Working in Romania
The latest from the Romanian labour market
Sorin Iordan, 12.02.2026, 13:54
Employers in Romania will be required to apply new rules designed to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace, following legislative changes initiated by the government, which received a favorable report from the Senate Labor Committee in Bucharest. The new provisions require companies to implement prevention mechanisms and ensure that any such incidents can be reported confidentially. The rules apply both to the company’s premises and to working from home, travel with colleagues, and online discussions. According to the document, employers must ensure that they have a system in place whereby acts of violence or harassment can be reported by victims confidentially and safely. At the same time, internal regulations must include rules for preventing such situations, which employees must be familiar with in detail. Employers have three months to comply, and those who do not comply with the new rules risk fines of between 3,500 and 7,000 lei (700 and 1,400 euros). According to the law, harassment is understood to mean hostile behavior, abusive verbal remarks, but also gestures or actions that create an intimidating or degrading work environment. For example, distributing offensive material with indecent content, insinuations, obscene jokes or remarks, as well as comments about a person’s physical appearance or character that cause suffering, are all examples of harassment. This also includes unwanted attention, such as spying, stalking, or phone calls and messages with sexual connotations or that invade personal life.
A European project running until 2028 aims to support local authorities in western Romania in integrating migrants more effectively into the labor market through education, career guidance, and recognition of acquired skills. The project is being carried out in partnership with the University of Florence, the West University of Timişoara, and the West Regional Development Agency. The initiative is taking place in a context where the region is facing an increasingly acute labor shortage, due to the departure of young people and the aging of the working population. Employers here say they are finding it increasingly difficult to find people with the necessary skills, and the integration of migrants is becoming an increasingly discussed option. The vice-rector of the West University of Timişoara, Mădălin Bunoiu, said that migration must be approached pragmatically, through policies based on knowledge and social inclusion. According to him, integration does not work without knowledge, and public policies do not work without understanding the people behind the numbers. “The problem is not the lack of jobs, but the lack of trust, real contact, and adequate support. For us, access to the labor market is not just an economic issue. It is a matter of dignity, belonging, and the future,” Bunoiu added.
A situation similar to that in the west of the country can be found in Buzău County, in southeastern Romania. Here, the Employment Agency draws attention to a chronic shortage of local labor, with young people and skilled workers choosing to work abroad, and the import of labor from non-EU countries such as Nepal, India, and Bangladesh tripling in 2025 compared to 2024. The local Immigration Service issues certificates for 200 jobs every month, with the most sought-after professions being in the hospitality, construction, and agriculture sectors, according to the Agency. “With regard to companies requesting the import of non-EU labor, if 3-4 years ago there were around 2-3 requests per week, now there are on average about 5 requests per day,” said Ionel Tociu, director of AJOFM Buzău. He added that economic agents are requesting workers mainly from countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. “We see them and they have become a constant presence in society because employers are unable to secure labor from internal resources, so they turn to external sources,” Tociu added. According to the institution’s data, the labor crisis is most acute in the manufacturing industries, where it is difficult to find welders, lathe operators, and millers, in the HORECA sector, where there is a shortage of bartenders, cooks, and waiters, but also in construction and agriculture. For 2026, AJOFM Buzău forecasts that the unemployment rate will remain around 4%. (MI)
