Foreigners account for almost 7% of Bucharest’s population

Cojocariu Eugen, 09.02.2026, 16:16

Foreigners account for almost 7% of the population of Romania’s capital city, according to data released by the General Inspectorate for Immigration. Last year, Romanian authorities managed the situation of over 144,000 people, of which over 100,000 from such countries as Nepal, Türkiye and Sri Lanka.  42,000 others came mostly from Italy, Sweden and France. The majority of people, over 60,000, have established their residence here, in order to work.

Since 2016, the number of foreign nationals in Bucharest has increased significantly,  5 times, and if we compare this to figures reported over the last 5 years, the increase is almost 3 times, says the head of the Municipality’s Immigration Directorate, Ionuţ Cârdei. He has explained that, if this increase rate continues in the next 5 years, foreign nationals will account for 25% of Bucharest’s population.  Cârdei has also said the increase rate stood at some 30% last year.