Romania has introduced a stricter legal framework for entities involved in the placement of foreign workers (herein referred to as „agencies”).
Under Government Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026, a foreign worker recruitment agency in Romania may operate only if it is authorised by the National Agency for Employment, through the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform.
The reform is aimed at increasing transparency in labour migration, protecting foreign workers and giving authorities better control over recruitment flows.
When is authorisation required?
Authorization is required for agencies that place foreign nationals with Romanian employers and there is a quintessential condition of the new legal framework: the agency can provide placement services only for jobs included in the official list of shortage occupations and only based on firm job offers submitted by registered employers.
Recruitment services must be charged to the employer and agencies are not allowed to request fees, commissions, guarantees or deposits from the foreign worker.
Main conditions for authorization
To obtain authorization, an agency must meet several cumulative conditions. These include tax compliance, a clean fiscal record, integrity checks for the company and its key persons, transparency regarding beneficial owners and proof that the required financial guarantee has been set up.
The guarantee is EUR 75,000 for up to 250 foreign workers. For each additional group of 250 workers, the guarantee increases by EUR 50,000.
How the procedure works
The authorization request is submitted electronically through WorkinRomania.gov.ro. The file must include proof of the financial guarantee and the required statements or supporting documents. In certain cases, foreign criminal record documents may also be needed, translated and legalised according to the law.
ANOFM must solve the authorisation request within 30 working days from submission. If approved, the authorisation is issued electronically. It is valid for two years and may be renewed.
Ongoing obligations after authorisation
Authorization is just the first step – the agency must continue to comply after workers arrive in Romania. Key obligations include:
- informing workers before arrival,
- checking that they hold the required documents,
- organising transport to the workplace or accommodation,
- notifying authorities in certain risk situations and
- cooperating with control bodies.
If the employment relationship ends, the agency may also have duties related to alternative job offers or return support.
Why this matters
For recruitment agencies, the new rules require a stronger compliance structure before accepting mandates from employers.
For Romanian employers, working with an authorized agency becomes an important due diligence point. Recruitment contracts, job offers, visa strategy and worker communication should be aligned before the process starts.