Demand for non-EU workers exceeds quota

Cojocariu Eugen, 23.02.2026, 19:27

The employers’ requests for non-EU workers exceed the quota of approximately 90,000 people set by the Romanian authorities for 2026, despite tougher employment procedures. The requests come against the backdrop of a staff shortage in key sectors of the economy, according to analysis by a non-EU recruitment company. The phenomenon is no longer a one-off, as it reflects a structural transformation of the Romanian labor market, where the staff shortage is estimated by specialists at several hundred thousand employees, especially in such fields as transports, constructions, services, production as well as house keeping staff. Thus, although the official quota for 2026 was set at approximately 90,000 newly admitted workers, industry data show that the employers’ requests exceed this limit by far, in some years the number of requests being more than double the approved number, the aforementioned source says.

At the same time, recent statistics indicate tens of thousands of vacancies in occupations essential for the functioning of the economy, such as professional drivers, construction workers, commercial workers, cargo handlers or service personnel. There are areas where automation cannot completely replace the human factor, at least in the next decade, the recruitment company says. The trend is also confirmed by international recruitment agencies.

The agency emphasizes that the problem is no longer exclusively about access to workers, but about the ability of companies to attract and keep them. Romania has entered a global competition for workforce. Workers choose between several destinations, and their decision depends on salaries, working conditions, accommodation, the actual time of starting work after being selected and contractual stability. Countries like Spain have long understood that retention means investing in people. If we do not raise standards, we risk losing this competition, the same source has underlined.

According to industry representatives, one of the essential solutions to stabilize the market is to make employers responsible and align with international ethical standards in the field of ethical standards More careful screening of companies that bring over workers, clear contractual assumption of obligations and compliance with the “employer pays for recruitment” principle are considered critical elements for reducing abuses and increasing retention. Concurrently, raising salaries, compliance with the Labor Code, cultural integration and improving housing conditions are becoming decisive factors on a market where workers have real alternatives. It is no longer enough to bring people into the country. You should create the needed conditions in which they want to stay. Companies that understand this will have a competitive advantage, while the rest will continue to face staff shortages, the agency adds.

Against the backdrop of a shrinking workforce and continued external migration, experts estimate that the Romanian economy’s dependence on non-EU workers will increase in the coming years, regardless of short-term legislative developments. In this context, workforce import is no longer perceived as a temporary solution, but as a structural component of national economic development