Croatia and Romania have seen the most significant increases in the number of work permits granted to non-EU nationals in 2022 compared to 2013, according to a survey by Monitor Social. These countries are becoming increasingly popular destinations for international workers, as reported by Schengen.News.
In 2022, Croatia issued over 53,400 work permits, a substantial rise from just 599 in 2013. Romania, on the other hand, granted 32,000 work permits in 2022, up from 1,542 in 2013.
The data reveals that Croatia experienced an increase of more than 80 times in the number of work permits issued since 2013, while Romania saw a growth of over 20 times during the same period.
At the EU level, 1.246 million work permits were granted in 2022, almost three times more than the number issued in 2013. However, countries like Germany, Sweden, and Spain had slower growth in the number of work permits issued, with Eastern European countries, including Romania, registering the largest increases.
In 2022, Romania issued more than 31,000 first-time work permits for non-EU citizens. The majority of these permits were granted to nationals from Nepal (over 6,700), Sri Lanka (5,100), and Bangladesh (2,600).
Romania’s Non-EU Population Among the Lowest in the EU
Despite the significant increase in work permits, Romania has one of the lowest non-EU populations within the European Union, making up less than 0.6% of the country’s total population. In contrast, non-EU residents represent over 2% of the populations in countries like Poland, Lithuania, and Croatia, and even higher percentages in Germany, Spain, and Italy.
Romania’s Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity explains that the country’s current labor market situation is affected by the external migration of Romanian citizens eligible to work, along with the natural decline of the population. The influx of young workers entering the labor market is lower than the number of retirees. Currently, Romania’s government has set a quota of 100,000 new foreign workers to address labor shortages.
