Costs: state fees, what the employer pays, what the worker pays
The costs of hiring a foreign worker: visa and permit fees, minimum wage, who covers the ticket and accommodation, what the worker may not pay, CADIMA fees.
Updated on 4 September 2026 · 7 min read
The total cost of bringing in a worker from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines, Vietnam or other countries in Asia, Africa and other regions has three components: state fees, recruitment and transport costs, and the employment costs themselves (salary, contributions, accommodation). OUG 32/2026 (Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026 on the access of foreign nationals to the labour market) sets out fairly clearly who may pay what – and, above all, what the worker is not allowed to pay.
The golden rule: the worker does not pay the agency
Art. 23 para. (4) OUG 32/2026: the fee for foreign-worker placement services is charged only to the employer. Para. (6) prohibits the agency from charging placed foreign nationals any commissions, fees or charges or from requiring guarantees or deposits from them. Breaches are sanctioned with 25,000–40,000 lei (art. 42 para. (5)). The rule also applies to external recruitment partners in the country of origin, except for fees permitted by the law of that state (art. 38). For the employer, this means the agency's fee is entirely a company cost.
What the law places on the worker
Art. 40 para. (8) OUG 32/2026: the costs of obtaining the visa, transport from the country of origin to Romania, domestic transport and accommodation are borne by the foreign national, unless the employer provides otherwise in the ofertă fermă (firm job offer). So the law does not oblige the employer to pay for the plane ticket or the visa, but the firm job offer (art. 6 para. (2)) must state explicitly whether the employer provides accommodation, meals and transport. In practice, in the competition for workers, most companies cover at least the plane ticket and accommodation.
State fees
| Fee | Amount | Who usually pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| D/AM long-stay visa | 300 EUR under Law 198/2008 as amended by art. 47 OUG 32/2026 | The worker (art. 40 para. (8)), unless the firm job offer provides otherwise | For applications submitted via eViza from 27 April 2026 |
| Single permit (residence extension) | 259 lei document cost + 120 EUR fee, according to IGI information from 2024 | The worker or the employer, depending on the firm job offer | Not confirmed for 2026 – to be checked with IGI |
| Employer registration in the platform | The law provides no fee | ||
| Authorised employer guarantee | 1,000 EUR per foreign national, at the Treasury or by bank guarantee letter | The authorised employer | Refunded on request if there are no outstanding obligations (art. 13) |
The permit fees come from IGI information dated 2024. We cannot rely on these amounts without confirmation from IGI.
Employment costs
- Salary: at least the guaranteed national gross minimum basic wage – 4,325 lei from 1 July 2026 (4,050 lei in the first half of the year), under HG 146/2026. For highly skilled workers (D/AM1): at least 9,192 lei gross. The salary must be paid into the foreign national's bank account (art. 7 para. (1) letter a)).
- The employer's labour insurance contribution (CAM): 2.25% of the payroll, as for any employee.
- Romanian language courses with integration elements: at least 6 months, at least 6 hours per week (art. 7 para. (1) letter g)) – organised and paid for by the employer.
- Accommodation, if you provide it: the rent withheld may not exceed 25% of the net salary (art. 7 para. (2)); for seasonal workers, the rent may not be excessive and is not automatically deducted from the salary.
- Occupational health and safety (SSM) training in a language the worker understands, protective equipment, occupational medicine.
- Translations and legalisations of the bilingual contracts (CIM and placement contract in the language of the country of origin).
What the employer can recover
If the worker leaves before 6 months from the start of work (without a serious breach by the employer), art. 40 para. (9) OUG 32/2026 allows the employer to recover the amounts invested in Romanian courses, accommodation and transport. Agency fees cannot be recovered from the worker, and no amounts may be withheld from the salary as a guarantee. We recommend that the firm job offer and the placement contract detail the costs borne by the employer, so that the amounts can be proven.
CADIMA fees
Our complete package (recruitment and selection in the country of origin, testing, preparation of the worker's documents, contracts based on the framework models, the single application, coordination with the consulate, organisation of transport from entry into Romania to the workplace, assistance with the single permit and the 2-year follow-up obligations) costs approximately 1,500 EUR per worker, depending on the number of workers, occupation, country of origin and complexity of the file. On signing the contract, an advance of approximately 500 EUR per worker is paid, with the balance at the agreed stages. For large volumes we make a customised offer. The fee does not include state fees, the plane ticket or the employment costs above.
Agency fee ≈ 1,500 EUR; Asia–Romania plane ticket (if you cover it) usually 500–900 EUR, variable; visa fee 300 EUR; permit ≈ 259 lei + 120 EUR (to be verified); gross minimum salary 4,325 lei/month + CAM 2.25%. Amounts for the ticket and fees are indicative and are confirmed on the payment date.
The amounts reflect the legislation and official information available on 4 September 2026. The minimum wage, consular fees and IGI fees change through normative acts and must be verified on the date the application is filed. CADIMA fees are indicative and are set by contract. This article is not legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
If they leave before 6 months, you can recover the transport, accommodation and Romanian course expenses through civil proceedings (art. 40 para. (9) OUG 32/2026). You cannot automatically withhold from the salary and cannot demand guarantees in advance.
Not by law (art. 40 para. (8) OUG 32/2026 places transport on the foreign national), but you must state clearly in the firm job offer whether you cover it. Workers usually choose offers that include the ticket and accommodation.
No. Art. 23 para. (4) and (6) OUG 32/2026 prohibit the agency from taking any amount from the worker. Any agency proposing this risks fines of 25,000–40,000 lei and withdrawal of its authorisation.
4,050 lei gross in the first half of the year and 4,325 lei gross from 1 July 2026 (HG 146/2026). The D/AM2 worker's contract must provide at least this level, full-time.
No. The fee is set in the service contract, based on the framework model in Order 655/2026, and covers the services listed. State fees, the ticket and employment costs are separate and we list them from the outset.
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: 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) · MMFTSS, Salariul de bază minim brut pe țară garantat în plată se majorează (HG 146/2026) · MAE, Taxe de vize · IGI, Informare privind condițiile de prelungire a dreptului de ședere temporară · HG nr. 1.169/2025, contingentul de lucrători străini nou-admiși pentru 2026 (90.000)