Romania seeing a large influx of foreign nationals residing and working, with a considerable concentration from Asia, especially South Asia.

The majority of foreign workers are currently coming from non-European nations, with Nepal emerging as the top country of origin, according to a recent report from the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI).

Nine percent of the more than 211,000 foreign workers registered in Romania at the end of 2023 came from Nepal. Turkish citizens, who make up 8% of the foreign labour force, are next in line.

Third-place finishers were Sri Lankans and Italians, who together accounted for 7% of all foreign labourers.

These data also showed that most foreigners settled in Romanian cities as follows:

• Bucharest over 15,000
• Ilfov – over 7,800
• Constanta – over 6,100
• Timiş – over 4,200
• Braşov – 3,907
• Cluj – over 3,300
• Sibiu – over 2,600
• Arad – over 2,400
• Prahova – 2,100

Although Romania offers migrant workers many economic options, a recent study has revealed substantial obstacles they must overcome.

Romanian migrant labourers face challenges related to restricted access to public and social services. Many people have trouble utilising the public health system and other crucial services, mostly as a result of knowledge gaps and language problems that make it difficult to communicate effectively with authorities.

Romania Confronts Migrant Border Challenges Amid Expanding Foreign Workforce

In spite of these problems, the national authorities have revealed that some foreign nationals who have already entered Romania lawfully on a work visa are attempting to enter the Schengen Zone irregularly through the latter location.

According to some estimates, 400 migrants were registered in Arad's Accommodation Centre for Foreigners Taken in Public Custody in the first half of 2024.

In Romania, 74,400 foreign nationals have residency permits for work reasons as of the end of 2023, a rise of more than 44% from the same time in 2022. There are only 382 workers over 60, which is unchanged from 2022. The bulk of these workers are between the ages of 18 and 60.

In response to the growing demand for labour, the Romanian government has established a quota of no more than 100,000 newly admitted foreign workers for the labour market in 2024. This initiative aimed to balance economic growth with protecting migrant rights, though significant challenges remain.