Working in Romania
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Sorin Iordan, 30.11.2023, 14:00
The number of foreign workers who can be brought to Romania in 2024 increases from 100,000 to 140,000, according to a draft decision put up for public debate by the Labor Ministry. The General Inspectorate for Immigration shows that, until October 9, more than 80,000 new employment permits were issued for workers from other states. In 2022, their number was almost 109,000, and in 2021 around 50,000. The institution specifies that, on September 30, the number of foreigners with a residence permit for the purpose of employment, secondment or dependent activities, located on the territory of Romania, exceeded 72,000. According to the data provided by the National Employment Agency, between January and August 2023, the total number of vacant jobs in Romania was approximately 506,000.
The main fields of activity in which, in the mentioned period, a significant number of available jobs were registered were: construction of residential and non-residential buildings over 64,000, restaurants over 28,500, postal and courier activities almost 27,000, contracting staff, on temporary bases, about 26,000, protection and guard over 17,500, road freight transport over 17,000, labor placement, about 13,000, food, beverage and tobacco retail, almost 12,000, automotive industry, almost 9,000, confectionery and bakery, over 8,500.
In 2022, the number of new employment contracts registered by Romanian employers for citizens of countries outside the European Union was over 96,000, and in 2021, around 54,000. The Labor Ministry shows that if the number of applications for the issuance of employment permits is greater than the quota of foreign workers newly admitted to the labor market in Romania, the Romanian Government can increase the quota of foreign workers based on a supporting memorandum. In 2019, the number of foreign workers newly admitted to the labor market in Romania was increased to 30,000, from 20,000 as had been established in the previous year. In the years dominated by the restrictive measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this number did not change.
More than 65,000 jobs are currently available in Romania, the National Employment Agency informs. Most jobs, over 4,600, are for security guards, followed by those for goods handlers, over 4,200, and for commercial workers, around 3,000. 2,800 jobs are for unskilled workers in the assembly of parts and manual packaging domain, about 2,700 for unskilled workers in the demolition of buildings, masonry, mosaic, tiles and parquet fitting and installation, almost 1,900 for couriers, about 1,500 for unskilled workers for breaking and cutting construction materials, over 1,300 for unskilled workers in the clothing industry and over 1,000 for cooks and cleaning staff.
Of the 65,000 job vacancies, almost 3,000 are intended for people with higher education, such as engineers in various fields of activity, programmers, advisors, experts, inspectors, referents, economists and accountants. Also, almost 12,000 jobs are available for people with high school or post-high school education, such as commercial workers, customer service agents, data entry, validation and processing operators, cashiers, and drivers for the road goods transportation. Another almost 12,000 jobs are intended for those with professional studies, such as goods handlers, welders, locksmiths, textiles, knitwear and synthetic materials manufacturers. (LS)
