What does it mean?

Glossary

The same explanations appear across the site in the “What does it mean?” buttons.

OUG 32/2026 (GEO 32/2026): Government Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026 on the access of foreign nationals to the Romanian labour market, the main law that establishes how a company can hire workers from outside the EU. Published in the Official Gazette no. 335 of 27 April 2026, in force from the same date, with full application of the new procedures from 8 August 2026. It replaced the old "aviz de angajare" (employment permit) with the "cerere unică" (single application) submitted in the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform. Read the guide →
cerere unică (single application): the electronic form in the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform through which the foreign national's work visa is requested in a single step; it replaced the old employment permit (aviz de angajare). For D/AM2, the single application is completed by the authorised placement agency (or the authorised employer), on the basis of the placement contract, the service contract and the individual employment contract registered in REGES-ONLINE (electronic employee register). The authorities (IGI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) verify and respond through the platform. Read the guide →
aviz de angajare (employment permit): the old document issued by IGI (General Inspectorate for Immigration) through which the employer received the right to hire a foreign national; abolished by GEO 32/2026 and replaced by the cerere unică (single application). Read the guide →
D/AM1: the long-stay visa for employment, for highly qualified workers and a few special categories; the cerere unică (single application) is submitted directly by the employer. It applies to highly qualified workers (salary at least at the level of the average gross earnings), projects requested by ministries, teachers/researchers/artists, athletes and citizens of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia with a full-time contract. It does not depend on the Lista ocupațiilor deficitare (List of shortage occupations). Read the guide →
D/AM2: the long-stay visa for employment, for permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers, the type of visa used for workers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries in Asia, Africa and other regions; the cerere unică (single application) is submitted by the authorised placement agency. It can be obtained only for occupations in the Lista ocupațiilor deficitare (List of shortage occupations) and within the annual quota. The rule: the single application is submitted by the placement agency for foreign nationals authorised by ANOFM (National Employment Agency); the exception: the authorised employer (large companies, with a financial guarantee). Read the guide →
permis unic (single permit): the residence permit issued by IGI (General Inspectorate for Immigration) after the worker's arrival, which attests both the right of residence and the right to work in Romania. It is requested from IGI at least 30 days before the visa expires (the D/AM visa is valid for 90 days). It is valid for the duration of the employment contract, but at most 2 years (3 years for highly qualified workers; 180 days for seasonal workers) and can be extended. Read the guide →
drept de ședere (right of residence): the foreign national's legal right to live in Romania, initially through the visa (90 days), then through the permis unic (single permit). If the employment contract ends, the right of residence is maintained for at most 90 days from the registration of the termination, during which the worker can be placed with another employer.
contingent (quota): the maximum number of foreign workers newly admitted to the labour market in a year, established by Government Decision (90,000 for 2026). D/AM2 visas are issued only if the quota has not been exhausted. The Government can increase it by decision. For 2026, GD 1,169/2025 applies (90,000 workers). Read the guide →
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). It is updated at least every six months. The platform automatically rejects firm job offers for occupations that are not on the list. Employers can propose additions to the list through the platform. Read the guide →
cod COR (COR code): the code from the Romanian Classification of Occupations, the 6-digit number that precisely identifies the trade in the employment contract.
IGI: IGI (General Inspectorate for Immigration), the authority within the Ministry of Internal Affairs that manages immigration: it checks foreign nationals and employers, issues residence permits and carries out inspections.
ANOFM: ANOFM (National Employment Agency), the institution that registers employers in the platform, authorises placement agencies and keeps records of vacant jobs.
ITM / Inspecția Muncii (Labour Inspectorate): the Territorial Labour Inspectorate, the institution that inspects employment contracts, the employee register (REGES) and workers' qualifications.
MAE / consulat (Ministry of Foreign Affairs / consulate): the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic missions (embassies, consulates) that actually issue the D/AM1 and D/AM2 visas, through the eviza.mae.ro portal.
WorkinRomania.gov.ro: the Government's official electronic platform (launched in August 2026) where employers register, agencies are authorised and single applications are submitted.
angajator înregistrat (registered employer): a company that has registered in the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform and meets the basic conditions (no debts to the state, minimum 1 year of activity, etc.); it is the minimum condition for hiring foreign nationals. Read the guide →
angajator autorizat (authorised employer): a large company (min. 50 employees, min. 24 months of activity, guarantee of 1,000 EUR per foreign national) authorised by ANOFM (National Employment Agency) to bring in D/AM2 workers without a placement agency.
agenție de plasare a străinilor (placement agency for foreign nationals): a company authorised by ANOFM (National Employment Agency) (CAEN code 7810, financial guarantee of 75,000 EUR) that recruits and places workers from outside the EU; it is not allowed to take money from workers.
contract de prestări servicii (service contract): the contract between the placement agency and the employer, which includes the firm job offer; it is concluded according to the framework model approved by Order 655/2026.
contract de plasare (placement contract): the three-party contract, agency, employer and worker, signed in Romanian and in the worker's language, mandatory before the cerere unică (single application) (framework model in Order 655/2026).
ofertă fermă de locuri de muncă (firm job offer): the employer's listing uploaded to the platform: number of positions, trade, salary, working hours, accommodation, transport; the job must be declared vacant with ANOFM (National Employment Agency).
REGES-ONLINE: REGES-ONLINE (electronic employee register) in which the employment contract is registered; the start date of activity in REGES counts for the 6-month / 2-year deadlines when changing employer.
CIM (individual employment contract): the individual employment contract; for foreign nationals it must be concluded in Romanian and in a language the worker understands (fine of 6,000 lei per contract if the bilingual version is missing).
schimbarea angajatorului (change of employer): the worker's transfer to another company; it cannot be initiated by the worker in the first 6 months, and up to 2 years it is done only through the placement agency; it is done through a cerere unică (single application) for extension, without a new visa. Read the guide →
lucrător permanent (permanent worker): a foreign national employed under an individual employment contract for an indefinite or fixed term with an employer in Romania (the usual type for workers from Asia).
lucrător sezonier (seasonal worker): a foreign national employed for a fixed term for activities that depend on the seasons; may stay at most 180 days in any 365-day period; the employer must provide accommodation.
lucrător înalt calificat (highly qualified worker): a foreign national employed in a position requiring advanced skills, with a salary at least at the level of the average gross earnings (9,192 lei in 2026); goes through the D/AM1 visa.
garanție financiară (financial guarantee): the amount deposited with the Treasury or through a bank guarantee letter (75,000 EUR for agencies; 1,000 EUR per foreign national for authorised employers), from which the state covers return costs and unpaid fines.
R.A.S. / R.A.P.S. / R.A.A.: the public registers in the platform: the Register of Employers of Foreign Nationals (registered), the Register of Placement Agencies for Foreign Nationals and the Register of Authorised Employers.
CNP (personal identification number): the personal identification number, foreign nationals with a D/AM1 or D/AM2 visa receive a CNP from IGI (General Inspectorate for Immigration), entered on the visa sticker.
D/DT: the long-stay visa for secondment (workers seconded from a company in the EU/EEA or intra-corporate transfer), does not apply to recruitment from Asia.

Timeline update

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.

See the OUG 32/2026 implementation timeline →

Updated on 17 September 2026

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) · Tipuri de vize de lungă ședere (D/AM1, D/AM2), portalul eViza · Platforma WorkinRomania.gov.ro, informații pentru angajatori, vize și ședere, registre