COR 2026: five new occupations introduced by Order 629/372/2026
The Romanian Classification of Occupations (COR) has been supplemented with five new occupations by Joint Order no. 629/372/2026 of the Minister of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity (no. 629 of 19 May 2026) and the President of the National Institute of Statistics (no. 372 of 4 June 2026), published in Official Gazette no. 598 of 22 July 2026.
The newly introduced occupations can be used from the date of publication in individual employment contracts and in REGES-ONLINE registration — relevant for employers and HR specialists who until now could not find a suitable COR code for these roles.
The 5 new occupations
| No. | Occupation | COR code |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | pastoral assistant | 263649 |
| 2 | circular economy expert | 242243 |
| 3 | sustainable development specialist | 242242 |
| 4 | circular economy specialist | 213313 |
| 5 | gemology technician | 311945 |
What each occupation does
The order introduces only the names and the codes; the descriptions below are indicative, based on the name and on the COR group each occupation belongs to.
Pastoral assistant (263649) — supports clergy in spiritual and social assistance activities: visits and counselling in hospitals, care homes and prisons, support for the members of the religious community, organising the social activities of the denomination. Part of the religion specialists group (2636).
Circular economy expert (242243) — designs and coordinates, at organisation or public policy level, the transition from the linear economic model ("produce–consume–discard") to the circular one: waste prevention, reuse and recycling strategies, sustainable supply chains, indicators and reporting. Administration specialists group (2422).
Sustainable development specialist (242242) — implements sustainability objectives inside organisations: reducing the carbon footprint and resource consumption, compliance with environmental legislation, sustainability reporting (including ESG) and employee education. Administration specialists group (2422).
Circular economy specialist (213313) — the technical, environmental side of the circular economy: analyses material and waste flows, assesses product life cycles, proposes technical solutions for recycling and recovery. Environmental protection specialists group (2133).
Gemology technician (311945) — identifies, tests and evaluates precious and semi-precious stones with specific laboratory instruments: authentication, grading by quality criteria, valuation for jewellery, pawnshops or expert reports. Physical and technical science technicians group (3119).
What employers should do
- Check whether you have employees who actually perform these roles under improvised COR codes — at the next contract amendment you can switch to the correct code.
- For new hires in these positions, use the codes above in the individual employment contract and in REGES-ONLINE.
- COR is updated quarterly through joint MMFTSS/INS orders — it is worth checking the list periodically, especially for the new sustainability roles.
Legal basis: Order MMFTSS/INS no. 629/372/2026, published in Official Gazette no. 598 of 22 July 2026, supplementing COR — occupation level (six characters), approved by Order no. 1.832/856/2011. Check the version in force on the date of use.