Romania, Sri Lanka, and the labour market
Cojocariu Eugen, 28.10.2026, 22:12
The Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment & Tourism, Arun Hemachandra, visited Romania from October 21 to 26, 2026, to participate in the 6th round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Romania.
Arun Hemachandra met the Romanian Labour Minister, Petre-Florin Manole, and co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Sri Lanka – Romania Joint Working Group on Labour Cooperation. The discussions focussed on further strengthening bilateral cooperation, expanding suitable employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers, and promoting their welfare and wellbeing. Minister Manole recalled signing the Sri Lanka-Romania Memorandum of Understanding for Labour Cooperation in March 2026 alongside Minister Vijitha Herath, noting that Sri Lankans represent the second largest non-EU migrant worker community in Romania. He assured that the Romanian Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity recognises the contribution of migrant workers to the Romanian economy. He also expressed optimism that the issues pertaining to the partial deactivation of the workinromania.gov.ro platform, introduced as a single platform to manage the recruitment of migrant workers, would be resolved without delay.
On 23 October, Deputy Minister Hemachandra co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Sri Lanka – Romania Joint Working Group on Labour Cooperation. Deputy Minister Hemachandra reiterated Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to ensuring safe, transparent, and regulated labour migration. The meeting marked a milestone in advancing bilateral labour ties, safeguarding worker rights, and streamlining ethical migration channels between the two countries. With approximately 28,000 Sri Lankan nationals currently living and working in Romania, both governments highlighted the vital role Sri Lankan workers play in supporting the Romanian economy and contributing to Sri Lanka’s economic resilience through remittances.
The discussions focussed onworker protection and welfare, with both delegations reviewing current administrati ve and legal frameworks governing foreign labour in Romania. Sri Lanka emphasized the importance of the ongoing cooperation to address key issues, including regulatory procedures, fair wages, standardized working hours, suitable accommodation, and safe treatment in the workplace. The delegations also discussed long-term initiatives, including advancing talks on social security and pension portability, establishing cost-effective remittance channels, promoting joint vocational training programs, and strengthening law enforcement collaboration to combat irregular migration and human smuggling. The Romanian delegation reiterated Romania’s commitment to supporting safe, dignified, and mutually beneficial labour cooperation.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra also met with State Secretary of the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Bogdan Despescu, on October 23, 2026. The Romanian side highlighted that this meeting represents the first formal, high-level bilateral dialogue on internal security, police cooperation, and migrant worker protection between Sri Lanka and Romania. Quoting official records, they noted that 28,304 Sri Lankan nationals are currently employed in Romania. The Romanian officials expressed deep appreciation for the Sri Lankan workforce, commending their vital contribution to the national economy and their efforts to integrate into the Romanian society.
Both parties agreed to advance the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Preventing and Combating Transnational Crime. This framework will reinforce joint security operations aimed at combating transnational organized crime, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, the illicit drug trade, and cross-border criminal activities. Both sides agreed to establish enhanced coordination among law enforcement agencies, as well as immigration, labour, and consular authorities, to effectively safeguard vulnerable migrant workers. Addressing ethical employment practices, the Sri Lankan delegation assured a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption in the migrant labour field. Deputy Minister Hemachandra reiterated the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to curbing intermediaries engaged in unethical practices regarding employment for Sri Lankans in Romania. The Romanian delegation said that national laws, rules, and regulations fully protect foreign workers, including those from Sri Lanka, against discrimination. Deputy Minister Hemachandra requested that Romanian authorities make transitional arrangements for those Sri Lankan workers already in Romania who have been released by their employers and are waiting to find a new employer. Due to the partial inactivation of the workinromania.gov.ro platform, such workers face the risk of losing their legal status in Romania due to reasons beyond their control, as they are currently unable to find new employers and process their documents. The Romanian side indicated that consideration will be given to providing relief to these workers.
The 6th round of Sri Lanka-Romania Political Consultations took place on October 22, 2026 at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions were co-chaired by Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister, Arun Hemachandra, and Romania’s State Secretary for Strategic Affairs, Ana Cristina Tinca. A central pillar of the discussions focused on human capital and labour cooperation, with Hemachandra noting that Romania has been a preferred destination for Sri Lankan professionals since 2016. Both delegations welcomed recent updates to Romania’s foreign worker recruitment laws, which align seamlessly with the MoU on Labour Cooperation signed in March 2026. Emphasizing the paramount importance of safe, ethical, and orderly labour mobility, both co-chairs recognized significant untapped commercial potential and committed to expediting all pending bilateral agreements and MoUs.
Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra also met with the President of the Romania-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group, Marius-Constantin Budăi, and several members of the Group. On employment issues, he emphasized the Government of Sri Lanka’s strong policy focus on implementing regulated labour migration and secure remittance channels. The Romanian delegation expressed deep appreciation for the contribution of Sri Lankan migrant workers to the Romanian economy, emphasizing that their presence extends beyond significant economic support to enriching Romania’s social fabric through vibrant cultural exchange and strong human connections. The Romanian side also addressed ongoing challenges, noting instances where Romania has been utilized by a small fraction of migrants merely as a transit point to reach other European destinations. Acknowledging these dynamics, both sides agreed on the necessity to broaden the bilateral partnership beyond labour migration.
