Foreign workers for horeca
Hotels, restaurants, guesthouses and catering companies are looking for kitchen, service and cleaning staff, especially in the tourist season and in large cities. Cooks, kitchen assistants, waiters, housekeepers and kitchen workers are included in the Lista ocupațiilor deficitare (List of shortage occupations) approved by MMFTSS Order no. 1.073/2026. We recruit staff with experience in hotels and restaurants in Asia and the Gulf, used to hygiene standards and to the pace of work in hospitality.
Eligible occupations (with COR code)
From the What does it mean?Lista ocupațiilor deficitare (List of shortage occupations), the official list of trades (with COR code) for which workers from outside the EU can be brought in on a D/AM2 visa; approved by order of the Minister of Labour (289 occupations in Order 1,073/2026). Read the guide → approved by MMFTSS Order 1.073/2026. The employment contract must use the exact Romanian occupation name and COR code.
| Occupation | COR code |
|---|---|
| bucătar (cook) | 512001 |
| ajutor bucătar (kitchen assistant) | 941101 |
| lucrător bucătărie (spălător vase mari) (kitchen worker / dishwasher) | 941201 |
| pizzar (pizza maker) | 512002 |
| preparator de semifabricate și preparate culinare (food preparation worker) | 751204 |
| patiser (pastry cook) | 751203 |
| cofetar (confectioner) | 751202 |
| brutar (baker) | 751201 |
| ospătar (chelner) (waiter) | 513102 |
| ajutor ospătar (assistant waiter / busser) | 513101 |
| barman (bartender) | 513201 |
| barman preparator de cafea (barista) | 513203 |
| bufetier (buffet attendant) | 524601 |
| cameristă hotel (hotel housekeeper) | 516201 |
| îngrijitor spații hoteliere (hotel cleaner) | 911202 |
| lucrător room-service hotel (hotel room-service worker) | 911203 |
| lucrător pensiune turistică (guesthouse worker) | 516909 |
| recepționer de hotel (hotel receptionist) | 422401 |
What employers in horeca usually ask for
- Small groups (2–15 people) per establishment, often mixed: kitchen, service and housekeeping.
- Shift work, including evenings, weekends and holidays; split shifts in restaurants.
- Peak demand on the seaside and in mountain areas during the season; fixed-term contracts or seasonal hires (max. 180 days in 365).
- For city hotels: indefinite-term contracts, with stable staff.
- Accommodation provided by the employer, usually on the hotel premises or in nearby housing; meals provided at the workplace.
- For service positions: conversational English; for kitchen and housekeeping: basic English.
Specific employer obligations
- Medical check on hiring and fitness certificate (occupational medicine); for food handling, the examinations required by the health regulations in force.
- Food hygiene training (HACCP basics) and compliance with the establishment's procedures, in a language the worker understands.
- For cooks: proof of experience (CV, references) and a practical cooking test; specify whether you need Romanian, international or Asian cuisine.
- Occupational health and safety (SSM) training (burns, cuts, slippery surfaces, cleaning chemicals) and work equipment provided by the employer.
- For seasonal workers: mandatory accommodation provided by the employer, with a notarised declaration regarding accommodation.
Which countries we recruit from for horeca
The main markets below and many other countries in Asia, Africa and other regions, depending on your request. All countries →
Can't find the country you're looking for?
Can't find the country you are looking for? Tell us the country, the number of workers and the trades you need, and our team will assess whether the recruitment process can be organised, depending on your request and the legal possibilities.
Frequently asked questions, HoReCa
Yes, as seasonal workers, with a fixed-term contract and a residence permit of maximum 180 days in any 365-day period. Accommodation is mandatory (free of charge or against payment, with a notarised declaration by the employer), and the rent cannot be excessive and is not withheld automatically from the salary. A seasonal worker rehired in the following 5 years benefits from a simplified procedure.
Not from the start, in most cases. We select cooks with experience in international or hotel cuisine, who learn the establishment's recipes during the settling-in period. If you need a specific specialisation (pizza maker, pastry cook, Asian cuisine), we specify it from the start in the recruitment brief and test it in practice.
For waiters, bartenders and receptionists we select candidates with conversational English and, where possible, with experience in international hotels. We send you recordings of the interviews so you can assess the level before deciding. The Romanian language courses provided by the employer (minimum 6 months, 6 hours per week) help with communication with Romanian customers.
At least the national gross minimum base salary guaranteed in payment: 4,325 lei gross from 1 July 2026 (GD 146/2026), for a full-time contract. The salary must be paid into the worker's bank account, not in cash. Allowances, overtime and any bonuses apply in the same way as for Romanian employees.
A full-time individual employment contract, for an indefinite or fixed term, registered in REGES-ONLINE before the cerere unică (single application) is filed. The contract is bilingual: in Romanian and in the language of the country of origin or in an international language the worker understands (usually English). The contract must contain the elements of the ofertă fermă (firm job offer): salary, working hours, accommodation, transport.
The law provides a maximum of 30 days for checking the cerere unică (single application) in the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform and a maximum of 30 days for deciding on the visa at the consulate, to which you add recruitment, preparation of documents in the country of origin (legalised criminal record, medical insurance) and organising the journey. We do not guarantee fixed deadlines; we present an estimated timeline at the start of the collaboration.
Update of 17 September 2026
Following the decision of the Bucharest Court of Appeal admitting the application, filed by the Employers' Association of Labour Importers (Patronatul Importatorilor de Forță de Muncă) in case no. 5633/2/2026, to suspend the enforcement of Order no. 1073/2026 of the Minister of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity approving the List of shortage occupations provided for in art. 1 para. (2) of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026 on the access of foreign nationals to the labour market in Romania, and amending and supplementing certain legal acts (Order no. 1073/2026), the WorkinRomania platform flows for employer registration, employer authorisation and filing the single application for D/AM2 long-stay visas are deactivated.
This information explains the law in plain language and is indicative only. Your specific situation must be checked against the legislation in force on the filing date.
Official sources: Ordinul MMFTSS nr. 1.073/2026 pentru aprobarea Listei ocupațiilor deficitare (289 ocupații) · OUG nr. 32/2026 privind accesul străinilor pe piața muncii din România, precum și pentru modificarea și completarea unor acte normative · OUG nr. 194/2002 privind regimul străinilor în România (forma consolidată)
Do you need people in horeca?
Tell us how many and for which positions. We check the occupations against the list and send you the offer on the same working day.