IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The quota on work permits for non-EEA nationals will remain at 5,500 this year.

What does the change mean? While the total quota has not changed from last year, the Romanian government will provide 700 permits in a new intracompany transfer category that was established pursuant to an EU ICT directive. The quota for local hire/permanent workers will drop from 3,500 to 3,000. Some other categories will see more modest adjustments.

  • Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
  • Visas/permits affected: Work permits.
  • Who is affected: Employers and foreign 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 quotas are as follows:

Category 2016 2017
Local hire/permanent 3,500 3,000
Assignee/seconded 700 700
Intracompany transfer – 700
Highly skilled (EU Blue Card) 800 500
Interns 200 100
Seasonal 200 400
Cross-border workers 100 100
Total 5,500 5,500

BAL Analysis: Employers should factor in the adjustments to the quota numbers for local hires/permanent workers, ICTs and other categories when planning for hiring and recruitment in the coming year.

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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