Immigration police officers release activity reports

Cojocariu Eugen, 28.07.2026, 11:45

In the first half of 2026, immigration police officers in Constanţa county (south-eastern Romania) ensured the management of stay and residency for 3,523 people. Of these, 3,382 are foreign nationals from third countries, mostly from Turkey and Sri Lanka. The main driver of the stability of these citizens in Romania remains employment. Some 2,991 applications for the issuance of employment permits were registered in this time span. A total of 2,728 employment permits were issued for permanent and seconded workers, approximately 40% of which were granted to foreign nationals already in Romania, who chose to change employers. Furthermore, 226 applications were rejected for failing to meet legal criteria. An important component is the prevention and combating of undeclared work. In this regard, 33 foreigners were detected in illegal situations, mostly from Sri Lanka, the Republic of Moldova and the Philippines. The police issued 44 return decisions with a voluntary departure period of 15-30 days, 36 of which were based on illegal stay, and 8 were a direct result of the revocation of the right of residence. Additionally, 8 decisions of return under escort were issued, generated by the completion of asylum procedures and the imminent risk of absconding, the persons in question being taken to border points or placed in an immigration detention centre with a view to removal from the territory of Romania. Despite these restrictive measures, the legal framework offers continuity solutions for those who respect the rules. Thus, 168 foreign nationals whose right of residence initially obtained through a long-stay visa for employment or through a single permit expired and who were not subject to an obligation to return, benefited from the provisions of Art. 52 of Emergency Ordinance No. 322026. They requested the extension of the right of temporary residence for work purposes.

In the first semester of 2026, the Immigration Police of Mureș County (central Romania) ensured the management of  stay and residence in the county for 6,184 people, of whom 3,176 were citizens of third countries, mostly from Nepal, Turkey, Sri Lanka, India, and the Republic of Moldova. A total of 1,867 applications for obtaining work permits were registered, mostly for citizens of Nepal, Egypt, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Turkey. In the first half of 2026, 1,939 applications for employment permits were resolved, of which 1,801 were approved, with employment permits issued for permanent workers, and 138 applications were refused. In addition, 32 foreign nationals were detected in illegal residence, most of them from Sri Lanka, Egypt, Uzbekistan, and Tunisia. Concurrently, 9 return decisions were issued from Romanian territory, and in one case, a one-year ban on entry into Romania was imposed.

In the first six months of the year, immigration police officers in Teleorman county (southern Romania) issued 179 residence permits and 692 permits for permanent and seconded workers. Between January 1 and June 30, police officers in Teleorman managed the legal situation of 190 people, of whom 166 were citizens from third countries, especially from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The employment sector recorded a high volume of activity. 917 applications for the issuance of employment permits were received and 692 permits were issued for permanent and seconded workers. 151 applications were rejected, and 74 are in the process of being resolved. 7 foreign nationals in illegal situations were identified. 5 return decisions were issued with a voluntary departure period of 15 days. At the same time, 3 foreign nationals were banned from entering the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland for periods between 6 months and 2 years. New legislative steps have been taken in support of foreign nationals wishing to work legally in Romania, namely the provisions of Emergency Ordinance 32/2026, which offer foreign nationals, whose right of residence for work purposes has expired, the possibility to achieve legal status anew, without leaving Romania. In Teleorman, 7 foreign nationals have already benefited from these new provisions.