Jobs in Romania – Work Permit, Visa, Salary & Hiring Guide

Romania is a European Union member state situated in Southeastern Europe, bordered by Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary, with a Black Sea coastline to the east. The seventh-largest country in the European Union by population with approximately 19 million inhabitants, Romania has one of the fastest-growing economies in Central and Eastern Europe — consistently recording above-EU-average GDP growth — and has transformed into one of Europe's most significant technology outsourcing destinations, with Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca ranking among Europe's leading IT hubs. Romania joined the Schengen Area on Jan 1 2025, eliminating border controls and granting full Schengen Area membership and freedom of movement.

Romania is facing acute and well-documented labour shortages across construction, manufacturing, IT, healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and hospitality. The emigration of an estimated 3–4 million Romanians to Western Europe has created structural workforce gaps across all major sectors. The government approves tens of thousands of work permits annually for third-country nationals — with construction, manufacturing, logistics, and agriculture absorbing the largest numbers — and the country has concluded bilateral labour agreements with multiple Asian and Eastern European countries to address critical shortfalls.

According to the National Institute of Statistics — INS — the average gross monthly salary in Romania reached approximately RON 9,272 — approximately €1,875 — in the most recently reported monthly data, with an average net monthly salary of approximately RON 5,499 — approximately €1,075 — in the third quarter of the most recently reported period. The IT sector pays significantly above average — senior software engineers in Bucharest earn RON 18,000–25,000 net per month. The minimum gross national wage is RON 4,050 per month as of Jan 1, following the most recent adjustment. The construction sector has a minimum of RON 4,582, with historic special tax exemptions subject to the January 2025 restructuring. Romania's income tax is a flat 10% — one of the lowest in the European Union.

This guide covers everything you need to know about jobs in Romania — including 40 verified shortage occupations with salary data, and a complete, accurate guide to the Work Authorisation, Single Permit, EU Blue Card, and D/AM long-stay visa process administered by the General Inspectorate for Immigration — IGI — based exclusively on official Romanian government sources. Whether you are a job seeker, an employer, or a recruitment agency, Moving2Europe.eu is here to connect you with verified opportunities across Romania and the wider European region.

Europe Job Market Overview

Europe is experiencing structural and sustained labour shortages driven by ageing populations, demographic change, and economic growth that does not keep pace with labour force growth. Romania represents one of the most acute cases in Eastern Europe — a country simultaneously experiencing labour emigration and labour immigration, with workers leaving for higher wages in Western Europe. At the same time, employers import workers from Asia, Central Asia, and the Western Balkans to fill the gaps left behind.

Romania's immigration framework for third-country workers is managed by the General Inspectorate for Immigration — Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări, IGI — under the Ministry of Internal Affairs at igi.mai.gov.ro. The IGI manages both work authorisations and residence permits. Applications are submitted in person at IGI territorial offices or online through the IGI portal at portaligi.mai.gov.ro. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently publishes visa information. ro. Romania has been a full member of the member of the EU and the the Schengen Area since January 2025.

For international job seekers, Romania offers access to a rapidly growing EU economy, EU and Schengen rights, a flat 10% income tax rate — one of the most competitive in the EU — a very affordable cost of living, a vibrant technology sector, and an increasingly dynamic and international professional environment. Employers offer, Romania's structured IGI process provides a transparent pathway to international hiring. For recruitment agencies, Romania is the largest and most active international hiring market in Southeastern Europe.

Jobs in Romania – Market Overview

Romania's economy is driven by a world-class IT and software development sector, a major automotive and manufacturing base anchored by major vehicle assembly and component plants, a globally significant agriculture and food processing sector, construction and infrastructure funded substantially by EU structural and cohesion funds, logistics and transport, financial and professional services, tourism, and healthcare.

Key industries actively hiring international workers include:

Construction: Construction is the largest single sector for non-EU foreign worker employment in Romania — absorbing tens of thousands of workers annually from Asia, the Western Balkans, and Eastern Europe. Romania's EU-funded infrastructure and motorway construction pipeline, major private residential and commercial development projects in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and other cities, and a significant hotel and resort development programme along the Black Sea coast generate enormous and sustained demand for bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, welders, carpenters, scaffolders, and construction supervisors.

Manufacturing and Automotive: Romania's manufacturing sector encompasses automotive assembly and components, electronics, machinery, metal processing,  and chemicals—the largest employer. Machine operators, assembly workers, welders, CNC operators, machinists, and ace engineers face a documented shortage across industrial centres, including Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Brașov, and Pitești.

Information Technology: Romania is one of Europe's most significant IT outsourcing destinations, with Bucharest the 16th-largest IT hub in Europe and Cluj-Napoca growinrapidly. Software   developers, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists, cloud engineers, and IT project managers are in acute shortage.Sectoror pays the highest average salaries in the country by a wide margin.

Agriculture and Food Processing: Romanian agriculture — producing cereals, sunflowers, vegetables, fruits, wine, and dairy — generates seasonal and year-round demand for harvest workers, agricultural technicians, and food processing workers, particularly in southern and eastern Romania.

Healthcare: Romania's healthcare system faces a permanent and well-documented shortage of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and caregivers, driven by the emigration of healthcare professionals to Western Europe. Regulated healthcare professionals must obtain recognition from the relevant Romanian professional body.

Logistics and Transport: International truck drivers, forklift operators, warehouse operatives, and logistics managers are in consistent demand across Romania's growing logistics infrastructure.

Hospitality and Tourism: Romania's Black Sea coast, Carpathian mountain resorts, and urban tourism in Bucharest and other historic cities generate consistent demand for chefs, hotel managers, housekeeping staff, and hospitality workers.

Top Cities for Jobs in Romania

Jobs in Bucharest

Bucharest is Romania's capital and its dominant economic, technology, and financial hub, paying the highest average salaries in the country — with an average net salary in Bucharest of approximately RON 5,500–6,000 per month — and home to the majority of Romania's multinational company headquarters, IT companies, financial institutions, automotive companies, and major employers. IT professionals in Bucharest earn RON 12,000–25,000+ net per month. Finance professionals earn RON 8,000–15,000. Engineers earn RON 7,000–12,000. The city has a large and well-established international community, high English proficiency in professional environments, and excellent transport connections.

Jobs in Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca is Romania's second economic hub and the country's fastest-growing technology centre — home to a dense concentration of software development companies, shared service centres, and IT startups anchored by the Babeș-Bolyai University and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. Cluj-Napoca offers IT salaries approaching Bucharest levels at a notably lower cost of living and generates consistent demand for software developers, data scientists, and engineering professionals. Senior  T professionals in Cluj-Napoca earn RON 15,000–22,000 net per month.

Jobs in Timișoara, Brașov, Iași, and Other Industrial Cities

Timișoara in Romania is a major automotive and electronics manufacturing hub, with a strong demand for engineers, technicians, and production workers. Brașov is an important automotive and tourism centre. Iași in northeastern Romania is a growing IT and services hub. Constanta and the Black Sea coast generate significant employment in the tourism and logistics sectors. All four cities and their surrounding industrial regions generate consistent demand across manufacturing, construction, and IT.

Job Opportunities in Romania

Blue-Collar Jobs in Demand in Romania

The following 20 blue-collar roles represent Romania's most critical shortage occupations in skilled and trades sectors, based on verified data from INS, EURES Romania, IGI work authorisation data, and the National Employment Agency — ANOFM. All 20 have documented workforce shortfalls.

Register as a Truck Driver → Browse Welder Opportunities →

White-Collar Jobs in Demand in Romania

The following 20 white-collar roles represent Romania's most critical shortage occupations in professional and highly skilled sectors, based on verified data from INS, EURES Romania, and the National Employment Agency.

Register as a Healthcare Worker → Explore All Opportunities →

Salary in Romania

Romania offers salaries below those in Western Europe but with growing cgrowing wages, and at the lowest rates in the EU, with average net wage growth reaching 4.6% year on year in the third quarter of the most recently reported period. Romania's flat 10% personal income tax rate is one of the most competitive in the European Union. The gross-to-net gap is approximately 41.5% due to significant employee social contributions — pension contribution of 25% and health contribution of 10%.

According to INS, the average gross monthly salary in Romania reached approximately RON 9,272 — approximately €1,875 — in the most recently reported monthly data, with an average net monthly salary of approximately RON 5,499 — approximately €1,075 — in the third quarter of the most recently reported period. Bucharest pays the highest average salaries in the country. Clu -Napoca and Timișoara follow as the next highest-paying cities. The IT sector pays the highest salaries of any sector — average net monthly salaries exceeding RON 11,200 — and senior software engineers in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca earn RON 18,000–25,000 net per month. In gasasinimum of 2025, the special income tax exemptions that previously applied to employees in the IT, construction, and agri-foodrestricted. Employersntly restruc Employersoyerss iverifyverify thectors should vthe erify current applicable rules with a Romanian tax adviser before structuring salary packages.

Work Permit Process—the Ministry. The Directorate of Immigration manages Romania's authorisation of non-EU nationals. mai gov.roals.mai.gov.ro. Applications are submitted in person at IGI territorial offices or online through the IGI portal at portaligi.mai.gov.ro. Vis information is published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at mae. ro. Romania is a full EU and Schengen Area member since January 2025. EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens may work freely in Romania without any permit.

Romania uses a sequential three-step process: the employer applies for a work authorisation from IGI → the worker applies for a long-stay D/AM visa at a Romanian diplomatic mission → the worker enters Romania and applies for a Single Permit or residence permit from IGI within 90 days of arrival.

Types of Work Authorisation

• Work Authorisation for Permanent Workers (Aviz de angajare): The most commonly issued Authorisation for non-EU nationals employed under a permanent or fixed-term Romanian employment contract—issued by the Employer at any IGI territory. The employer paid by €100. Val d for the duration of the employment contract, initially for one year. The work authorisation is issued within 30 days and can be extended by 15 days for further checks.
• Single Permit (Permis unic): Combined work and residence authorisation issued after entry on theApplication fileddd for at the IGI territorial office of the worker's county of residence within 90 days of entry. Val d for up to one year, renewable annually. Submitted at least 30 days before the expiry of the right of stay granted by the visa. Applications can be submitted online through portaligi.mai.gov.ro.
• EU Blue Card: For highly qualified professionals with a recognised university degree and an employment contract meeting the applicable minimum salary threshold. IGI must settle applications from EU Blue Card holders of other member states under EU mobility rights.
• Work Authorisation for Posted Workers: For foreign nationals posted by foreign employers for services in Romania for more than 90 days. Special rules apply, including the requirement to provide proof of prior employment with the Employer.
• Digital Nomad Visa: For remote workers employed by or providing services to companies registered outside Romania. Val d for one year, extendable for one additional year. Req ires no work permit. Do not authorise employment with Romanian employers.
• Seasonal Work Authorisation: For temporary work in agriculture, hospitality, and related seasonal sectors.

Annual Quota

Romania sets an annual quota for work authorisations based on proposals from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. Aut orisations are issued within the available quota.

Step-by-Step Work Permit Process

Step 1 – Secure a Confirmed Employment Contract.t The process begins with a signed employment contract from a legally registered Romanian employer. The employee. Contractor's salary, Contractor's salary,y and the applicable condition. Applics to the Work Authorisation. The employee Authorisation. With your submission, IGI.hetoreHETOWorkkriTheatiThe Employer must submit a Work application along with the territory and documentation, including the application docidentification documentcument—wthishinthi. Upon approval, the work authorisation — aviz de angajare — is issued by the employer. The employer provides the work authorisation. The worker must apply for the D/AM long-stay visa within 60 days of the work authorisation being issued; otherwiswill expireireir . Work – WSteexpireLong-Stayon—Long-Stayng-StEmbassy or Consulate for applicant. Applicants for D/AM employment may apply to the nearest Romanian embassy or consulate in their country, and some may also apply via email to the Romanian Embassy. Required documents include the work authorisation certificate, medical insurance, and proof of means of support equal to the minimum gross salary for the entire visa period. The visa fee is €12. Processing typically takes 10 to 20 days.

Step 5 – Travel to the workplace. Is Isa the worker mentioned on the D/AM vi?sa?

Step 6 – Apply for the Single Permit at IGI Within 90 Days... Within 90 days of arriving in Romania, the worker submits the Single Permit application personally at the IGI territorial office in the county wherelivevlivee. Applications can also be submitted online through portaligi.mai.gov.p. The application must be submitted at least 30 days before the expiry of the right of stay granted by the visa. The IGI processes appwithin business daysdayssdaysy. She works in registration and employment with the IGI. IGI's residence permit can be obtained from the Employer's portal. A residence permit can be obtained from the IGI's territory for one year. They can be renewed at least 30 days before expiry.

Employers ready to begin the international hiring process can register here →

Work Visa Process in Romania

The long-stay D/AM visa is the entry document for non-EU nationals coming to work in Romania. It is applied for at the Romanian embassy or consulate in the worker's home country after the IGI work authorisation has been issued. The worker is a memhas beenr of the Romanian EUgen Area since January 2025. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes all visa information. o.Step  1 – Confirm Visa Requirement for Nationality Requirement to confirm whether your nationality requires a D/AM visa to enter Romania for employment purposes.

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Use the Ministry o Foreign Affaofrs Website for Visa Information: D/AM visa requirements, embassy locations, and application guidance are published at mae.r o.

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Step 2 – Confirm Annual Quota Availability Confirm with IGI or through the Ministry of Labour that the annual quota for the relevant employment category has not been exhausted.

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Step 5 – Provide the Work Authorisation and employment conditions setIiIgsetting visa.  I ithindays.

Step 6 – Support SsettisSettlementation After Arrival, with the work IiIhin Immediately submit the single permit applicaapplication. Requirementshiwithinervice. Singleirm withinur National Serwithinese — apostilled and translated into Romanian — and medal insuranmedicaltep 3 – Register on Movin))g2Europe.eu

• Register as a Truck Driver →
• Register days. Weldarrivalegister as a Healthcare Wmmedical insurance. Stepeportunities →

Step 4 – .ply for days.  eldarrivalegistererowse verified job listings and apply to positions qualifiqualificationsurEmployer 'ssoEmployer 'soyer'shvisaEmployer's.  pplApplyr tApplEmtApplEmployer 'snvisaryEmployerssssl.

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• Access to a verified network of Romanian employers actively hiring across construction, manufacturing, IT, healthcare, and logistics
• A structured, transparent matching process aligned with Romania's IGI work authorisation and Single Permit requirements
• Compliance support across the work authorisation, D/AM visa, and Single Permit process
• Long-term business development opportunities as Romania's economy and international workforce demand grow
• A trusted, professioplatformormt on transparency and accountability

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Declaration

Moving2Europe.eu provides informatio.n on Sc.hengSchengen visa permit guidance, international job placement, and visa services.  isas areVisasisastsubjectvidual Visasng imsubjectn laws and are processed by embas esembassiesrnment authoritauthorities. Embassiesongly advised to independently verify all informatinformation and the subjectcyments, EU documincluding ents. EU official procedures.  eeduembNeed to follow embassy procedures beforemmitment, visa approval