Country playbook · RO
Hiring Thai workers in Romania
Welders and industrial trades - a large legal quota and a Romanian embassy that issues the work visa in Bangkok.
Minimum wage 2026
4,325 RON
≈ €855 gross/mo, from Jul 2026 (4,050 until Jun)
Typical welder pay
5,000-7,800 RON
≈ €990-1,545 gross/mo
2026 quota (D/AM2 visas)
90,000
not divided by sector
Signed order → on site
≈ 3-5 months
D/AM2 filing paused since 15 Sep 2026
Romania is one of the biggest legal importers of non-EU labour in the union, and 2026 rebuilt the whole system around it. A new emergency ordinance moved everything onto one digital platform, split the route into a quota-free track for specialists and a quota track for general labour, and - unusually - Romania keeps an embassy in Bangkok that issues the employment visa directly. For Thai welders and industrial crews that is a short, well-worn corridor.
The visa route
One online visa application, D/AM1 or D/AM2
Emergency Ordinance 32/2026 (in force 27 April 2026) abolished the separate work permit (aviz de angajare). Since 8 August 2026 a non-EU hire is one online application on WorkinRomania.gov.ro for a D/AM1 or D/AM2 long-stay visa, and the route depends on the qualification of the worker.
Register first, then one application per worker
The employer registers on WorkinRomania.gov.ro first: no tax debts, at least a year of activity in a field that matches the job (not required for D/AM1), no undeclared-work sanctions in the past 12 months. After that, a single online application per worker replaces the old permit and the separate visa file, and the platform runs the labour, immigration and consular checks together.
Two tracks - specialist vs general labour
D/AM1 covers highly qualified staff, which in Romanian law generally means a higher-education qualification and pay at least at the national average gross wage. The registered employer files it itself, outside the quota. D/AM2 covers general, seasonal and cross-border labour: the occupation must be on the shortage list, the file counts against the quota, and it is lodged by a placement agency licensed by ANOFM or by an authorised employer (24 months of activity, at least 50 staff, a guarantee of EUR 1,000 per worker). Most welding roles are D/AM2.
The quota, and the pause
The government set the 2026 quota at 90,000 newly admitted non-EU workers, and it applies to D/AM2 only. Status in October 2026: in mid-September the Bucharest Court of Appeal suspended the order approving the shortage-occupation list (Order 1073/2026), and since 15 September the platform has paused employer registration, authorisation and new D/AM2 applications. The Ministry of Labour is appealing and no reopening date has been announced. Files can be prepared now and lodged once filing reopens.
Pay floor and the new 2026 duties
Pay must be at least the national minimum (4,325 RON gross/mo from July 2026). The employment contract must be in Romanian and in a language the worker understands, and a contract in Romanian only costs a fine of 6,000 RON. Accommodation deducted from pay is capped at 25% of net salary, and the worker may not be charged any placement fee.
The visa is issued in Bangkok
Once the application clears the platform, the D/AM long-stay visa is issued by the Romanian Embassy in Bangkok, and the worker needs travel health insurance of at least EUR 30,000. We run the Thai DOE job order in parallel. After arrival the right of residence is extended through the same platform, for the length of the contract and up to two years at a time.
What the pay looks like
The employer pays a normal Romanian gross salary; workers never pay a recruitment fee (S.1968 charges the employer an all-in fee, confirmed per order). Ranges below are market indicative for 2026 and vary by region and shift.
| Role | Gross / month | ≈ EUR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welder MAG/135 | 5,000-7,000 RON | ≈ €990-1,385 | Structural steel, high output |
| Welder TIG/141 | 5,500-7,800 RON | ≈ €1,090-1,545 | Stainless / pipe, precision |
| Fitter / fabricator | 4,500-6,000 RON | ≈ €890-1,190 | - |
| Construction / general | 4,325-5,500 RON | ≈ €855-1,090 | At or above statutory minimum |
Shown in RON with an approximate EUR at ~5.05 RON/€. Rate moves - EUR is indicative.
Certification we test for
Romania is an EU market, so welders are tested to the same EN ISO 9606-1 standard as the rest of the union - we qualify and document each welder in Bangkok before departure, so you know the scope on day one.
- Process: 135 (MAG), 141 (TIG), 111 (MMA) - matched to your work
- Scope: material group, plate vs pipe, thickness, diameter, welding position (PF/PC/PE)
- EN 1090 / ISO 3834 govern your fabrication shop; each welder still needs EN ISO 9606 - we supply that side
- ASME IX on request for piping / pressure-vessel and oil-and-gas work
What you provide
Your side of the checklist
Everything else - Thai-side DOE processing, selection, testing, visas, flights, onboarding - is on us.
Sources
- 2026 quota - 90,000 permits - DLA Piper
- GEO 32/2026 reform (D/AM1 vs D/AM2, platform, duties) - Newland Chase
- Single application, who files, authorised employers - PwC Romania
- Registration and D/AM2 filing paused from 15 September 2026 - IGI
- Minimum wage 2026 (4,325 RON from Jul) - L&E Global
- Welder pay range in Romania - Paylab
- D/AM employment visa - Embassy of Romania in Bangkok
Market figures are indicative and current to 2025-2026; visa rules change - we confirm the exact route, timeline and cost for your order in a fixed quote. Company facts (DOE licence, guarantees) are from the S.1968 profile.
This page is written for employers. We do not place job seekers and do not accept applications from candidates: S.1968 Europe is the European representation of S1968 Manpower Co., Ltd., a Thai overseas-employment agency licensed by the Thai Department of Employment (licence Tor.1250/2565), and every worker is recruited under that licence in Thailand.
Guides for this market
Other markets we cover
Ready to hire?
Tell us the trade and headcount - we come back with a fixed quote and timeline.