Background information

This measure is taking into account the provisions of article 29 of government ordinance no. 25/2014 on the employment and secondment of foreigners in Romania and amending and supplementing certain normative acts on the status of foreigners in Romania, approved by law no. 14/2016, with subsequent amendments and additions, according to which, upon the proposal of the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity, in accordance with the policy on labour migration and taking into account the labour market situation in Romania, the quota of foreign workers newly admitted to the labour market is established annually by government decision

Content of measure

According to data from the National Employment Agency, the total number of job vacancies in the period January to August 2023 was 506,601.

The top ten sectors with a significant number of job vacancies in the above-mentioned period were: construction of residential and non-residential buildings (64,027), restaurants (28,614), other postal and courier activities (26,928), temporary employment agency activities (25,849), security guard and protection activities (17. 661), transport of goods by road (17,155), activities of employment agencies (12,740), retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages and tobacco predominating (11,952), manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles and motor engines (8,874), manufacture of bread, cakes, fresh pastry goods and cakes (8,720). The national labour shortage is a reality, and the government is trying to find solutions to fill the labour shortages. In the context of emigration and negative demographic trends, legal immigration is a solution to make up for labour shortages on the domestic labour market, to fill skills shortages and to support economic growth.

One of the measures taken by the Romanian Government to cover the labour shortage on the domestic market is the establishment of a quota of foreign workers newly admitted to the labour market. The quota of foreign workers for 2024 was 100,000 persons.

Use of measure

The number of foreign workers newly admitted to the Romanian labour market was 5,500 for 2015 and 2016. The initial number was 5,500 and subsequently, the number increased, the final figure being 8,500 for 2017. For 2018, the initial number was 7,000 and subsequently, the number increased, the final figure being 15,000. For 2019

Following the need to cover the needs on the labour market, a quota of 20,000 foreign workers newly admitted to the Romanian labour market was initially set for 2019, 5,000 more than in the previous year, which was supplemented by 10,000, reaching a total quota of 30,000 foreign workers in 2019. In 2020, a quota of 30,000 foreign workers newly admitted to the labour market has been approved. The situation on the Romanian labour market did not improve in 2021, which is why, initially, a quota of 25,000 foreign workers newly admitted to the labour market was approved, which was increased to 50,000 during the year.

Subsequently, in view of the need expressed by the business community to fill job vacancies with foreign workers, the quota of newly admitted workers increased to 100,000 in 2022 and 2023.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Migrants or refugees in employment	Applies to all businesses	Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

There is no publicly available information about the social partners' involvement in designing, implementing and monitoring the measure

Views and reactions

The employers' organisation (as Concordia) is supporting the measure and participated in discussions with the Ministry of Labour.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 29 December 2023: Decision No 1.338 of 29 December 2023 on setting the quota of foreign workers newly admitted to the labour market in 2024 (Hotărâre nr. 1.338 din 29 decembrie 2023 privind stabilirea contingentului de lucrători străini nou-admiși pe piața forței de muncă în anul 2024
• 30 September 2024: Bridging Communities: An Exploratory Study on Labor Immigration in Romani