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Romania Work Visa 2026

Romania Work Permit for Indians 2026: The Complete D/AM1 & D/AM2 Guide

Romania rewrote its entire foreign-worker system in 2026 — and the old "work permit" that most guides still describe no longer exists. Under Emergency Ordinance (GEO) No. 32/2026, Romania Work Permit for Indians 2026 no longer means a separate employer-side permit followed by a visa; it means a single long-stay visa, either D/AM1 or D/AM2, applied for through one digital platform.

If you've been researching this move, you've probably felt the confusion firsthand — old blog posts reference "work and secondment authorisations" that were formally repealed in April 2026, salary thresholds get quoted in three different currencies, and it's genuinely hard to tell whether a listed fee of €120 or €300 applies to your situation.

In this guide, you will discover how the D/AM1 and D/AM2 categories actually work, what documents and employer steps are involved, and what a realistic cost and timeline look like — without relying on outdated "work permit" language. Trivial Chapter Team tracks Romanian immigration reform as it happens, cross-referencing Official Gazette publications, EU institutional sources, and the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform directly.

What Changed: Romania's 2026 Work Permit Reform

Romania published GEO No. 32/2026 in the Official Gazette on 27 April 2026, repealing the old Government Ordinance 25/2014. The law took legal effect immediately, but full operation depended on WorkinRomania.gov.ro, which went live on 8 August 2026.

GEO No. 32/2026 is Romania's 2026 immigration reform law. It works by replacing individual work and secondment permits with two long-stay employment visas issued through one online platform. It is most commonly used to determine whether an Indian applicant needs a D/AM1 or D/AM2 visa to work legally in Romania.

Registered vs. Authorised Employers

Employer TypeCan Sponsor
Registered EmployerD/AM1 visas directly; D/AM2 visas only via a licensed placement agency
Authorised EmployerBoth D/AM1 and D/AM2 visas directly, under stricter compliance conditions

D/AM1 vs D/AM2: Which Visa Applies to You?

D/AM1 is Romania's long-stay visa for highly qualified workers and special categories. It works by exempting holders from both the annual quota and the Shortage Occupations List. It is most commonly used by IT professionals, engineers, and specialists.
D/AM2 is Romania's long-stay visa for general and shortage-sector labour. It works by capping admissions under an annual government quota and restricting eligible roles to the Shortage Occupations List. It is most commonly used for construction, hospitality, transport, and care-sector roles.
FeatureD/AM1D/AM2
Who it's forHighly qualified workers, special categoriesGeneral, seasonal, cross-border labour
Annual quota?NoYes
Shortage Occupations List required?NoYes
Who can sponsorRegistered or Authorised employerPlacement agency or Authorised employer
Comparable toEU Blue Card logicLabour-market-tested employment

For 2026, the overall non-EU worker ceiling was set at roughly 90,000, with several sources reporting demand running high mid-year — D/AM2 applicants should expect this category to move more slowly, purely due to the quota mechanism.

Romania Work Permit Eligibility for Indians

  • A valid job offer or employment contract from a Registered or Authorised Romanian employer
  • Qualifications or experience relevant to the offered role
  • A clean, apostilled criminal record certificate
  • Valid passport with 6+ months' validity beyond the intended stay
  • For D/AM2: the occupation must appear on the current Shortage Occupations List

Romania Work Permit Without IELTS

GEO No. 32/2026 does not set a blanket English or Romanian language test at the visa stage. Employers may set their own job-specific language expectations — always confirm directly with the employer.

Romania Work Permit Documents Required

  • Passport copy (biometric page)
  • Signed employment contract or job offer (bilingual, per the 2026 reform)
  • Educational and professional qualification certificates
  • Apostilled police clearance certificate
  • Schengen-spec passport photographs
  • Proof of accommodation in Romania
  • Health insurance valid for Romania/Schengen

Since the employer or agency files the "single request" on your behalf, document accuracy matters more than ever — a mismatched name or missing apostille is a leading cause of delay.

The Application Process, Step by Step

  1. Employer registration on WorkinRomania.gov.ro as a Registered or Authorised Employer
  2. Role and category matching — D/AM1 or D/AM2
  3. Single request submission through the platform
  4. D-visa application at the Romanian Embassy or partner visa centre in India
  5. Travel and residence permit registration in Romania

Early reporting noted the platform processed several hundred employer files within its first days of operation, with a realistic minimum of about two months from candidate selection to visa issuance.

Romania Work Permit Cost 2026

Published figures genuinely disagree: some sources quote a long-stay visa fee around €75–€90, others cite roughly €120, and the related digital-nomad D/AD visa fee rose to €300 in April 2026. We have not found one authoritative figure confirmed specifically for D/AM1/D/AM2 post-reform, and would rather say so than assert a number that might be wrong.

Our recommendation: confirm the exact fee with the Romanian Embassy in New Delhi or WorkinRomania.gov.ro, and always ask any consultant to separate government fees from service fees.

Romania Work Permit Processing Time

  • Employer-side single request: variable, consolidated into one digital file
  • D-visa consulate processing: commonly cited around 30–60 days for South Asia, not Romania-guaranteed
  • End-to-end minimum: roughly two months

Romania Jobs for Indians 2026 and Salary Expectations

The Shortage Occupations List determines which roles are open under D/AM2 — construction, hospitality, transport, and care work feature most frequently in early 2026 coverage. D/AM1 is generally pursued by IT, engineering, and specialist professionals.

We do not publish a single fixed Romania Work Permit Salary figure — it depends on sector, employer, seniority, and city. Always get the contracted salary in writing and benchmark it independently.

Romania Work Permit Rejection Reasons

  • Occupation not on the current Shortage Occupations List (D/AM2)
  • Employer not properly Registered or Authorised
  • Annual quota exhausted before your file is processed (D/AM2)
  • Document mismatches — uncertified translations, missing apostilles
  • Incomplete or non-bilingual employment contract

Romania Work Permit to PR: The Longer-Term Pathway

A D/AM1 or D/AM2 visa and residence permit are the entry point to legal work — not permanent residence itself. Romania's PR framework carries its own continuity and integration requirements, sitting outside GEO No. 32/2026. Confirm current PR criteria with the General Inspectorate for Immigration when relevant to your case.

Trivial Chapter Romania Work Permit Success Story: Mrs. Priyanka from Pune

Understanding the D/AM1 and D/AM2 system on paper is one thing. Seeing what the first real milestone looks like for an actual applicant is another.

Mrs. Priyanka from Pune Begins Her Romania Journey

Mrs. Priyanka, based in Pune, is one of a growing number of Indian professionals looking beyond traditional Gulf and North American routes toward Romania's expanding foreign-worker system. In her testimonial, she describes exploring what an international career in Romania could look like for her.

Enrolling with Trivial Chapter

Mrs. Priyanka from Pune shares that she registered with Trivial Chapter to help navigate the process — reflecting why professional guidance matters in a system that changed as fundamentally as Romania's did in 2026.

Receiving a Romania Job Offer Letter

The central milestone in her testimonial is her Romania job offer letter — the foundational document that anchors the rest of a D/AM1 or D/AM2 visa file. Her experience highlights how significant that first offer is on the road toward Romania Jobs for Indians 2026.

It's worth being precise: a job offer letter allows a visa application to begin — it is not itself a work permit, visa, or residence permit. Trivial Chapter is transparent with every applicant about exactly which stage they're at, rather than blurring these stages together.

A New Career Opportunity in Romania

Her story reflects a broader trend of Indian professionals considering Romania as a genuine entry point into the European labour market. Her testimonial doesn't detail her specific profession or employer, and we won't speculate beyond what she has shared.

Priyanka's Experience with Trivial Chapter

In her testimonial, Mrs. Priyanka thanks Trivial Chapter for assisting her throughout her process so far. See more accounts like hers on our Reviews and Testimonials pages.

What Indian Applicants Can Learn from Her Journey

  • Start by understanding whether your role fits D/AM1 or D/AM2
  • Prepare documentation — especially apostilles and translations — early
  • Understand each stage of the process rather than assuming "offer letter" means "visa in hand"
  • Research the Shortage Occupations List for D/AM2 roles
  • Verify any employer's Registered or Authorised status before signing
  • Take professional guidance where the process feels unclear
  • Plan for a realistic multi-month timeline
  • Keep the eventual PR pathway in view from the start

Watch Mrs. Priyanka's Romania Work Permit Success Story

Mrs. Priyanka from Pune shares her experience with Trivial Chapter, her Romania job offer, and her enthusiasm for the opportunity ahead:

Original Insight: What We See on the Ground

Trivial Chapter Team has watched Indian applicant interest in Romania accelerate sharply since GEO No. 32/2026 replaced the old permit system. Our observation: applicants who move fastest and most safely insist on two things before signing anything — written confirmation of employer Registered/Authorised status, and an honest statement of which stage of the process they're actually at. We deliberately avoid quoting fixed fee or salary figures for the same reason: precise numbers change fast in a reform this recent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there still a "work permit" separate from the visa in Romania?+
No. GEO No. 32/2026 repealed the old work and secondment permit system. The D/AM1 and D/AM2 long-stay visas now function as the single authorisation to work.
What's the difference between D/AM1 and D/AM2?+
D/AM1 is for highly qualified workers and isn't subject to the annual quota or Shortage Occupations List. D/AM2 covers general labour, is quota-bound, and requires the role to be on the current Shortage Occupations List.
Can I get a Romania work visa without IELTS?+
GEO No. 32/2026 does not impose a blanket language-testing requirement at the visa stage, though individual employers may have their own job-specific language expectations.
How much does a Romania work visa cost from India in 2026?+
Published figures vary by source and visa category; we recommend confirming the current D/AM1/D/AM2 fee directly with the Romanian Embassy or WorkinRomania.gov.ro rather than relying on a single quoted number.
How long does the process take?+
Realistically, a minimum of about two months from employer registration to visa issuance, plus consulate processing time, based on early post-reform reporting.
Does a Romania job offer letter mean my work permit is approved?+
No. A job offer letter is the foundational document that allows the employer to file the single request — it precedes the visa application and residence permit stages, not the other way around.
Can a Romania work visa lead to permanent residence?+
It can be the starting point of Romania's standard residence pathway, but PR has its own separate continuity and integration requirements outside the scope of the 2026 employment-visa reform.
How do I verify a Romania immigration consultant in India?+
Check whether they're transparent about which visa category applies to you, whether they separate government fees from service fees, and how they describe your actual stage in the process.

Conclusion

Romania's 2026 reform replaced a confusing, multi-step permit system with two clearly defined visa categories — D/AM1 for highly qualified workers, D/AM2 for quota-bound general labour — issued through a single digital platform. Mrs. Priyanka's story shows what the first real milestone in that process looks like in practice: a job offer letter, secured with guidance, and a career opportunity still unfolding.

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About the Author

Trivial Chapter Team shares educational immigration content and transparent guidance to help applicants understand European immigration services, work visa procedures, client experiences, testimonials, documentation, and legal immigration routes — grounded in official government and EU sources. View more guides.