The key distinction: skilled professionals (D/AM1) face no quota, while practical workers (D/AM2) must be in a shortage occupation and apply before the quota fills.

IT and Engineering

Romania has a strong, growing IT sector, and skilled tech professionals benefit from the new quota-free D/AM1 route — the clearest and most flexible skilled path. Many IT roles operate in English. Engineering is also in demand across the country's industrial base.

Healthcare

Doctors and nurses are genuinely needed, though healthcare requires recognition and Romanian language. Highly qualified medical roles can use the D/AM1 route.

This is where Romania genuinely stands out. Its construction and manufacturing sectors generate enormous demand for practical workers.

Construction is the single largest employer of foreign workers in Romania, with strong, sustained demand for trades and general site workers. Manufacturing and assembly add large-scale practical demand, and logistics and services follow.

Under the 2026 reform, most of these general-labour roles fall under the D/AM2 route, which is quota-bound and gated by the shortage-occupation list — so check that your occupation is listed and apply early. The familiar principle still applies: a trade beats general labour, and a qualified welder or electrician has a stronger route. But unlike much of Western Europe, Romania offers practical workers a genuine, legal, large-scale path.

If you are searching for genuine openings and want structured, trustworthy help assessing whether a role is realistic, you can explore job seeker support from EU Helpers.

Romanian is the official language and helps considerably with daily life and most practical roles, though IT and international companies may use English, giving skilled professionals options.

On pay, Romania offers modest wages but among the lowest living costs in the EU (minimum wage around RON 4,325/month from mid-2026), so judge offers against local prices. A practical caution: because Romania recruits heavily from Asia, fraudulent offers are a known risk — verify the employer, insist on a proper bilingual contract, and never pay large upfront fees for a permit or quota slot.

This EU Helpers guide is general information, not legal advice. Romania's rules are set by the authorities and are being significantly reformed under GEO 32/2026, including the D/AM1 and D/AM2 visa split, the shortage-occupation list, and the annual quota. What applies to you depends on your nationality, employer, occupation, and route. Confirm current requirements through official Romanian sources such as IGI and WorkinRomania.gov.ro, or a qualified professional.

Romania rewards workers across the skill spectrum — a genuine rarity in the EU. Skilled professionals in IT and engineering have the smoothest path, thanks to the new quota-free D/AM1 route and English-speaking tech workplaces. Healthcare is in real demand (with recognition and Romanian required).

For practical workers, Romania's construction and manufacturing sectors offer large-scale, legal opportunities that much of Western Europe does not — but under the 2026 reform, these general-labour (D/AM2) roles are quota-bound and tied to the shortage-occupation list, so check the list and apply early. Whatever your level, lead with any recognised skill, secure a bilingual contract, and stay alert to fraud. If you would like trustworthy help identifying in-demand roles and preparing a competitive application, you can explore job seeker support from EU Helpers. EU Helpers is here to help you take that step with clarity and confidence.

Construction leads by a wide margin as the largest employer of foreign workers, followed by manufacturing and assembly, services, and logistics, all facing genuine labour shortages. IT offers skilled, often English-speaking roles suited to the new quota-free D/AM1 route, and healthcare and engineering also recruit. Romania is unusual in the EU for how much of its demand sits in practical work, making it accessible across both skilled and unskilled levels for international candidates.

Yes, and this is one of Romania's biggest advantages. Unlike much of Western Europe, it offers a genuine, legal, large-scale route for practical workers, driven by its huge construction and manufacturing sectors. Under the 2026 reform, most general-labour roles fall under the D/AM2 route, which is quota-bound and tied to a shortage-occupation list, so check that your occupation is listed and apply early. A recognised trade improves your prospects, but general workers still find genuine opportunities.

The D/AM1 route is for highly qualified workers and faces no quota or shortage-list constraint, making it the flexible, accessible path for skilled professionals such as IT specialists and engineers. The D/AM2 route covers general labour, including most construction and manufacturing roles, and is both quota-bound and gated by the new List of Shortage Occupations. This means practical workers must have an occupation on that list and apply before the annual quota fills, while skilled professionals have far more flexibility.

Because construction is the single largest employer of foreign workers in Romania, with strong, sustained demand for both skilled trades and general site workers, driven by infrastructure and development projects. For practical workers locked out of many Western European countries, it offers a genuine, well-established route. Under the 2026 reform, construction roles typically fall under the quota-bound D/AM2 route tied to the shortage-occupation list, so checking the list and applying early is important.

Romanian is the official language and helps considerably with daily life and most practical roles, particularly in construction, manufacturing, and customer-facing work. However, IT and international companies may operate in English, giving skilled professionals genuine options. For technology roles under the D/AM1 route, English is often sufficient to begin, though learning Romanian supports integration and broadens your opportunities. Note that employment contracts must now be bilingual under the 2026 reform.

No, Romania offers modest wages, with a minimum wage of around RON 4,325 per month from mid-2026. However, it also has among the lowest living costs in the EU, which substantially offsets the lower pay, so you should judge any offer against local prices rather than comparing directly to Western European wages. Romania's appeal lies in its accessibility, EU and Schengen membership, and genuine large-scale demand rather than in high earnings.

EU Helpers helps international job seekers target Romania's genuine demand, from skilled IT and engineering roles under the quota-free D/AM1 route to large-scale practical opportunities in construction and manufacturing under the D/AM2 route. We help you check whether a general-labour role is on the shortage-occupation list, apply before the annual quota fills, prepare a bilingual contract and legalised documents, and avoid fraud. Final decisions rest with the Romanian authorities, but EU Helpers helps you approach your search informed and organised.