Working in Romania
The latest from the Romanian labour market
Sorin Iordan, 27.11.2025, 11:53
Professional drivers from India have become some of the most sought-after employees by companies in Romania in 2025, amid a growing shortage of transport personnel, according to data from TAKT Recruitment, a company specializing in recruitment, training, and personnel management in Asia. According to the source cited, demand for foreign drivers has risen sharply in the last year, 3-4 times compared to previous years, to cover the shortage of personnel in both domestic freight transport and international routes in the European Union, as well as in handling and internal logistics activities. The most sought-after are professional drivers with C/CE/D and DE license categories for local and international transport, as well as forklift operators for cargo handling. The employment package for professional truck drivers includes the minimum wage in Romania, plus a daily allowance, which is determined based on the type of transport and the policy of each company. A professional truck driver can earn a net income of between €1,200 and €3,000 per month, depending on the route, duration, and specifics of the job. The recruitment company points out that Romania is facing one of the most severe shortages of professional drivers in the European Union. The company cites data from the National Union of Road Transporters in Romania, according to which 70,000 professional truck drivers are needed, and the total shortage is estimated at approximately 150,000 drivers – from TIR and truck drivers to bus, coach, and taxi drivers.
Over 70% of Romanian public administration employees believe that their current income does not fully reflect the volume and complexity of their work and say they would like a higher salary, according to a survey of 5,000 people nationwide. Participants in the survey answered key questions about how they work, what hinders them, what motivates them, and what they expect from the system in which they operate. Over 50% of them said that their current salary should be slightly higher, 20% believe it should be significantly higher, and 29% consider that they have a fair salary in relation to the work they do. At the same time, the survey showed that 85% of respondents hold executive positions and 15% hold management positions. Salaries range between 5,000 and 7,000 lei net for 36% of those interviewed, 28% have incomes below 5,000 lei, the same percentage being found in the case of those with salaries between 7,000 and 10,000 lei. Almost 8% of survey participants indicated that they have salaries higher than 10,000 lei per month. More than a third of employees said they have been working for over 15 years in the same institution, while only 7.5% have less than one year of seniority at their current job. At the same time, 41% hold a bachelor’s degree and 3.7% have completed doctoral studies, indicating a significant proportion of specialists with advanced training in Romanian public institutions.
Over 1,000 citizens from non-EU countries currently live in Bistriţa-Năsăud, 200 more than last year, according to the Regional Immigration Office. The head of the institution, Commissioner Adrian Vultur, said that the main reasons why foreigners settled in Romania were employment and family reunification, and that 468 residence permits were issued by IGI Bistriţa-Năsăud. Most foreigners come from India and are employed as welders at a company that manufactures equipment for the energy industry. Engineer Enea Frici, an employee of the company in question, said that the county in northwestern Romania is facing an exodus of labor. According to him, the place of Romanians who have gone to work abroad is being taken by citizens from Asia. Workers from India are followed by those from Nepal, employed by a sanitation company. The top three is completed by those from Bangladesh, who work in construction and hospitality. This year, the Romanian government approved a quota of 100,000 foreign workers, but data from the General Inspectorate for Immigration show that over 230,000 applications for work permits have been submitted. (MI)
