Dentons: Conditions for the Ukrainian refugees to access the Romanian job market

Ukrainian citizens can work in Romania on the basis of a full-time individual work agreement without the need for a work permit and without observing the nine-month period in a year limit for an employment agreement, as under the normal rules, according to Dentons’ legal team in Bucharest.

In addition, the right of residence for work purposes is extended without the need to obtain a long-stay working visa. Ukrainian citizens from the armed conflict zone of Ukraine who do not have documents proving their professional qualifications or work experience required for a job may be hired for a period of 12 months with the possibility of extending that by six-month periods for up to one year, on the basis of an affidavit stating that (i) they meet the conditions of professional qualifications and work experience required for the job they are to be hired for and (ii) they do not have a criminal record incompatible with the activity they intend to carry out in Romania. The affidavit is not applicable to some professions, such as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, general medical assistants, midwives, veterinary surgeons, architects, etc.

The above provisions apply to those who are not seeking any form of protection (e.g. asylum); more resources on this topic, here.

Against the backdrop of Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine, the Council of the European Union has issued Decision no. 382/2022, which establishes the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine and introduces temporary protection. This Decision was published in the Official Journal of European Union on March 4, 2022. Romania subsequently issued Government Emergency Ordinance no. 20/2022, which was published in the Official Gazette on March 8, 2022. The Ordinance became effective on March 11.