Romania Work Permits

Description

Romania's standard work authorization for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals with a job offer from a Romanian employer — an employer-led process requiring a work permit, a long-stay D visa, and finally a residence permit after arrival.

Rules & Regulations

• The employer must demonstrate the company has genuinely operated in its field for at least 1 year, that the vacancy cannot be filled by a Romanian/EU/EEA citizen or permanent resident, and that the company's activity isn't primarily aimed at facilitating foreign entry.
• The employer submits the work authorization (aviz de munca) application to IGI, which must respond within 30 days (extendable by up to 15 days for further verification).
• Once issued, the Work Authorization is valid for 6 months for the purpose of applying for the D/AM long-stay visa.
• After entering Romania on the D/AM visa, the worker must apply for a residence permit at IGI within 90 days of entry.
• The residence right for employment purposes can generally be extended up to 1 year as a general rule; highly skilled workers can have their stay extended up to 2 years.
• Changing employers requires restarting the work authorization procedure from the start.
• IMPORTANT 2026 UPDATE: Romania is rolling out a new unified work permit and long-stay visa system via a new online platform, replacing the previous fragmented process — expect potential delays while this system stabilizes.

Government Fee

Work permit fee: approximately RON 100 (roughly €20-€100, depending on source — confirm the exact current fee via IGI before publishing). Long-stay D visa fee: approximately €100-€120.

Processing Time

Work permit (IGI decision): up to 30 days, extendable by 15 days for further verification (some sources cite a broader 30-90 day range depending on complexity/workload). Long-stay D visa: typically 10-15 working days after a complete application, though this can extend during the 2026 system transition.

General Eligibility

• A job offer from a Romanian employer that has genuinely operated for 1+ year and is in good compliance standing.
• Confirmation the role cannot be filled by a Romanian/EU/EEA candidate.
• Relevant qualifications, work experience, and medical fitness for the role; minimal Romanian language skills where required.

Eligibility for Pakistani Nationals

• No nationality-based restriction — Pakistani nationals are fully eligible for the Single Work Permit, subject to employer sponsorship and standard requirements.
• Romania actively recruits foreign workers for construction, hospitality, and other sectors facing labour shortages — applicants should work only through legitimate employers/agencies and never pay excessive "processing" or "guarantee" fees to recruiters.
• All documents must be translated and legalized, including graduation records and any professional certifications.

Document Checklist

• Valid passport
• Employer's issued Work Authorization (aviz de munca)
• Signed employment contract
• Translated and certified graduation records/qualifications
• Medical certificate confirming fitness to work
• Criminal record affidavit
• Updated medical and tax registration certificate
• Basic Romanian language skills declaration (where required)

Description

Romania's route for highly qualified non-EU professionals, requiring the employer to first obtain a specific work authorization for highly-qualified workers before the applicant extends their stay into an EU Blue Card upon arrival.

Rules & Regulations

• Requires a university/college diploma from a programme of 3+ years, or proof of relevant professional experience substituting for formal education.
• Employer must first obtain a work authorisation specifically for highly-qualified workers before the applicant applies for the long-stay work visa.
• If intending to work as a highly-qualified employee for more than 90 days, the holder must extend their stay into an EU Blue Card upon arrival in Romania.
• Valid for the duration of the work contract plus 3 months, for a maximum term of 2 years and 3 months.
• Extension requests for holders of an EU Blue Card obtained in another EU member state are processed notably faster: within just 15 days of reception (versus the standard 30-day window).
• Standard Blue Card extension requests are resolved within 30 days, extendable by up to 15 days for further checks.

Government Fee

EU Blue Card work permit fee: approximately RON 500 (roughly €100) — a higher tier than the standard Single Work Permit fee. Long-stay visa fee: approximately €120 (comparable to the standard route).

Processing Time

Standard extension/decision: 30 days, extendable by up to 15 days for further checks. Extension for Blue Card holders transferring from another EU member state: notably faster, within 15 days.

General Eligibility

• A university/college diploma (3+ years) or relevant professional experience substituting for formal education.
• Employer's work authorisation specifically for highly-qualified workers.
• A long-stay visa for work purposes from the Romanian consulate.

Eligibility for Pakistani Nationals

• No nationality-based restriction — Pakistani professionals with a qualifying degree/experience and salary offer are fully eligible.
• The EU Blue Card offers a longer initial validity (up to 2 years 3 months) compared to the standard Single Work Permit's typical 1-year cycle — a genuine advantage worth highlighting to qualified Pakistani clients.

Document Checklist

• Valid passport
• University/college diploma (3+ years) with certified translation, or evidence of relevant professional experience
• Employer's work authorisation for highly-qualified workers
• Long-stay work visa application at the Romanian consulate
• Medical certificate
• Criminal record affidavit

Description

A permit allowing an employee transferred within the same company from a third country to work at a related Romanian entity — implementing the EU ICT Directive framework, covering managers, specialists, and trainees.

Rules & Regulations

• The ICT worker must be living in a third country at the date of application submission and be subject to a genuine intra-company transfer.
• Extension of the temporary residence right for ICT posting purposes is granted without exceeding a total of 3 years for managers and specialists, and 1 year for trainee employees, counted from the date of entry into Romania for this purpose.
• Extension requests must include a translated and legalized copy of the document extending the secondment, proof the same conditions of detachment are maintained, and proof of means of support at least at the level of the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary.
• Standard extension processing: 30 days, extendable by up to 15 days for further verification.
• Clients planning a longer-term Romanian relocation should consider transitioning to the Single Work Permit or EU Blue Card route before the 3-year (or 1-year, for trainees) cap is reached.

Government Fee

Comparable to the standard Single Work Permit fee structure — confirm exact current ICT-specific figure via the Romanian Embassy Islamabad or IGI before publishing.

Processing Time

Extension requests: 30 days, extendable by up to 15 days for further verification — generally comparable to the standard Single Work Permit timeline.

General Eligibility

• Employment in a managerial, specialist, or trainee role at the qualifying overseas entity, while resident in a third country at the time of application.
• A confirmed intra-corporate transfer to a related Romanian entity.
• Evidence of the qualifying corporate relationship between the two entities.

Eligibility for Pakistani Nationals

• No nationality-based restriction — Pakistani business owners and multinational employees being transferred to a related Romanian entity are eligible.

Document Checklist

• Valid passport
• Proof of qualifying relationship between the Pakistani/overseas entity and the Romanian entity
• Assignment/secondment letter detailing the role, duration, and terms
• Translated and legalized documents supporting the transfer
• Proof of means of support (minimum gross basic salary level)

Description

A permit for a qualified foreign worker temporarily deployed (posted/detached) from a company established in a third country, who remains employed by that company while working for a Romanian beneficiary of services under a service contract.

Rules & Regulations

• The deployed/posted worker remains employed with a valid work contract with the sending third-country company, while working under a service-provision arrangement in Romania.
• The beneficiary of the services in Romania must obtain a posting permit for the worker under Romania's special legislation on employment and posting of foreigners.
• Requires proof of means of support amounting to at least the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary in the economy.
• Standard extension processing: 30 days, extendable by up to 15 days for further verification.

Government Fee

Comparable to the standard Single Work Permit fee structure — confirm exact current posting-specific figure via the Romanian Embassy Islamabad or IGI before publishing.

Processing Time

Extension requests: 30 days, extendable by up to 15 days for further verification.

General Eligibility

• A valid employment contract with the sending third-country company.
• A confirmed service-provision arrangement with a Romanian beneficiary of services.
• The Romanian beneficiary's posting permit obtained under the special posting legislation.

Eligibility for Pakistani Nationals

• No nationality-based restriction — Pakistani employees of companies providing services in Romania under a genuine posting/secondment arrangement are eligible.

Document Checklist

• Valid passport
• Employment contract with the sending third-country company
• Romanian beneficiary's posting permit
• Proof of means of support (minimum gross basic salary level)
• Translated and legalized supporting documents