Romania overhauled its foreign-worker system on 8 August 2026. The old work-permit process was replaced by a digital, platform-based system under Government Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026 (published in the Official Gazette No. 335 on 27 April 2026). For Indian blue-collar workers, this is a significant change — new visa categories, a digital application route, stricter employer rules, and new worker protections.
This guide explains what actually changed, in plain terms.
The headline change: work permits go digital
The traditional paper work-permit route has been replaced by a single digital process run through the official platform WorkinRomania.gov.ro. From 8 August 2026, employers, placement agencies and applications are registered and processed on the platform — one unified application covering both the work authorisation and the long-stay work visa.
Two new visa tracks: D/AM1 and D/AM2
The old single work-permit category was split into two:
- D/AM1 visa — highly qualified workers: managers, specialists, researchers, ICT workers, intra-company transferees, professional athletes, and citizens of Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia, plus workers on infrastructure projects. This track is not subject to the annual quota or the shortage-occupation list.
- D/AM2 visa — general labour: permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers. This track is tied to the government-set quota and the List of Shortage Occupations. The 2026 quota for D/AM2 is 100,000 authorisations, and hiring is only possible for occupations on the shortage list (150 occupations, updated every six months) — which includes welders, construction workers and other blue-collar trades.
How an employer hires now (two routes)
- Through a licensed placement agency (standard route): the employer signs a service contract with an ANOFM-licensed agency; a tripartite placement contract is signed between the agency, the employer and the worker.
- Directly as an authorised employer: employers meeting strict criteria (24 months of uninterrupted activity, average 50+ employees, no undeclared-work sanctions, ≤20% irregular non-EU workers) can hire directly without an agency.
The three mandatory contracts
GEO 32/2026 requires three contracts with ministry-approved templates:
- The service contract (employer ↔ agency)
- The placement contract (agency ↔ employer ↔ worker, tripartite)
- The individual employment contract, which must be bilingual — in Romanian and the worker's language
New worker protections
- Agencies are prohibited from charging foreign workers any commission, fee or guarantee. The cost of placement is borne exclusively by the employer.
- This directly protects candidates from fee-traps — a genuine Romanian file never asks the worker to pay the agency.
The digital application file
After registration on the platform, the file includes: a firm job offer, the bilingual employment contract, proof of a financial guarantee (€5,000–20,000 per worker), medical insurance of at least €30,000 coverage, a criminal record certificate, proof of subsistence of at least €600/month, and documents showing qualifications or experience.
Timelines: ANOFM reviews and issues the electronic authorisation within 15 days; the visa is issued within 30 days (extendable by 15).
Sanctions for non-compliance
Breaches are administrative offences with fines from RON 5,000 to 30,000 — in many cases per placed worker — and can escalate to suspension of the employer's registration or the agency's authorisation.
The honest picture for candidates
- No guarantees. Authorisations and visas are decided by the authorities through the platform. Anyone promising a guaranteed outcome is overstating.
- You should not pay the agency. Under the new law the employer bears placement costs; a recruiter asking you to pay them is a red flag under the new rules.
- Licensed channels only: verify any agency on the Indian side via emigrate.gov.in (MEA); on the Romanian side, placement must be through an ANOFM-licensed agency.
- Service-charge cap for Indian workers (for MEA-licensed services on the Indian side): ₹30,000 + GST (Rule 25 of the Emigration Rules), payable by digital payment against a receipt — never cash.
- Confirm at application time — rules are still being implemented; always check the current requirements with the competent authorities.
The bottom line
GEO 32/2026 is the biggest change to Romania's foreign-worker system in years — digital, quota-bound for general labour, employer-led, and with strong worker protections. Candidates who prepare properly — verified demand, complete files, licensed partners — are positioned when openings run. The full embassy-wise document checklists are on our visa checklists page: https://www.greenoutdoors.in/visa-checklists
Green Outdoors Global Pvt Ltd is a Registered Recruiting Agent (MEA Licence B-1873/GUJ/COM/100/5/10332/2023) with offices in Vadodara, New Delhi, and a subsidiary in Bucharest, Romania. Contact: [email protected] | WhatsApp +91 77789 78988