Long-Term Residence in Romania for Non-EU Workers in 2026: The Five-Year Rule, the Language Test and the 31 December Deadline

Most of the attention on Romania's immigration reform this year has gone to the front door: WorkinRomania.gov.ro, the new D/AM1 and D/AM2 visas, and the court-ordered pause on D/AM2 filings. Far less has been said about the other end of the journey, the point at which a non-EU employee stops depending on an employer-sponsored permit altogether.

That point is long-term residence. Once granted, it lets a non-EU national work in Romania without a single application, without the employer registration or authorisation steps and without the D/AM2 change-of-employer restrictions that now apply under GEO 32/2026. For employers, it is the most effective retention and compliance tool available for staff who have already spent several years in the country.

There is also a date to watch. Under the transitional provisions of GEO 32/2026 (Official Gazette No. 335, 27 April 2026), applications for the long-term right of residence filed by 31 December 2026 are resolved under the legislation that applied before the ordinance entered into force. Employees who are already eligible have roughly three months to file under the familiar rules.

What Long-Term Residence Gives an Employee

Long-term residence is governed by GEO 194/2002 on the regime of foreigners in Romania. According to the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), holders are entitled to equal treatment with Romanian citizens in several areas that matter directly to HR teams:

• The right to work in Romania without a work authorisation, under an individual employment contract registered with the labour authorities
• Access to education, vocational training and recognition of diplomas and qualifications
• Social security, healthcare and social assistance on the same footing as nationals
• Access to tax deductions and exemptions on worldwide income, and to public goods and services, including housing

GEO 32/2026 confirms this position. The new Article 132¹ of GEO 194/2002 lists long-term residents among the categories of foreigners who can be employed on the basis of their residence permit alone, outside the single application procedure.

The permit itself is valid for 5 years for most non-EU nationals, and 10 years for family members of Romanian citizens. It is renewable.

Who Qualifies: The Core Conditions

IGI's published list of conditions requires applicants to meet all of the following at the same time.

Five years of continuous legal residence

The applicant must have held a temporary right of residence in Romania continuously for the five years before applying. Continuity is broken by any absence of more than 6 consecutive months, or more than 10 months in total over the period. Documented travel abroad for international transport work does not count as absence.

Not every period of stay counts toward the five years:

• Periods of residence for study count at half their length
• Stays under a short-stay visa, or a diplomatic or service visa, are not counted
• Residence obtained as a seasonal worker or au pair is not counted

The seasonal worker exclusion deserves attention. Staff who spent their early years in Romania on seasonal contracts before moving to permanent roles may have fewer qualifying years than their total time in the country suggests.

Stable income

The applicant must prove means of support at least equal to Romania's national gross minimum wage, for a period of at least 12 months. The minimum gross wage rose from RON 4,050 to RON 4,325 per month on 1 July 2026, according to the Ministry of Labour. Family members of Romanian citizens are exempt from this condition.

Health insurance, housing and language

The applicant must also provide:

• Proof of coverage in the Romanian social health insurance system
• Proof of the legal right to use the accommodation where they live
• Evidence of knowing the Romanian language at least at a satisfactory level
• A Romanian criminal record certificate, and must not present a threat to national security or public order

The language condition is where many applications stall. It is set as a satisfactory level rather than a certified grade, and in practice it is typically assessed by IGI during the application process. Employers who fund Romanian language classes during an employee's first years are, in effect, investing in that employee's eligibility.

Special routes

There are exceptions worth knowing. EU Blue Card holders can count residence in other EU member states toward the five years, provided the last two years were spent in Romania as a Blue Card holder, with absences of up to 12 consecutive months and 18 months in total. Investors who have put in at least EUR 1,000,000, or who have created more than 100 full-time jobs, can be exempted from the residence period and income conditions.

How the Procedure Works

The process has two stages, both handled by the IGI territorial unit for the county where the applicant lives.

• Stage one: apply for the long-term right of residence, with the application form, passport, proof of accommodation, proof of health insurance, proof of means of support, Romanian criminal record certificate and civil status documents where relevant
• IGI decides within 6 months, extendable by a further 3 months for objective reasons, and notifies the applicant in writing within 15 days of the decision
• Stage two: within 30 days of a positive decision, apply for the long-term residence permit card itself, with passport, proof of accommodation and the fee

A refusal can be challenged at the Court of Appeal within 30 days, and a refusal does not affect the applicant's existing temporary residence. That second point matters: an employee's current permit remains valid while the application is pending, so employers should keep renewal dates for existing permits under separate watch.

When Long-Term Residence Is Lost

Status is not permanent in the absolute sense. Under GEO 194/2002, the right ceases where the holder is absent from Romania for more than 12 consecutive months (unless they held temporary residence in another EU member state during that time), is absent for more than six consecutive years in any case, acquires long-term residence in another state, or has the right cancelled or revoked. For globally mobile employees on rotation or long foreign assignments, these limits should be built into assignment planning.

What Employers Should Do Before 31 December

With the transitional deadline approaching, HR and mobility teams should:

• Identify non-EU employees who will have five years of qualifying residence by the end of 2026, excluding seasonal and study periods as required
• Check each candidate's absence history against the 6-month and 10-month limits
• Confirm 12 months of payroll at or above the minimum gross wage and continuous health insurance contributions
• Review housing documentation and prepare employees for the Romanian language assessment
• File complete applications before 31 December 2026 so they are resolved under the pre-GEO 32/2026 framework

Applications filed from 2027 will fall under the amended framework, and the implementing detail has not yet been fully set out. Filing early removes that uncertainty.

How Nestlers Group Supports Long-Term Residence Applications

Nestlers Group's Immigration Advisory team runs eligibility reviews for non-EU employees approaching the five-year mark, reconstructing residence and absence histories, identifying periods that do not count and preparing complete IGI files for both stages of the procedure. The team also prepares employees for the process and liaises with the relevant IGI territorial unit through to issue of the permit.

For employees who are not yet eligible, the Work Permit and Visa Support team manages D/AM1 and D/AM2 renewals and change-of-employer filings on WorkinRomania.gov.ro, so continuity of residence is protected while the five years build up. The Payroll and HR Compliance team keeps the salary, health insurance and employment register records that IGI relies on consistent and audit-ready, and our Global Mobility and Relocation specialists help families with housing documentation and settling-in.

Sources: General Inspectorate for Immigration, "Long Term Residence in Romania" and "Complete list of necessary conditions for the grant of the right of long-term residence" (igi.mai.gov.ro, 2024–2026); Government Emergency Ordinance No. 194/2002 on the regime of foreigners in Romania, as amended; Government Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026, Official Gazette No. 335, 27 April 2026; PwC Romania, "Modificări privind accesul străinilor pe piața muncii din România: OUG nr. 32/2026" (May 2026); BirișGoran, "Government Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026 on the access of foreign nationals to the Romanian labour market" (May 2026); Ministry of Labour, announcement on the minimum gross wage increase to RON 4,325 from 1 July 2026.