Romania’s incorporation as a full member of the Schengen area will bring some advantages, such as less bureaucracy and speeding up the passage of trucks at the borders, but it will also aggravate the growing problem of labor shortages in the domestic labor market. This is what the temporary employment agencies warn that they foresee a massive march of non-EU workers, especially Asians, to the West when border controls by land are lifted – still without a specific date – after they were eliminated at the end of March by sea and air. . This is the idea of Raju, a 38-year-old Nepali who prefers not to give his last name and who has been working for a delivery company for half a year. “I earn twice as much delivering food as I do in my country, but I dream of earning even more when I go to another European state,” says this delivery driver who lives in a residential complex intended only for hosting workers in the south of Bucharest. “I came from a temporary employment company and in the same way I hope to find another job with better working conditions,” Raju confesses without complexes.
Romania, which has long hindered any type of immigration like other Eastern European states, began admitting workers from outside the European Union a few years ago due to pressure from employers who complain of a pressing lack of manpower due to the bleeding departure of its nationals: more than 5.7 million Romanians live abroad, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This demographic crisis caused the authorities to be forced to sign agreements with other countries, such as Vietnam, to increase the permit quota.
However, recruitment companies assure that half of the more than 127,000 foreigners who were working in Romania in 2023 – mostly Asians – according to Labor Inspection data, are on the lookout for complete accession to the free movement area to look for jobs with higher salaries. The sectors that would be most affected would be construction, retail and automotive, but also photovoltaic panels. Fearing a mass exodus, businessmen recently launched an urgent appeal to request an additional contingent of non-EU citizens for this year.
border control
“This phenomenon has always been present, but systematic border control limited attempts to cross them. Furthermore, with the entry into Schengen, we have in turn become a gateway to the EU,” emphasizes Raluca Parvu, director of the human resources company BPI, who believes that Bucharest must adapt its legislation and the functioning of the institutions. that grant temporary residence and work permits. “In the short term, it is up to the businessmen and agencies involved in the incorporation of non-EU citizens to offer them decent conditions so that they want to settle permanently in the country. In the medium term, local authorities will also have to think about structures and tools for the cultural integration of these workers,” Parvu continues.
For the Elite Searchers recruitment agency, his departure will have a strong impact on the labor market, especially in construction, manufacturing and commerce, activities that concentrate 60% of workers from outside the EU and where it is usually pay the minimum wage, 3,700 ley (about 743 euros). “The mass exodus of Asian workers will not only create a labor deficit, but will also generate a negative effect from a social and economic point of view,” explains its director, Corina Faier. “On the one hand, it could force companies to invest more in technology, to replace certain jobs with software or robots; and, on the other hand, it could amplify the shortage of qualified and unskilled workers in certain sectors, putting pressure on the economy and the social security system,” highlights the manager of Elite Searchers.
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