Over 242,000 foreign nationals with valid documents in Romania
Cojocariu Eugen, 28.07.2026, 11:23
The number of foreign nationals with a valid right of residence in Romania exceeded 242,000 in early July 2026, according to the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI). Concurrently, mobility on the labour market stays high. Thousands of workers have chosen to change jobs, with Bucharest, Ilfov county (south) and Constanţa (south-west) remaining the main points of attraction for their economic activities.
Between April 27 and July 7, the IGI territorial structures issued 5,365 work permits, specifically intended for changing employers. Most documents were issued in Bucharest (1,621 permits), followed by Ilfov (457) and Constanţa (445) counties. The ranking is completed by Timiş county (west) with 301 permits, Suceava (north) with 174, Braşov (centre) with 158, Prahova (south) with 124, Satu Mare (north) with 117, Maramureş (north) with 117, and Dâmboviţa (south) with 100 work permits. The workers who made these changes came mainly from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, the Philippines, Turkmenistan, and Nigeria.
Between January 1 and April 26, the territorial structures registered 6,041 such work permits. The regional distribution in the first part of the year highlighted Bucharest with 1,633 permits, followed by Ilfov (747) and Constanţa (395). The other permits were issued in Timiş (285), Suceava (268), Mureş (centre) 135, Prahova (south) 130, Sibiu (centre) 124, Sălaj (north-west) 117, and Maramureş (north) 112. The main countries of origin of foreign nationals coming in this period were Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, the Philippines, Turkmenistan and China.
According to official records, there were 242,569 foreign nationals with a valid right of residence in Romania, on July 7, 2026. Depending on the purpose for which this right was granted, the breakdown is as follows: 161,203 people had the right to stay for employment purposes, 34,770 people were registered as family members, 20,212 people had the right to permanent residence, 19,743 were studying, while 4,634 people benefitted from international protection. For comparison, on April 26, the total number of foreign nationals with a valid right to stay in Romania stood at 237,168.
