part of Romania's Ministry of Internal Affairs, working alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the visa stage.
Details on eligibility, validity, and sponsorship requirements for each route are below.
Sources:
Types of Work Visas and Permits Available
Work Permit (Aviz de Angajare)
The work permit is the substantive first step in hiring a third-country national in Romania. The employer applies for it directly with the General Inspectorate for Immigration, and it's the document that actually establishes whether the hire is allowed — everything after it, including the visa and the residence permit, follows from this approval.
- Validity: Tied to the underlying employment relationship
- Sponsorship: Required; only the employer can apply, not the applicant
- Transferable: No, tied to the specific employer and role
- Processing time: Up to 30 days, extendable by 15 days for further review
- Renewable: Yes
- Dependents Permit: Not applicable at this stage
Eligibility Criteria:
- A medical certificate confirming fitness to work
- A clean criminal record
- Qualifications or experience matching the employer's requirements for the role
- The role falling within Romania's annual quota for foreign workers
- Proof that no Romanian, EU, or EEA candidate is available for the role
Source:
Long-Stay Visa for Employment (D/AM)
Once the work permit is approved, the applicant uses it to apply for this visa at a Romanian embassy or consulate. It's the document that lets them travel to Romania and start the residence permit process.
- Validity: Tied to the visa's own terms; the applicant must use it to apply for a residence permit after arrival
- Processing time: Variable, dependent on the embassy or consulate
- Renewable: No; the applicant must apply for a residence permit after entering Romania, or the underlying work permit expires
The application must be submitted within 60 days of the work permit being issued, or the permit expires.
Source:
Single Permit (Standard Route)
This is the standard combined residence-and-work document for most foreign employees, issued after the applicant already holds a work permit and has entered Romania on the D/AM visa.
- Validity: Generally up to 1 year
- Sponsorship: Required; the employer applies for the underlying work permit
- Transferable: No, tied to the specific employer and role
- Processing time: Variable, following the same general review process as the initial work permit
- Renewable: Yes
- Dependents Permit: Available through a separate residence permit process for family members
Eligibility Criteria:
- Entry into Romania on a valid D/AM visa
- The underlying work permit remaining valid
Sources:
- https://www.euraxess.gov.ro/romania/information-assistance/work-permit
- https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/single-permit/
EU Blue Card (Highly Qualified Workers)
Designed for skilled non-EU professionals, this route replaces Romania's labor market test with a qualification and salary requirement instead.
The employer applies for a work authorization for highly qualified workers rather than a standard work permit, but the process otherwise follows the same structure — work authorization, then visa, then residence permit.
- Validity: Equal to the length of the employment contract plus 3 months, up to a maximum of 3 years
- Sponsorship: Required; the employer applies for the work authorization on the applicant's behalf
- Transferable: Limited; after 12 months of legal employment in Romania as a highly qualified worker, the holder gains expanded mobility rights within the EU
- Processing time: Up to 30 days for the work authorization, extendable by 15 days for further review
- Renewable: Yes, as an extension of the right to stay and work
- Dependents Permit: Available through a separate residence permit process for family members
Eligibility Criteria:
- A university or college diploma from a program lasting 3 years or longer, or documented relevant professional experience
- A full-time employment contract, either indefinite or for a fixed term of at least 6 months
- Salary must be at least equal to the average gross monthly salary in Romania; employers should confirm the current published figure with IGI or the Ministry of Labour before applying
- Application for the D/AM visa within 60 days of the work authorization being issued
Sources:
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/highly-qualified-worker-romania_en
- https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/employment-and-posting/
Other Work Permit Categories
Romania also issues work permits for seasonal workers, trainees, athletes, cross-border workers, and intra-corporate transferees (deployed workers moving within the same company). These follow a similar structure to the standard route but with their own duration limits and documentation, tailored to the specific activity.
Source:
Exemptions From Work Permit Requirements
Certain individuals may work in Romania without a work permit, including:
- EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens, or citizens of a country that has signed a labor market access agreement with Romania
- Individuals who already hold permanent residence in Romania, or who have been granted a form of protection
- Individuals who hold a residence permit for studies
- Family members of a Romanian citizen
- Individuals temporarily conducting scientific or other specific activities under a bilateral agreement or existing residence permit
- Individuals already deployed in Romania under an intra-corporate transfer arrangement
- Citizens of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, or the Republic of Serbia employed full-time in Romania for a period not exceeding 9 months within a calendar year
⚠️ Most third-country nationals must obtain a work permit before beginning employment in Romania, regardless of length of stay.
Source:
- https://www.euraxess.gov.ro/romania/information-assistance/work-permit
- https://igi.mai.gov.ro/modificari-legislative-privind-conditiile-de-exceptare-a-obtinerii-avizelor-de-munca-pentru-cetatenii-din-republica-moldova-ucraina-si-republica-serbia/
Most Common Route for Foreign Employees
The standard process for hiring a third-country national in Romania for a salaried position generally follows this structure:
- The employer applies for a work permit with the General Inspectorate for Immigration, providing proof that no Romanian, EU, or EEA candidate is available for the role.
- IGI decides on the application within 30 days, extendable by 15 days for further review.
- Once the work permit is approved, the applicant applies for a Long-Stay Visa for Employment (D/AM) at a Romanian embassy or consulate, within 60 days of the permit being issued.
- The applicant travels to Romania on the visa and applies for the residence permit — the Single Permit or the EU Blue Card — through IGI.
- Once the residence permit is approved, the employee can begin working under the terms of the underlying work permit and employment contract.
Sources:
- https://www.euraxess.gov.ro/romania/information-assistance/work-permit
- https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/single-permit/
Is Employer Sponsorship Required?
In most cases, yes.
Third-country nationals hired by Romanian employers generally need a sponsoring employer that applies for the work permit and demonstrates that the role can't be filled by a Romanian, EU, or EEA candidate.
Exceptions:
- EU Blue Card applicants still need a qualifying job offer, but the employer doesn't need to prove the role couldn't be filled locally
- EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens never need sponsorship
- Individuals with permanent residence, a form of protection, or a study-based residence permit can work without a sponsoring employer applying for a permit on their behalf
Source:
Eligibility and Employer Requirements
Foreign nationals seeking work authorization in Romania generally require:
- A valid passport
- A medical certificate confirming fitness to work
- A clean criminal record
- Qualifications or experience matching the role, including translated and certified graduation records
- Basic Romanian language skills, or a signed affidavit addressing this requirement
What the Employer Must Provide:
- A written request explaining why the position needs to be filled by a foreign national, submitted to the General Inspectorate for Immigration
- Proof the company is legally operating in Romania, including registration and tax compliance certificates
- Proof that no Romanian, EU, or EEA candidate is available for the role
- Documentation kept on file proving the employment is lawful, for as long as the foreign national is employed
Source:
Other Important Considerations
Permits Are Tied to a Specific Employer
A work permit is issued for a specific employer and role. Changing employers requires a new work permit application, even if the previous one hasn't expired.
Renewal Timing Matters
Both the residence permit and its underlying work permit need to be renewed at least 30 days before the current one expires. The work permit can only be extended if the employee has kept the same role with the same employer.
Family Members
Family members of a foreign worker generally apply for their own residence permit through a separate process. Family members of a Romanian citizen are exempt from needing a work permit at all.
Source:
Long-Term Residence and Permanent Residency
Standard work permits are generally renewable in increments of up to 1 year. Highly qualified workers under the EU Blue Card route can have their stay extended for periods tied to their employment contract, up to a maximum of 3 years per grant.
EU Blue Card holders who complete 12 months of legal employment in Romania as a highly qualified worker gain expanded mobility rights to work in other EU member states. Foreign nationals who hold long-term residence granted by another EU member state, including former EU Blue Card holders, may also qualify for streamlined treatment under Romania's rules.
Sources:
- https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/employment-and-posting/
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/highly-qualified-worker-romania_en
Typical Processing Times and Common Delays
Work Permit and D/AM Visa Timeline (Illustrative)
- Work permit decision from IGI: Up to 30 days, extendable by 15 days for further review
- D/AM visa application: Must be filed within 60 days of the work permit being issued, or the permit expires
- Visa processing at the embassy or consulate: Variable
Residence Permit Timeline (Illustrative)
- Single Permit or EU Blue Card application: Must be filed at least 30 days before the visa's right of stay expires
- IGI decision: Variable, following the same general review process as the initial work permit
Common Sources of Delays Include
- Missing translated and certified copies of diplomas or professional qualifications
- An incomplete criminal record certificate or missing apostille
- Employer documentation that doesn't clearly show the role can't be filled by a Romanian, EU, or EEA candidate
- Applications filed close to the 60-day visa deadline or the 30-day renewal deadline
- Romania's annual quota for foreign workers being reached in a given sector
Source:
How RemoFirst (RemoVisa) can Help
Navigating Romania's work permit and residence process can be complex and confusing. RemoVisa can help. We support employers and foreign hires by:
- Managing employer-sponsored visa applications: We guide your legal entity registration (if needed), draft compliant job documentation and vacancy justification, and submit work permit requests through the official portal.
- Ensuring compliant work permit + residence permit processing: We coordinate all required documents (passport, translations, contracts, proof of housing, legal attestations) and monitor approvals.
- Leveraging global coverage (110+ countries): Romania is just one of many countries where we can help you hire and scale as part of our global EOR network.
- Providing managed support from immigration experts: Our team knows the nuances, common pitfalls, and how to anticipate delays or required follow-ups.
- Bundling visa support with payroll, benefits, onboarding: Foreign hires become fully integrated employees without burdening your internal HR — from employment contract to residency compliance to payroll and benefits delivery.
Plus: If your new hire has dependents, we can help with family reunification permits, residence registration, and related compliance steps.
Find out what specific permits or visas in Romania we support under our Employer of Record and RemoVisa services.
More Related Resources
This guide is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration laws, visa requirements, and work authorization procedures in Romania may change, and final decisions are made by local authorities. Always consult an immigration professional for the most up-to-date, personalized guidance, including services such as RemoVisa.
