2018 work permit quotas set

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Romania will increase its overall work permit quota for non-EU/EEA nationals to 7,000 this year, up from 5,500 in 2017.

What does the change mean? The quota increased by 1,000 in the category for local hires/permanent workers and by 500 for assignees/seconded workers. Other categories will have the same quotas as last year.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: Work permits.
• Who is affected: Employers and non-EU/EEA nationals applying for work permits.
• Next steps: Work permit applications must be supported by a quota slot and will not be issued once the quotas are reached.

Background: The overall quota increased compared to the 2017 quota.

BAL Analysis: Employers should factor in the adjustments to the quota numbers when planning for hiring and recruitment in the coming year. The increases in the quota for local hires/permanent workers and for assignees/seconded workers are welcome news, especially after 2017 work permit quotas for these categories were exhausted in November.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Romania. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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