On September 3, 2026, ANOFM announced that the first foreign-national recruitment agencies had been authorised entirely online through WorkinRomania.gov.ro. For employers and workers, the key development is not only the digital submission of applications, but also the creation of the Register of Foreign-National Recruitment Agencies (R.A.P.S.), where a company offering recruitment services can be checked.
There is, however, an essential clarification, verified on September 23, 2026: the platform’s homepage states that the processes for employer registration, employer authorisation and submission of single applications for D/AM2 visas have been disabled, following the suspension of the enforcement of Order No. 1073/2026 on the list of shortage occupations. The platform’s notice does not list agency authorisation among the suspended processes, but a company starting a recruitment process now should first check whether the specific applicable route can still be completed.
In other words, R.A.P.S. can be a useful filter against a company falsely claiming to be authorised, but it does not guarantee that a particular offer is accurate, that a visa will be obtained or that employment can be completed immediately.
What has moved online and why it matters
The platform became operational on August 6, 2026. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it brings together in one process the registration or authorisation of employers, the authorisation and renewal of authorisation for recruitment agencies, document uploads and the communication of administrative documents.
For agencies, authorisation is not simply an entry on a list. Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026 provides for checks on tax status, the tax record, professional reputation and certain criminal convictions of relevant individuals in the company’s management or ownership structure. The agency must also provide a financial guarantee: EUR 75,000, in the leu equivalent, for placing no more than 250 foreign nationals; for every additional 250 people, the guarantee rises by EUR 50,000.
The application file is uploaded electronically, including proof of the guarantee and electronically signed declarations. Under the ordinance, ANOFM has no more than 30 working days to decide on an application and may, in certain cases, request additional information.
Checking an agency: three steps before signing or paying
1. Search R.A.P.S. by company name and CUI
The first check should be made in the Register of Foreign-National Recruitment Agencies. Search for the exact legal company name or its CUI (Romanian unique registration code), rather than only a trading name, a Facebook page or a recruiter’s phone number.
When InfoBuz checked on September 23, the public register displayed the names and CUIs of listed companies, while the platform stated that the list is updated periodically and that users should contact ANOFM for additional information about an agency. This is an important practical limitation: in the form displayed at that time, the public page did not provide all the details that would allow a reader to independently check the validity, history or any measures applied to an authorisation.
What to compare: the CUI in R.A.P.S. must match the CUI shown on the contract, invoice, offer, stamp or commercial correspondence. A discrepancy between the company name in the documents and the name in the register is sufficient reason to stop the process until it is clarified.
2. Check who the employer is and what the firm offer is
The agency is the intermediary; the individual employment contract is concluded with the employer in Romania. Workers should therefore find out the employer’s name, registered office, actual workplace and the occupation offered before travelling. Employers, in turn, should ensure that the agency they contract with appears in R.A.P.S.
For more information about ANOFM, see also More than 30,000 job vacancies in Romania: which occupations are in demand and where to find free courses, which provides complementary details on this subject.
The platform describes the firm offer as a document that must show at least the occupation, responsibilities, salary, contract duration, working hours and workplace. Where applicable, accommodation and transport arrangements must also be clarified. If these details change from one conversation to another or are left until “after arriving in Romania”, the recruitment process is not sufficiently transparent.
3. Request the contracts before travelling
For placement through an agency, the platform and legislation indicate that there must be a placement contract between the agency, employer and worker, as well as an individual employment contract between the employer and worker. The documents must be drafted in Romanian and in the worker’s country-of-origin language, or in an international language the worker understands.
Before signing, a worker should be able to identify without ambiguity: the employer, position, gross and net salary or the calculation method, working hours, duration, workplace, payment date, accommodation conditions, who pays for transport and what happens if the employment relationship ends. No one should sign a document they do not understand.
| Check | What it confirms | What it does not confirm on its own |
|---|---|---|
| The company appears in R.A.P.S. | It is listed in the public register of recruitment agencies. | That the individual offer is accurate, that there are no hidden costs or that the visa process is available at that time. |
| The CUI matches in the register and documents | That the contact is identifying the same legal entity. | That the person communicating on the company’s behalf is authorised to do so or that the final employer is genuine. |
| There is a placement contract and an employment contract | The parties’ roles and obligations can be compared in writing. | That all clauses are automatically lawful; they must be read and checked against the firm offer. |
| The platform accepts an application | The application file enters the available administrative process. | Automatic visa issuance or guaranteed employment. |
Costs a recruitment agency cannot charge
The central rule is that placement services are paid for by the employer, not the worker. Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026 prohibits a recruitment agency from charging the worker commissions, fees, charges, guarantees or deposits for placement on Romania’s labour market. The official page for workers repeats this prohibition for an agency authorised in Romania.
This does not automatically mean that every travel-related expense is paid by the employer. The platform states that the visa, transport from the country of origin, domestic transport and accommodation may be paid by the worker if the firm offer does not state that they are paid by the employer. The distinction matters: an expense justified and stated in writing in the offer is not the same as a “recruitment fee” requested informally, in cash or into a personal account.
Warning signs: a request for money to “reserve the position”; refusal to provide the contract before travel; a promise of entry into Romania without a visa or legal procedure; a change in the position or salary from what is stated in the documents; and the retention of a passport.
Why the current situation changes employer checks
For the D/AM2 category—permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers who do not fall within the special D/AM1 categories—the basic rule is to use an authorised agency, and the occupation must appear on the list of shortage occupations. The exception is an authorised employer that meets additional conditions and may recruit directly.
However, the active notice on WorkinRomania.gov.ro announces that the processes for employer registration, employer authorisation and submission of single applications for D/AM2 have been disabled. In these circumstances, an agency may be present in the register, while a new D/AM2 recruitment process may be unable to proceed in the system until the administrative and judicial situation is clarified.
Employers should therefore not confuse an agency’s authorisation with the immediate ability to complete the formalities for a particular worker. Before signing a service contract, it is worth requesting a written response from the agency on the applicable visa category, the status of the process on the platform and the documents already available.
Where to report abuse
The platform has a form for reports concerning foreign workers. Depending on the circumstances, official information also points to the Territorial Labour Inspectorate, the General Inspectorate for Immigration, the Romanian Police, the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons or ANOFM.
In an immediately dangerous situation, such as violence, the retention of documents, threats or suspected human trafficking, making a report on the platform should not delay calling emergency services or the police. For a dispute concerning pay, working hours, the absence of a contract or working conditions, retained documents—offers, contracts, receipts, conversations and agency details—may be decisive in a complaint.
The practical conclusion: R.A.P.S. is the first filter, not the last. Lawful recruitment should leave verifiable traces: an agency identifiable by CUI, a clearly named employer, a firm offer, contracts in a language understood by the worker and costs explained in writing. In September 2026, it is also necessary to check whether the required process is active, as the platform is operating only partially for D/AM2-dependent procedures.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check whether a foreign worker recruitment agency is authorised?
Search for the legal company name or CUI in the Register of Foreign-National Recruitment Agencies (R.A.P.S.) on WorkinRomania.gov.ro and compare the details with those on the contract, offer and invoice. For additional information, the platform directs users to ANOFM.
Can an agency charge a worker to find a job in Romania?
A recruitment agency authorised in Romania cannot charge workers commissions, fees, guarantees or deposits for placement. Other expenses, such as the visa, transport or accommodation, must be clearly explained in the offer and contract.
Why is an agency’s presence in the register not enough?
The register shows that the company is listed as a recruitment agency, but it does not automatically validate the individual offer, salary, accommodation conditions, identity of the final employer or availability of the visa process for the specific case.
Which WorkinRomania processes are currently disabled?
On September 23, 2026, the notice on the platform’s homepage stated that the processes for employer registration, employer authorisation and submission of single applications for D/AM2 visas had been disabled. The situation should be checked again before beginning the procedure.
Sources consulted
- ANOFM – First employment placement agencies authorised online through the new WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform
- WorkinRomania.gov.ro – Register of Foreign-National Recruitment Agencies (R.A.P.S.)
- Legislative Portal – Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026 on foreign nationals’ access to Romania’s labour market
- Ministry of Internal Affairs – Launch of the single WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform
- WorkinRomania.gov.ro – Information for foreign workers
