Radio România Internațional

Tag: foreign workers

  • Working in Romania

    Working in Romania

    The Romanian Labor Ministry has developed new rules to combat harassment at work. According to a draft law subject to public debate, employers are to be obliged not only to take measures to prevent such cases, but also to ensure paid time off or remote work conditions for those whose life or health were put at risk by such incidents. According to the new rules, harassment is punishable even if it is manifested on the employees’ communication networks, email or WhatsApp, during work trips or in rest areas provided by the employer. The statement of reasons states that harassment is often used by companies themselves to force employees to work unpaid overtime, work to exhaustion or accept disadvantageous working conditions. The changes will be introduced in the Labor Code, and fines for non-compliance with the new provisions can reach up to 10,000 lei.

     

    Almost 2,800 foreign citizens are in the records of the Hunedoara Immigration Office, the institution reports. More than two thirds of them come from the Republic of Moldova, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and the rest from European Union countries, the majority from Italy, Germany, Austria and the Swiss Confederation. Chief Police Inspector Ciprian Mihuţ, from the Hunedoara Immigration Office, showed that the main purposes for which foreigners settled in Romania are employment and family reunification. Foreign citizens are mostly employed as unskilled workers in construction, and others work in the hospitality field. Ciprian Mihuţ also said that, in relation to combating the illegal stay of foreigners in the country, the Immigration police undertook 25 checks last year, as a result of which eight people were detected in illegal situations. Also, five return decisions were issued with a deadline for voluntary departure from the territory of Romania, two of which were for illegal stay, and three following the cancellation of the right of stay or the revocation of the entry visa. Following the issuance of return decisions, two foreigners will no longer be able to enter the territory of the member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation, for periods between 3 and 6 months.

     

    In 2024, in Prahova county, in the south of Romania, there were requests for about 7,000 jobs for the labor force from the non-European space, said the director of the County Employment Agency, Cristina Stoichici. According to her, last year’s workforce crisis will persist in 2025, which is precisely why employers in the county are turning to this form of recruitment. Regarding jobs, the head of the Prahova County Employment Agency stated that, at this moment, there are 1,395 vacancies in the county. Most are available in fields such as constructions – 128, manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles – 100, protection and security activities – 84, manufacture of other electrical equipment – 61, manufacture of bread and pastry products – 60, restaurants – 55, trade – 53, road transport of goods – 45, hotels and other accommodation facilities – 34. The unemployment rate recorded in Prahova is 2.49%.

     

    Romania is one of the preferred countries for German companies, shows a report drafted by the accounting firm KPMG and the Committee for Economic Relations in Eastern Europe. The report notes that one in five German companies interviewed intends to relocate production processes to Eastern Europe. Also, at least half of the companies expect the region to become more and more relevant from an economic point of view by 2030. Poland, the largest economy in this part of the continent, remains the preferred investment destination of 51% of German companies, followed by Romania, with 43% and Ukraine, with 41%. The most important factors for investment decisions are domestic demand, availability of skilled workers and relatively low labor costs. However, the German businessmen point out that, in addition to these advantages, German companies also take into account political risks, lack of security and the high level of corruption in Eastern Europe. 133 German companies with businesses in Central and Eastern Europe participated in this study. (LS)

  • January 7, 2025 UPDATE

    January 7, 2025 UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news

     

    FRANCE – The founder and long-time leader of the French far-right National Front party Jean-Marie Le Pen, died on Tuesday at the age of 96. Firmly against immigration and having a virulent anti-Semitic speech, Jean-Marie Le Pen founded the National Front party in 1972. He constantly attacked the European Union, which he saw as a supranational project that usurped the powers of nation states. Le Pen shook the political elite in France when he reached the second round of the 2002 presidential election, which he lost, however, to Jacques Chirac, after obtaining only 18% of the vote. He was succeeded as head of the National Front by his daughter, Marine Le Pen, who also ran for president three times and transformed the party – now called the National Assembly (Rassemblement National) – into one of the main political forces in the country.

     

     

    POVERTY – Romania continues to have the highest rate of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union, according to a recent World Bank report. In 2023, about a third of the population was in this situation, and the disparities between urban and rural areas were significant. The document also shows that incomes would have to almost double to reach the standard of 25 US dollars per day, considered a minimum of prosperity. In 2023, more than 13% of the country’s population faced difficulties in paying utility bills, with a rate of over 28% among those living in poverty. Increases in energy prices have worsened the phenomenon.

     

     

    GAS – Romania has enough natural gas reserves to get through the winter, said Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja. The statement came in the context of information reported by the media, according to which gas storage facilities in the European Union are emptying at a rapid pace. Burduja said that, at present, Romanian stocks exceed what is needed for the cold season. He explained that there are still 2,000 million cubic meters of stored gas, given that consumption is on average 20 million/day. Thus, at the end of winter, 800 million cubic meters will remain in storage facilities. Burduja also said, in an online post, that Romania has become the largest natural gas producer in the European Union last year, and starting with 2027, when the exploitation of the Black Sea deposits within the “Neptun Deep” project begins, national production will double.

     

     

    LABOR – 100,000 foreign workers could work in Romania this year, according to a project by the Romanian Ministry of Labor. Romanian companies will be allowed to bring in workers from outside the European Union to compensate for the labor shortage in areas such as construction, postal and courier activities, restaurants, hotels, retail trade in non-specialized stores or road freight transport. The labor crisis at the national level is a reality, the executive from Bucharest has acknowledged. Thus, legal immigration can be a solution to compensate for the labor shortage, but also to support economic growth. Such an approach, however, implies an efficient management of immigration, given that foreign workers replace Romanians who have chosen to go abroad on the labor market. Most foreign workers in Romania come from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.

     

     

    WORKS – Bulgarian authorities will resume, as of Wednesday, the extensive repair works of the Giurgiu-Ruse Bridge (south), the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a travel alert. Traffic will unfold on a single lane, based on a traffic light system. Repairs to the Friendship Bridge over the Danube River began in July 2024 and were temporarily seized during the winter holidays.

     

     

  • September 26, 2024 UPDATE

    September 26, 2024 UPDATE

     

    FLOODS The Danube flood tide is expected to reach Romania on October 2-3, when the river flow rate is expected to reach 9,500 cubic metres per second, the manager of the Romanian Waters National Agency, Sorin Lucaci, announced. The Emergency Directorate announced measures have already been prepared, and will be adjusted to the new circumstances triggered by the heavy rainfalls announced for this weekend. The Emergency Directorate chief, Raed Arafat, said at the end of today’s Cabinet meeting that citizens will be kept informed, including through the Ro-Alert emergency service, and that local authorities have been instructed to identify vulnerable citizens and to plan for their timely evacuation. The Danube has so far caused major floods in the countries it transits, as Storm Ashley has hit Europe, bringing low temperatures, strong wind and massive rainfalls.

     

    UN Insecure as today’s world may be, the answer to our problems will always be more cooperation and more solidarity, said Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis in his address at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. He also highlighted Romania’s efforts and contribution to solving current global challenges, from security crises such as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict to the major challenges facing the world. Iohannis pointed out that security is not a regional, but a global matter, and that the war waged by Russia in Ukraine has affected nations and people around the globe.

     

    ECONOMY The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development significantly revised downwards its economic growth forecast for Romania this year, as the lower outsourcing demand has hit the IT sector, according to a report released on Thursday. The EBRD expects Romania’s GDP to grow by 1.4% this year, down from its previous estimate of 3.2% in May. For next year, the EBRD expects a 2.6% growth rate, down from the 3.4% figure proposed in May. The increase in the minimum wage in Romania and Bulgaria has stimulated demand but led to a growth in the trade deficit and added to inflationist pressure, the report also says. The EBRD mentions that the latest forecasts of the Tax Council in Bucharest indicate an increase in the budget deficit to around 8% of GDP this year. The International Monetary Fund also revised downwards its forecast concerning Romania’s economic growth this year, from 3.8% last October to 2.8% in its World Economic Outlook released in April this year. Last week, the National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis revised its estimates concerning the GDP growth down to 2.8% from 3.4% previously.

     

    EU The European Commission has initiated 2 infringement procedures against Romania, and requests notification on the progress in implementing 2 directives. The infringement package targets 26 member states, with Denmark as the exception. The first procedure against Romania concerns its failing to fully transpose into national law the provisions of the revised Renewable Energy Directive related to the simplification and acceleration of permitting procedures. Romania and the other 25 notified states should have transposed the directive by July 1, 2024. The second notification, received by a total 17 member states, has to do with failing to notify their national measures transposing the Accounting Directive, the Transparency Directive and the Audit Directive. The deadline was July 6, 2024. In both cases, Romania has 2 months to fully transpose the directives and to notify the European Commission.

     

    IMMIGRATION Romania is becoming more and more attractive to foreign workers, according to a survey conducted by the Foundation for the Development of Civil Society. The home countries of most foreign workers in Romania include Nepal, Turkey, Italy, Moldova, Sri Lanka and India. They work in constructions, the hospitality industry and retail, and according to the Immigration Inspectorate General 80% of them get unskilled jobs. Integrating foreign workers is not easy, but it is important for Romania’s economic development, says the head of the EU representative office in Romania, Ramona Chiriac. She said foreign workers are facing language barriers and abuse by employers. In this respect, several ministries are working together on legislation to help immigrants, the PM’s office has announced. In 2023, the number of foreign workers employed in Romania was 200,000.

     

    BUSINESS Members of the Romanian business community complain that, in spite of their investments in dual education, many of the youth completing such programmes leave the country. The deputy chair of the Romanian Association of Small and Mid-sized Traders, Feliciu Paraschiv, says there are no guarantees that those who provide financial support to a student for 2-3 years will eventually benefit from the knowledge they have gained, and that Romanian entrepreneurs end up training the future employees of more developed countries. Paraschiv believes education institutions should be more connected to the actual demand in the economy and highlighted the need for a change in the public perception of certain jobs.

     

    CITIES The city of Braşov, in central Romania, is viewed as the most attractive city to live in, according to an urban attractiveness survey conducted by the Institute for Visionary Cities. Braşov is followed by Cluj-Napoca and Oradea, in the north-west, Sibiu, in the centre, Timişoara (west), Constanţa (south-east), the capital city Bucharest, Iaşi (north-east), Alba Iulia (centre), and Piatra Neamţ (north-east). The survey looks at moving plans and the overall perception of the quality of life. The authors highlighted that leisure opportunities have proved to be the most important element for interviewees, overshadowing traditional factors such as well-paying jobs and infrastructure. The latter still ranks second, followed by a city’s capacity to encourage creativity and innovation.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu Thursday defeated China’s Ye-Xin Ma, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing. Begu (34, ranked 103rd WTA) is next to take on seed no. 17, Mirra Andreeva (Russia). In the same competition, another Romanian player, Jaqueline Christian, defeated Ana Bondar (Hungary), 1-6, 6-7, whereas Gabriela Ruse lost to Sijia Wei (China), 4-6, 6-7. (AMP)

  • November 4, 2021 UPDATE

    November 4, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid — Almost 9,000 SARS-CoV-2 contamination in 24 hours and 489 deaths, of which 55 prior to the reference interval, were announced on Thursday in Romania. All beds in ICUs at national level are occupied, and 1,902 patients are hospitalized, of whom 33 are children. Most new cases were registered in Bucharest, where the incidence rate stands at 12.44 cases per thousand inhabitants, on a downward trend for 13 days. The president of the Medical College, Daniel Coriu, stated that over 92% of the infected people who have died were not vaccinated against COVID. The vaccination rate has slowed in recent days, after it was on an upward trend for two weeks. Over 82 thousand people have got vaccinated against Covid in the past 24 hours, of whim 43 thousand with the first dose. The total number of fully vaccinated people is a little over 6,400,000.



    Government — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Thursday evening that he would call the parties for consultations when an assumed parliamentary majority that wants to propose a government is formed. According to him, it is clear that the attempts at forming minority governments have not yielded results. Iohannis recalled that the latest proposal did not gather enough votes in Parliament and the Ciuca Government did not go for approval in Parliament. The last Prime Minister designate, the liberal Nicolae Ciucă, relinquished his mandate, on Monday, after having failed to obtain parliamentary support for a minority government made up of the PNL – UDMR. The first person President Iohannis appointed as prime minister was the USR leader, Dacian Ciolos, who did not gain Parliament’s support. We remind you that the government led by the liberal Florin Citu was dismissed by a censure motion. Meanwhile, negotiations between the parties continue. The Liberal representatives discussed on Thursday with those of the opposition Social Democratic Party – PSD for the formation of a government with full powers and a stable majority in Parliament. On Wednesday, the Liberals resumed negotiations with USR and according to the PNL leader, Florin Cîţu, there are great chances for the right-wing coalition to be rebuilt. USR leader Dacian Cioloş was more reserved and is waiting for the Liberals decision, after discussions with PSD.



    EBRD – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD has significantly improved its estimates on Romania’s economic growth in 2021 forecasting a 7.2% growth this year as against 6% as it estimated in June, a report published on Thursday shows. In 2022 the Recovery and Resilience Facility could lead to a rise in investment and a gradual increase in exports whereas the reduced private consumption and the fiscal consolidation could translate into a 4.4% GDP growth, the bank experts believe. According to them the main risk is posed by the development of the pandemic as Romania has the second slowest EU vaccination rate. According to the EBRD, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria are seeing a significant economic recovery after the difficult year 2020. Romania’s main growth engine seems to be its domestic demand.



    Tax evasion – The European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) coordinated an action following which 4 people were arrested and 23 million Euros worth of assets were confiscated in a tax evasion case in the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia. According to an EPPO statement, those arrested are suspected of organized crime and tax evasion. The core of the criminal activity was located in Hamburg (Germany), and the money laundering was organized by companies from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with important connections in Romania. EPPO started operating on 1 June this year, being an independent EU body in charge of investigating, prosecuting and arraignment of those who perpetrated crimes against the EUs financial interests, including: fraud, corruption, money laundering, cross border VAT fraud. 22 of the 27 EU states are members of the EPPO.



    COP 26 — Nuclearelectrica executive director Cosmin Ghiţă and NuScale Power (USA) President and CEO John Hopkins on Thursday signed in Glasgow the official documents of the agreement based on which the two companies will work together to build a small modular nuclear reactor (Small Modular Reactor – SMR) in Romania. The power plant will be the first of its kind built in Europe. Nucleaelectrica and NuScale Power have concluded the partnership for its construction at a recent meeting of the heads of state, government officials, non-governmental associations and scientists at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.



    Foreign workers — The Romanian Labor Ministry suggest an increase in the number of newly admitted foreign workers on the Romanian labor market to 100,000 by 2022, double the figure reported in 2021. Foreign labor force is needed for the construction of residential and non-residential buildings, restaurants and road transport of goods. According to data provided by the General Inspectorate for Immigration, most foreign citizens who come to work in Romania are from Vietnam, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey and Nepal.



    WHO — The World Health Organization is concerned about the deteriorating health situation in Europe, currently considered the epicenter of the pandemic. According to the organizations director for Europe, Hans Kluge, the current transmission rate is worrying in several countries, and if the trend continues, there could be half a million new deaths by February. According to the WHO, the most complicated situations are currently reported in Eastern European countries that have poor vaccination coverage. Most deaths reported in the last seven days were registered in Russia, over 8,000, in Ukraine, 3,800 and in Romania, 3,100. The UK and Belgium have also been facing a surge in the number of new contaminations. A record number of new infections, almost 34,000, in 24 hours, has been reported in Germany, a situation that it last faced in December last year.




    Wrestling — The Romanian athlete Andreea Beatrice Ana won the gold medal in the 55 kg category on Thursday, in the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, after defeating the Russian Viktoria Vaulina in the final. Also on Thursday, another Romanian, Stefania Claudia Priceputu, won the bronze medal in the 50 kg category, after defeating the Tunisian, Sarra Hamdi (LS)

  • January 3, 2021

    January 3, 2021

    Covid-19 Ro. As of Monday, vaccination
    against COVID-19 start in Romania in over 90% of the 370 centers set up for the
    vaccination of the medical staff, so about 20,000 people will be immunized
    daily. The statement was made by the coordinator of the national vaccination
    campaign, Col. Dr. Valeriu Gheorghiţă, who mentioned that, since December 27,
    when the immunization of medical staff began, about 13,200 people have been
    vaccinated and 27 minor side effects have been reported. The most recent report
    of the Strategic Communication Group in Bucharest indicates over 3400 new cases
    of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in 24 hours in Romania. So far, since the onset
    of the pandemic, some 640 thousand cases have been confirmed. The number of
    deaths associated with COVID-19 is close to 16,000, and currently 1,119
    patients are in intensive care.








    Pandemic. In parallel with vaccination
    campaigns, new restrictions to curb the coronavirus pandemic mark the beginning
    of the year. After a relaxing break during the Christmas and New Year holidays,
    the Greek authorities have decided to re-impose harsh restrictions today, which
    will end on January 11: a ban on night traffic and the closure of stores and
    beauty shops, and also of churches. Schools will also remain closed. France
    will apply travel restrictions from 18:00, not 20:00 as before, and Germany
    will consider extending the quarantine after January 10. The British government
    has decided to postpone the resumption of classes in all primary schools in
    London, and in Italy it is the fourth day of national quarantine. At the same
    time, anyone coming from abroad will be quarantined for two weeks. With nearly
    21 million infections confirmed so far and about 358,000 deaths, the United
    States remains the most affected country in the world. On the other hand, the
    more contagious strain of the virus, initially found in the UK, is being
    detected in a growing number of other countries.










    Statistics. Romanians
    have officially become the second largest foreign nationality in Austria,
    according to a statement from Statistics Austria. The data show that the number of Romanian citizens living
    in Austria went up in 2019 by 10,777 people, reaching 123,461 on January 1st,
    2020. This strong increase sent the Romanians to the second position, after
    Germans (200,059 people) and ahead of citizens of Serbia (122,364) and Turkey
    (117,640), reads the communiqué. According to preliminary results, 1,487,020
    people of foreign nationality live in Austria, which accounts for 16.7% of the
    total population.






    Visit. The President of the Republic
    of Moldova (the former Soviet country with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population), pro-Western
    Maia Sandu, will pay an official visit to Ukraine on January 12, the
    Presidential Secretary General Andrei Spinu has announced. The information was
    previously published by Igor Iovka, a representative of the Ukrainian Press
    Office, according to which this visit, the first since the election of Maia
    Sandu, will mark a reset of the relations between Chisinau and Kiev. The
    political relationship between the two states was cold during the period when
    the President of the Republic of Moldova was Igor Dodon, a declared
    pro-Russian. The first high-level visit received by Maia Sandu after taking
    over the presidency was that of the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, on
    December 29. The two officials adopted a joint statement aimed at strengthening
    the strategic partnership between Bucharest and Chisinau




    Employment. In Romania, the quota of
    newly admitted foreign workers on the labor market will decrease this year by
    5,000 people, from 30,000 in 2020. The decision was made based on the latest
    data submitted by the General Inspectorate for Immigration, which indicated a
    decrease in the number of employment / posting notices issued to foreign
    nationals in the first 10 months of 2020. Another reason was that, as of this
    year, employers are exempted from the obligation to obtain employment permits
    for citizens the Republic of Moldova,
    Ukraine and the Republic of Serbia, with an individual full-time employment
    contract, for a maximum period of nine months in a calendar year.









    (M. Ignatescu)

  • January 31, 2019 UPDATE

    January 31, 2019 UPDATE

    Flu epidemic — 63 people have so far died because of the flu in Romania, it has been announced in Bucharest. None of the victims had been vaccinated. Schools have remained open across Romania despite the flu epidemic declared on Wednesday. Classes are suspended only is more than 20% of the students come down with the flu. So far it has been decided that 14 schools and kindergartens from Bucharest and several others across Romania should be closed.



    Meeting — The Romanian interior minister Carmen Dan on Thursday talked with the British ambassador Andrew Noble about the latest developments regarding Brexit. Minister Dan underlined that the Romanian authorities’ priority was to protect the rights of the Romanian citizens from the UK. As regards the British citizens on Romania’s territory, the Romanian interior minister has given assurances that their rights will be respected irrespective of what happens with Brexit, in the spirit of the two countries’ mutual respect. In turn, the British ambassador said that these talks were welcomed by the British citizens in Romania and that they would continue, also at technical level, in accordance with the developments related to Brexit. The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29.



    Brussels — The European Parliament on Thursday recognized, in Brussels, the opposition leader Juan Guaido as ‘the only legitimate interim president’ of Venezuela and called on the EU countries to do the same so as to adopt a ‘firm and common stand’ in a resolution voted by a large majority. They recognized the Venezuelan opposition leader as interim president until new elections can be called in order to restore democracy. The MEPs condemned the fierce repression and violence in Venezuela, resulting in killings and casualties and asked the Venezuelan authorities to halt all human rights violations. The Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who has been holding power since 2013, said no presidential election would be held in Venezuela. Juan Guaido is backed by tens of countries among which the US and other important countries from Latin America. Washington announced sanctions aimed at Venezuela’s oil industry while Moscow expressed its diplomatic support for Maduro. (news updated by L. Simion)

  • Incentives for foreign workers in Romania

    Incentives for foreign workers in Romania


    As the decision-making body on this matter, the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest has passed a bill amending the labor legislation concerning the status of foreigners in Romania. The bill brings amendments and additions to two Government decrees passed in 2012 and 2014, in the sense that it transposes a 2016 Directive of the European Parliament and the European Council into national law. The said directive concerns the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing.



    The new law stipulates that foreign nationals coming to Romania to work must be extended their right of temporary residence upon presenting their full-time individual employment agreement, subsequent to its being registered at the general record of employees, which shows that the current salary is at least the equivalent of the gross national-guaranteed minimum wage. In the case of highly-skilled workers, the salary should be at least twice the national average wage.



    Foreign workers appointed at the helm of a subsidiary, representation or branch of a foreign company operating on Romanian soil, based on a contract of mandate or any other document of equal judicial value, will benefit from an extension of their temporary work permits without being obliged to present an employment agreement. However, the aforementioned workers need to provide proof of subsistence resulted from said activity, which should be equal to or greater than the gross national-guaranteed minimum wage, the law also stipulates.



    In addition, foreign nationals entering Romania to work as au pairs can obtain an extension of their temporary rights of residence upon presenting their part-time individual employment agreements, subsequent to their being registered in the general record of employees, provided normal working hours do not exceed 25 hours per week and the value of the contract is equal to or greater than the gross national-guaranteed minimum wage, estimated based on a working time fraction analysis.



    According to other adopted pieces of legislation, the Border Police can now deny entry into the country to any foreign national who has been given a custodial sentence exceeding three years for crimes committed in bad faith on the territory of Romania or any other country. The long-term study permit can be obtained, upon request, by foreign nationals applying for a visa as students, interns, pupils or participants in a student exchange or educational program. In this case, the application must be accompanied by all the supporting documents.


    (translated by Vlad Palcu)




  • Romania’s workforce crisis and foreign workers

    Romania’s workforce crisis and foreign workers

    Given its
    population decline and the emigration of so many of its people since 1990, it
    was to be expected that Romania would face a workforce deficit at some point.
    The situation has gotten worse from one year to the next, so that Romania has had
    no choice other than to import staff to occupy the vacancies. At the moment,
    Romania has the second highest demand in the European Union for workers from
    outside the European Union, after the Czech Republic. Most of the foreign
    workers employed in Romania in 2018 come from Vietnam, namely 35%, followed by
    Turkey, Nepal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, China and the Republic of Moldova.




    The workforce crisis
    is being felt in particularly in such fields as the restaurant industry, the
    construction of ships and floating structures, the clothing and footwear retail
    trade, as well as in the residential and non-residential building industry. Accidentally
    or not, these are partly also the areas employing the Romanians who have now settled
    in EU and non-EU countries for a number of years. That is one possible
    explanation for Romania’s workforce deficit, whose causes are also to be found
    in the situation of the country’s education system, says the S&D Euro MP and
    businesswoman Maria Grapini:




    It must be said
    that the workforce crisis affects execution position, not positions that
    require higher education. Unfortunately, we now see the results of closing
    vocational schools a few years ago, although the dual education system has started
    to function in the meantime. The law on in-work apprenticeship has also been
    passed. But the demand for more workers is not yet met. My firms are active in
    the textile industry, which is confronted with a serious crisis when it comes
    to skills that used to be acquired in vocational schools, such as weaving and
    dyeing. Not to mention of occupations such as that of electrician, welder,
    lathe operator, etc.




    We are mainly importing
    unskilled work, confirm the representatives of consultancy and human resources
    firms, such as Dana Ionescu, a global mobility manager with ADECCO, who says
    that importing foreign workers is not cheap:




    It is in no way
    cheaper to import foreign citizens instead of hiring citizens from Romania. There
    are some salary-related restrictions for certain types of workers. While a
    Romanian citizen can be hired for the minimum wage, a foreign citizen for whom
    a work permit is obtained must be offered the average wage. To this we add the
    cost of the paperwork: the fee of the consultancy firm, the translation of
    documents, notary fees as well as other taxes.




    Irrespective of
    the causes of the workforce crisis and its costs, Romanian employers need a growing
    number of foreign workers and have called on the government to issue more work
    permits. The human resources expert Dana Ionescu will give us more details:




    Data centralised by the National Employment Agency
    show that out of the total number of vacancies reported in the first semester
    of 2018 and made available to the people who are looking for a job and who are
    registered as beneficiaries of unemployment benefit, 31,464 jobs were repeatedly
    reported as vacant by employers. Due to this deficit, there emerged the need to
    increase considerably, from one year to the next, the number of foreign workers
    that can be hired on Romania’s territory. This number is approved by a
    government order at the beginning of each year, and it is later modified during
    the year.




    This year, the number approved by the government
    according to types of workers newly admitted on the labour market has increased
    by 55% as compared to the same period of 2017. Initially, the numbers for 2018
    included 7,000 workers and, in August, the authorities decided to increase it
    to a record number, according to Dana Ionescu:




    For the permanent workers category the amount doubled
    from 4,000 to 8,000, while the number of posted workers has grown more than
    four times. It remains to be seen if another increase will be needed by the end
    of the year.




    Besides measures such as correlating training with the
    market needs and applying the in-work apprenticeship law, the idea of
    encouraging Romanians to return home has also been discussed. But, in this
    case, there emerge other obstacles, according to Euro MP Maria Grapini:




    People have lost confidence. When I visited Spain, I
    met the representatives of the Romanian community there. They told me they
    don’t trust the sustainability of the labour market. They have not raised the
    issue of wages but the long-term sustainability of jobs. We need public
    policies focused on this very aspect.




    Until then, importing workforce is the solution at
    hand. Talks have been held on simplifying the legislation for bringing in workforce
    from abroad. The authorities are also considering the elimination of a
    provision regarding the average salary, because, once the government has set the
    minimum wage, it should be up to the market to decide the level of wages for
    employees depending on their training and expertise. It remains to be seen of
    these ideas will turn into laws.

  • 3 August, 2018

    3 August, 2018

    Foreign workers. The government in Bucharest has
    agreed to increase the number of non-EU foreign workers in Romania by an
    additional 8,000, following the request of several businesses. The number of
    work permits issued this year has already increased by 50%. According to the
    General Immigration Inspectorate, 4,395 work and posting permits had been
    issued until July, mostly for workers from Vietnam, Turkey, Nepal, Serbia, Sri
    Lanka, China and the Republic of Moldova. 17,000 non-EU foreign workers are
    currently employed in Romania, mainly in areas such as the restaurant business,
    the building of ships and floating structures, trade and constructions.




    Tourism. Tourist structures in Romania have reported more than 5.2 million
    arrivals in the first six months of the year, up more than 4% compared with the
    same time last year. According to the National Institute for Statistics,
    Romanian tourists account for almost 76% of the number of arrivals. Among
    foreign tourists, the largest number of arrivals came from Germany, Israel and
    Italy. The border authorities have reported over 5.1 million entries from
    foreign visitors, 7% more than last year. Most foreign visitors to Romania come
    from countries in Europe. The largest number of entries are from Bulgaria,
    Hungary and Italy.




    Virus. Romanian farmers will be able
    to replace the losses caused by African swine fever, said the agriculture
    minister in Bucharest Petre Daea. According to the animal and food safety body,
    the number of hotbeds in Romania has reached 545. Almost 60,000 sick pigs have
    been culled so far. The authorities have called on the population to allow the
    culling of sick animals and respect prevention measures. The farmers affected
    have received compensations. Payments of around 32,000 euros have been made so
    far. The African swine fever virus cannot be transmitted to humans, but its
    social and economic impact is significant. The virus has been spreading fast
    since the beginning of June.




    Wheat. Cairo, the world’s biggest
    wheat importer, on Thursday bought 240,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia and
    Romania at a tender held by the General Authority for Supply Commodities in
    Cairo, the body responsible for strategic grain purchases on behalf of the
    Egyptian state. Russia is to supply 180,000 tonnes of wheat and Romania 60,000.
    The deliveries will be made between the 11th and the 20th
    of September. The confusion over Egypt’s policy regarding ergot, a type of
    fungus found in grain, last year caused turbulence on the global wheat markets.
    Eventually, the Egyptian government abandoned its zero tolerance policy for
    imports of wheat containing ergot.




    Festival. Untold, the biggest
    electronic music festival in Romania, got under way last night in the
    Transylvanian city of Cluj Napoca. The opening was attended by tens of
    thousands of people and saw fireworks displays and laser shows. The festival’s
    10 different stages are hosting 250 acts over the course of four days. The main
    stage is twice as big as last year, measuring 80 metres in length and 31 metres
    in height. The line-up features acts such as The Chainsmokers, Armin van
    Buuren, Tiesto, Tujamo and Afrojack. For the first time, the concerts are
    broadcast live on YouTube. More than 1,100 gendarme and police forces, fire-fighters
    and medical staff have been deployed and dozens of surveillance cameras have
    been put in place.






    Football. The Romanian
    vice-champions FCSB on Thursday defeated the Slovenian side NK Rudar Velenje 4-nil in the decisive leg of the Europa League second
    preliminary round and are advancing to the next round. The Romanian side also
    won the first leg at home, 2-nil. They will meet the Croatian side Hajduk Split
    in the third round. Also on Thursday, Viitorul Constanta were eliminated by the
    Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem after losing 1-3 away. They drew 2-all in the first
    leg. The Romanian champions CFR Cluj, who were eliminated by the Swedish side
    Malmo FF in the Champions League second preliminary round, will also play in
    the Europa League third round, where they will face the Armenian side
    Alashkert. The winner of the Romanian Cup CSU Craiova also
    play in the third round against the German side RB
    Leipzig.



  • Foreign workers in Romania

    Foreign workers in Romania

    Romanian companies in sectors such as the hotel business, public food, production, light industry, agriculture, constructions and services have hired in recent years foreign workers from outside the European Union, according to a survey conducted by Smartree, a company providing market research services with respect to salary and staff management. Most foreign workers in Romania come from the Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Thailand, countries with lower living standards than in Romania. According to the survey, the first initiatives to recruit workforce from abroad appeared in Romania 2 or 3 years ago.



    The reasons for which Romanian employers resorted to this strategy vary and include the migration of certain social categories to more developed countries in the West, a drop in birth rates and the changing demands for various jobs caused by the new technologies and the inability of the Romanian education system to adjust in order to meet the demands on the labour market. The high costs of hiring workforce from abroad and the relatively long duration of projects are the biggest disadvantages, alongside cultural differences and language. The list also includes the integration of foreign workers into a new culture, the process of international recruitment and the volatility of the new workforce.



    However, there are also many advantages for the countries with large numbers of foreign workers. These countries gradually become more cosmopolitan, more multi-cultural, allowing them to draw on a series of new skills that can contribute to the progress of society through innovation and creativity, the survey also shows. To be able to hire foreign workers, Romanian employers must follow several stages: obtain an employment permit, a visa for long-stay and the right to reside in Romania, and a stay permit for employment or posting. The employment permit is issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration and its local branches, and the company that applies for it must meet certain requirements, such as not owing money to the state budget in the quarter before applying for the permit.



    The benefit package for a foreign worker may include the payment of a flight ticket to Romania, shared accommodation, and in some cases also free transport to work and a paid flight to the country of origin after a certain amount of time. Also, foreign workers may benefit from meals and a cook to prepare dishes from their native area. To facilitate their settling in, employers sometimes also provide the group of foreign workers with a translator.


    (Translated by C. Mateescu)


  • 28 January, 2017

    28 January, 2017

    Merkel-Iohannis. German
    chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday called Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis to
    express her support for the continuation of the fight against corruption in
    Romania. She also voiced her concern about the possibility that certain actions
    may affect the country’s efforts to combat this phenomenon. President Iohannis
    assured the German chancellor that he was firmly committed to continuing the
    fight against corruption in Romania with a view to building a mature and solid
    democracy. The president said that, at regional level, Romania remains a
    reliable partner and one of the most important pillars of stability. He said
    that, in the context of complex crises at international level, Romanian-German
    cooperation has become very dynamic, both within the European Union and NATO, a
    trend that must continue. During their telephone conversation, the two leaders
    also spoke about the excellent stage of the special strategic relationship
    between their countries and the consolidation and deepening of bilateral political
    dialogue, as well as enhancing coordination on European matters.




    2017 budget. The draft budget for 2017 will be discussed
    on Tuesday by the government after a meeting of the Country’s Supreme Defence
    Council called by president Klaus Iohannis on Friday to approve the draft
    budget of national security institutions proposed by the government. Initially,
    the latter said it would adopt the draft budget on Friday and submit it to
    Parliament for debate. Prime minister Sorin Grindeanu explained that his cabinet’s
    wish was for the new budget to cover all measures contained in the governing
    programme and that the fact that certain institutions may receive less money
    does not threaten their activity. The 2017 budget is based on a 5.2% economic
    growth rate, while the budget deficit is estimated at 2.96% of the GDP. The
    areas of transports, agriculture, healthcare and small and medium sized
    enterprises will receive the largest amount of funds. Education, energy,
    regional development, the home office, the foreign office, the president’s
    office, the two chambers of Parliament and the Foreign Intelligence Service are
    to receive less money than in 2016.




    Foreign workers quota. Romanian
    employers may hire this year 5,500 foreign nationals newly admitted to the
    labour market, according to a decision issued on Friday by the government in
    Bucharest. These are citizens of countries other than those part of the
    European Union and the European Economic Area or Switzerland and whose access
    to the labour market is regulated by agreements and treaties signed by Romania
    with other states. The government has also established the number and type of
    newly admitted foreign workers: 3,500 permanent workers, 200 seasonal workers,
    200 internship workers, 100 cross-border workers, 800 highly qualified workers
    and 700 posted workers. The number of newly admitted foreign workers in Romania
    is established every year by government decision. This ensures a control of
    foreign workers entering Romania and restricts the number of foreign posted workers
    whose social security contributions are paid in the country of origin.
    According to the government, the budget revenue resulting from the issuing of
    hiring and posting authorisations for newly admitted workers in Romania is
    estimated at 1.1 million euros.




    USA measures. US president Donald Trump on Friday announced a
    tougher legal framework for immigration and refugee admission to prevent what
    he called radical Islamic terrorists from entering the US. Trump has banned
    the entry of Syrian refugees until further notice. He also halted the issuing
    of visas for the citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, namely Iraq,
    Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, for three months. The federal
    programme for the admission of refugees of all nationalities from countries at
    war has been halted for four months. Rights
    groups have immediately condemned
    the measures. The United Nations has
    called on Trump to continue the US’s long tradition of protecting those who
    are fleeing conflict and persecution and not to distinguish on grounds of
    race, religion and nationality. The American Civil Liberties Union criticised
    the use of the words extreme vetting, saying it was a euphemism for discrimination
    against Muslims.




    Handball. CSM Bucharest, the European defending champion
    in women’s handball, drew 26-all at home against the Norwegian side Larvik HK
    in a Champions League group match on Friday. The winner of the European title
    in 2011, Larvik are now third in their group. The leaders of the group are the
    Hungarian side ETO Gyor and the Slovenian side Krim Ljubljana, with 6 points each, followed by Larvik with
    5 points, the Danish side FC Midtjlland with 4 points, CSM Bucharest with 3
    points and another Danish side, Team Esbjerg, with 2 points. CSM will next face
    Krim on the 4th of February in Ljubljana.