Romania Work Visa: Eligibility, Application and Documentation

 In Romania, there is an evident shortage of skilled and unskilled workers. This is the time to go for the Romania Work Visa because there is every possibility you will succeed. Numerous employers are looking for international citizens, and you are at a great advantage if you possess specific skills.

In 2018 alone, Romania witnessed an influx of non-EU citizens who came to the country to live and work. Out of the over 12,000 foreign nationals that immigrated to the country for a long stay, about 52 percent came for work. In addition, about 16,000 citizens from other EU countries were added to the Romanian database as foreign workers.

To obtain a Romanian Work Visa, you stand a better chance if you already have employment. If you do, your employer can submit a request to the Romanian Immigration Office, asking for a work permit on your behalf. With this, you can apply for a Romanian Work Visa.

The Romanian Work Visa

A Romania Work Visa is an authorization issued to foreign nationals who want to travel to Romania for work. It is also called a Romania Employment Visa (D/AM). To get this visa, you must first get a work permit from the Inspector General for Immigration in Romania. Then, your Romanian employer can submit the application for a work permit. Finally, you can apply for a Romania Work visa with a work permit.

Types of Romania Work Visa

Romania Work Visa is granted to people in the following categories:

• Seasonal workers – People who are employed for a certain period of the year, like summer or festive periods. Most often, they stay for three months. For this purpose, they can obtain short-stay visas.
• Trainees – People undergoing training for particular professions or jobs.
• Athletes – Can be people paid to represent Romania in international sporting events.
• Permanent employees – People whose job contract does not have a definite end date.
• Cross-border workers – people who live close to Romania but cross over to the country to work and return to their home country, maybe daily or on weekends.
• Nominal workers – People who get paid by the hour. They are primarily laborers who get hourly wages.

Who is Eligible for a Romania Work Visa?

Because Romania is a member of the European Union (and soon to join the Schengen), citizens of the EU do not need a work permit to work in Romania. Also, citizens of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, as well as other European Economic Area countries, do not need a work permit for Romania.

Therefore, any other foreign national not from these countries will need to obtain a work permit.

Requirements to obtain a Romania Work Visa

Once a Romanian employer can prove that there is no other Romanian or EU/EEA citizen who can fill the position, he can apply for a work permit on your behalf. With the work permit, you can obtain a Romania Work Visa. A foreign citizen cannot apply for a work permit.

It would help to meet the following conditions:

1. You must qualify for the position according to the requirements of your Romanian Employer

2. You must not have a criminal record that will prevent you from working in Romania

3. You must have a medical certificate confirming that you can carry out the tasks required by the job. This is also called a medical fitness certificate or a medical clearance.

4. Fall within the number of foreign nationals admitted into Romania for work. The Romanian government advertises a specific number of foreign nationals each year. For instance, the Romanian Government increased the 2023 quota of foreign nationals from 50,000 to 100,000 for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals.

The process of obtaining a work permit may take up to four weeks. During that time, the Inspector General of Immigration will consider your employer’s request for a work permit on your behalf after submitting the documents above and paying the relevant fees.

Once the IGI approves the application, a work permit will be issued to you. With your work permit, you must apply to the diplomatic mission or consular office of Romania near you. You will have a validity period of sixty days to do this.

Remember that you cannot get a work permit with a short stay visa. Therefore, you must apply for a long-stay visa for work.

Documents Required for Work Visa Application

It is now time for you to apply for the Romania Work Visa. Be prepared to provide the following documents.

1. A work permit obtained by your employer

2. A Romania Work Visa Application Form

3. Proof of Accommodation in Romania

4. A valid passport

5. Two recent pictures of you. These must be passport-sized and identical and must show your face fully, with your features clearly defined.

6. Proof of medical insurance, which will cover the duration of your visit

7. Police clearance certificate

8. Proof of sufficient funds

9. A flight ticket to Romania

How to Apply for a Romania Work Visa

The first step is to apply online for a work visa. The rest of the process must be completed at the consulate in your country of residence.

1. Submit your eVisa application which you must complete online and print out. In this case, you will submit the form online and print out a copy which you will also present at the consular office in person.

2. Submit the originals of all the required documents you have gathered, and wait for the office to go through them. Of course, this may take a while, so you have to be patient.

3. Go for a visa interview at the consular office. This may not take more than 15 minutes, but you must be honest throughout the session.

4. Pay the Romania Visa Application Fee. Long-stay visas to Romania cost €120

5. Wait for approval. The diplomatic mission will inform you once your application is approved. You will receive your passport with the visa.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s next after I get to Romania with a Work Visa?

When you get to Romania, you must request permission to extend your stay in the country by applying for a Romanian Residence Permit.

The residence permit will authorize you to stay in the country for more than 90 days.

What is the processing time for a Romania Work Visa?

Your Work Visa will be processed after you submit a work permit to the consular representative of Romania. So, naturally, this will affect the processing time. Another thing that will affect the visa processing time is the diplomatic mission from where you apply. That is if they have other documents that they need from you. So, barring other issues, you can expect your application to be processed at least fifteen days after you submit your documents. That should be at least 45 days after the Romanian Inspector General receives your employer’s application for your work permit.

What is the validity period for a Romania Work Visa?

All Romania long-stay visas have the same validity as the short-stay. The only difference is that you cannot get a residence or work permit with a short-stay visa. So, after you arrive in Romania with your work visa, you can apply for an extension of up to one year. Subsequently, you can renew your residence permit.

If you request an extension of your residence permit, you must do this at least 30 days before your work visa expires. If you do, your work permit will likely be renewed too.

Can I work in another EU country with my Romania Work Permit?

No, you cannot. This is because work visas are generally country-specific. A work visa from Romania or any country at all is not transferable. You can find out how to apply to any other country of your choice.

Can my family join me in Romania with my work visa?

Suppose you have family who will be joining you in Romania. In that case, each family member must obtain their own long-term visa and work permit if they are above 18 years old and would wish to work. The same process listed above would apply. It is best to start the process together so you can all leave your home country simultaneously.

Conclusion

The Romanian workforce is made up of a large number of foreign nationals. The country has a population of over 19 million, and foreign nationals make up a large chunk of it. There are so many jobs available in Romania’s job market, and what is even more interesting is that language will not be a barrier. This is because apart from Romanian, the country’s official language, the English language is also widely spoken. Start your journey to Romania today by gathering all the literature about the Romania Work Visa. Start from here, and you’d be taking the right step.

You may also like: Guide on how to apply for a Romania Temporary Residence Permit.