Harghita: An increasing number of non-EU workers arrive in the county

Cojocariu Eugen, 23.06.2026, 10:21

The number of non-EU citizens living and working in Harghita County (central Romania) is on the rise, increasing by approximately 25% each year, the head of the Harghita Immigration Office, Chief Commissioner Kondor Lorand, has said. If we take a look back, four years ago,  there were some 190 registered citizens from third countries, whereas now their number stands at some 430. Most come from Nepal (103), but there are also people from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia or Ghana, who are also currently working in Harghita. Non EU citizens are employed in various fields of activity, from constructions and agriculture to the hospitality industry. They occupy both unskilled positions, such as animal caretakers or cargo handlers, and jobs that require qualifications, such as cook, cook’s assistant or waiter.

In the first five months of 2026, immigration police officers in Harghita county ensured the management of stay and residence permits for over 1,450 foreign nationals, of whom 430 are from third countries and almost 1,030 are EU citizens. The main reasons for establishing residence in Harghita are employment and family reunification. As for European citizens, most of them, some 700, come from Hungary. In the case of EU citizens, the reported increase is 5% per year.

In the same timespan, over 1,570 applications for employment permits were registered. Over 1,310 permits were issued for permanent and seconded workers. About 8% of the permits were granted to foreigners already in Romania, who chose to change employers. In another move, the rigor of checks also led to the rejection of 93 applications that did not meet  legal conditions.

Although the number of foreign citizens is increasing, representatives of the Immigration Office say  they are not facing any particular problems regarding illegal stays or  involvement in serious crimes. In the first five months of 2026, only one case of illegal stay was identified, a situation resolved through legal return procedures with a 15-day voluntary departure period. Chief Commissioner Kondor has also underlined there is a very good collaboration with employers, who are informed, in advance, when their foreign employees’ residence documents are about to expire.