The List of shortage occupations: what it is and how to use it
The list of 289 shortage occupations (MMFTSS Order 1,073/2026): why it matters, which sectors it covers, how it is updated and how to check the COR code.
Updated on 17 September 2026 · 6 min read
The Lista ocupațiilor deficitare (List of shortage occupations) is the centrepiece of the new system for hiring foreign nationals. For workers on a D/AM2 visa (permanent, seasonal, cross-border), the procedure can be initiated only if the occupation is on this list – art. 1 para. (3) OUG 32/2026 (Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026 on the access of foreign nationals to the labour market). The list in force was approved by MMFTSS (Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity) Order no. 1,073/2026, published in the Official Gazette (M. Of.) no. 649 of 6 August 2026, and comprises 289 occupations.
What the list is used for
- Eligibility condition for D/AM2: the occupation in the employment contract must appear on the list (art. 27^2 para. (3) letter b) OUG 194/2002 – the law on the status of foreign nationals).
- Automatic filter in the platform: WorkinRomania.gov.ro automatically checks the occupation in the firm job offer and rejects offers with other occupations (art. 12 HG 602/2026).
- Limit for agencies: placement agencies may provide services exclusively for the occupations on the list (art. 23 para. (2) OUG 32/2026).
- Condition for employer registration: the company must have at least one year of activity in a field compatible with the shortage occupations (art. 5 para. (1) letter b)).
- Does not apply to the D/AM1 visa: highly skilled workers, athletes, teaching staff and citizens of Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia are not conditioned by the list.
How it was drawn up (Order 987/2026)
The methodology approved by MMFTSS Order no. 987/2026 (Official Gazette (M. Of.) no. 603/23.07.2026) sets cumulative criteria: occupations with vacancies declared to ANOFM in 2025 for which certificates were issued, with at least 10 active contracts with foreign nationals in REGES at 31.12.2025 and at least 10 work authorisation notices issued in 2025. Occupations with an unemployed-to-vacancy ratio of at most 0.5 or from national priorities may also be included. One important aspect: the list contains only occupations from major groups 3–9 of the COR (Romanian Classification of Occupations, the official nomenclature of trades). Managers and professionals with higher education (groups 1–2) cannot be "shortage" occupations and go through the D/AM1 route.
Which sectors it covers
| Sector | Examples of occupations on the list (COR code) |
|---|---|
| Construction | bricklayer (711203), carpenter, rebar worker, concrete worker, tiler, painter/decorator, plumber (712602), construction electrician (741101), scaffolder, unskilled demolition worker (931301), excavator operator (811106) |
| Manufacturing / industry | welder (721202–721208), locksmith/fitter, lathe operator, milling machine operator, CNC operator (722323), garment maker, food industry operator, sub-assembly fitter (821103), quality controller (754301) |
| Hospitality (HoReCa) | cook (512001), kitchen assistant (941101), waiter (513102), bartender, hotel housekeeper (516201), hotel receptionist (422401), kitchen worker (941201), pizza maker, pastry cook, baker |
| Logistics / transport | goods handler (933303), forklift operator (834403), warehouse keeper (432102), goods vehicle driver (833201), courier (962101), manual packer (932101) |
| Agriculture | farmer (611101), unskilled agricultural worker (921302), tractor driver (834101), animal caretaker (921201), gardener (611303) |
| Cleaning | building cleaning agent (515302), cleaner (911201), building caretaker (515301), vehicle washer (912201), sanitation workers |
| Automotive | automotive wiring harness maker (741214), car mechanic (723103), auto electrician (723101), body panel beater (721303), car painter (713205), industrial robot operator (818901) |
An occupation is eligible only if it appears, with the exact name and COR code, on the list in force. The employer is liable if the foreign national actually works in an occupation other than the COR code in the contract: fine of 10,000–20,000 lei (art. 134 point 20 OUG 194/2002). Do not "adapt" the job title to fit the list.
How to check an occupation
- Identify the actual occupation the worker will perform and the corresponding COR code (6 digits).
- Look up the code in the list published in the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform (List of shortage occupations section) or in the annex to Order 1,073/2026 on legislatie.just.ro.
- Check the date of the order in force – the list is updated every six months and may have been amended in the meantime.
- Declare the job vacancy to ANOFM (National Employment Agency) with exactly that occupation and that code.
- If the occupation is missing, consider a closely related occupation that matches the actual work or propose its inclusion.
Updating the list and employer proposals
Art. 1 para. (4) OUG 32/2026 provides for the list to be updated every six months or whenever necessary. The methodology (art. 9–16) describes the procedure: data are submitted within 60 days of the end of the half-year, the social partners are consulted for 15 days, and employers may submit inclusion proposals through the platform (art. 3 letter o) OUG 32/2026), decided within 30 days. If the trade you need is not on the list, this is the legal way to add it.
We recruit only for occupations on the list in force on the date of the request and check the COR code in the employment contract before filing the single application. If the occupation you want is not on the list, we tell you in the very first conversation.
The list of 289 occupations is the one approved by MMFTSS Order 1,073/2026. The enforcement of that order is suspended: on 10 September 2026 the Bucharest Court of Appeal admitted the application to suspend it, filed in case no. 5633/2/2026, and the WorkinRomania platform flows for D/AM2 visas were deactivated (see the timeline update below). As the list is updated at least every six months, always check the version and the situation in force on the date the firm job offer is filed, on workinromania.gov.ro or legislatie.just.ro. This article is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, in several variants: unskilled worker in demolition, road works, agriculture, assembly, packing, metallurgy or garment making. Choose the variant that matches the actual work.
Yes: goods vehicle driver (833201), passenger transport driver (833101), articulated lorry driver (834405), car and van driver (832201). For these, the authorisation documents required by law (licence, certificate) are needed.
No. Professionals with higher education (COR major groups 1–2) cannot be on the shortage list. An engineer is hired as a highly skilled worker, via D/AM1, with a salary of at least 9,192 lei gross and an ANOFM certificate.
Applications already filed are assessed under the list in force on the filing date; for new applications, the occupation is no longer eligible. We recommend filing firm job offers while the occupation is still on the list.
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) · Ordinul MMFTSS nr. 987/2026, metodologia de elaborare și actualizare a Listei ocupațiilor deficitare · 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) · HG nr. 602/2026 privind platforma electronică WorkinRomania.gov.ro · Platforma WorkinRomania.gov.ro, informații pentru angajatori, vize și ședere, registre