Hiring the spouse of a foreign worker who came through family reunification? Yes, she takes the integration course too
We received a concrete question from an employer: "If the new employee came through family reunification with a foreign citizen — the wife of a Nepali who arrived through family reunification — does she also have to take the course if she gets hired?"
The short answer: yes. And along with the course come the employer's other obligations regarding foreigners, including registration in WorkinRomania.gov.ro. Here is why, step by step, on the text of GEO 32/2026.
Where the course obligation comes from
Art. 7 para. (1) letter g) of GEO 32/2026 obliges the employer to provide — directly or through accredited providers or in collaboration with public institutions, NGOs, international organisations or educational institutions — Romanian language courses that also include elements of cultural and social integration, for a period of at least 6 months from the start of activity registered in REGES-ONLINE, with a duration of at least 6 hours per week.
The text speaks of "foreigners" employed, without any distinction based on the type of residence permit. The law provides no exception for foreigners who arrived through family reunification.
Where family reunification actually appears in the law
The wife in the question holds a temporary residence permit granted for family reunification, as a family member of a foreign citizen. This situation is expressly provided as a distinct category that may be employed: art. 132^1 para. (1) letter n) of GEO 194/2002, as amended by GEO 32/2026.
So she can be hired — that is not the problem. The question is what obligations the employer has. And this is where the decisive detail comes in.
Letter n) is NOT on the exception list
Art. 4 para. (2) of GEO 32/2026 exempts the employer from the obligation to register in the electronic platform for certain categories of foreigners — but the enumeration is exhaustive: letters a)–h) and j)–m) of art. 132^1 para. (1).
Letter n) — family reunification with a foreign citizen — is missing from the enumeration. This is not a drafting oversight open to "interpretation": the legislator picked the exempted letters one by one, and n) is not among them.
The consequence: hiring this person triggers the full regime of the employer of foreigners.
What this means concretely for the employer
Before hiring — the employer account must be registered (or authorised, as the case may be) in the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform, because the exception in art. 4 para. (2) does not apply.
After hiring — from the start of activity registered in REGES-ONLINE, the course obligation begins to run: at least 6 months, at least 6 hours per week, provided by the employer directly or through an accredited provider.
If you do not provide the course — the deed is a misdemeanour sanctioned, under art. 42 para. (2) letter a), with a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 lei for each foreign worker, established by labour inspectors.
If the worker leaves early — art. 40 para. (9) gives the employer the right to recover the amounts invested in the course, accommodation and transport if the foreigner does not observe the minimum 6-month period. So the investment in the course is not a risk without a safety net.
A distinction that changes everything: with whom the reunification takes place
The analysis above applies to family reunification with a foreign citizen — the case in the question, letter n). The situation of family members of Romanian citizens is a different category in the law, with different treatment. Do not mix them up: before drawing conclusions, check exactly for what purpose the residence permit of the person you are hiring was granted — it is written on the permit.
How to handle the course in practice: WantJOB Academy
The obligation belongs to the employer, but you don't have to build your own classroom. WantJOB Academy covers exactly the requirement of art. 7 para. (1) letter g): a Romanian language course with elements of cultural and social integration, structured over 6 months, with more than 6 hours per week.
How it works: the worker completes it online, directly on their phone, at their own pace — audio and text lessons, bilingual, with an AI teacher available at any time. You, as the employer, enrol them in a few minutes and track attendance from the platform. The price: the first worker free, then from 6 EUR per worker — a single payment at enrolment, not a subscription.
At the end, the worker receives a certificate of course participation — the supporting document that the law obliges you to keep, together with the rest of the hiring documents, for at least 5 years after the end of the employment relationship (art. 7 para. (1) letter i)). During a labour inspection, this is the document that makes the difference between "I fulfilled the obligation" and the fine from the previous chapter.
Details and enrolment: wantjob.eu/academy.
In short
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can the wife who came through reunification with a foreign citizen be hired? | Yes — art. 132^1 para. (1) letter n) of GEO 194/2002 |
| Does she take the Romanian language and integration course? | Yes — art. 7 para. (1) letter g), no exceptions for reunification |
| How long does the course last? | At least 6 months from REGES-ONLINE, at least 6 hours per week |
| Must the employer be registered in WorkinRomania.gov.ro? | Yes — letter n) is not in the exception of art. 4 para. (2) |
| Fine if you do not provide the course | 5,000–10,000 lei per worker — art. 42 para. (2) letter a) |
| Worker leaves before 6 months | The employer may recover the course cost — art. 40 para. (9) |
This resource is for information purposes and reflects the situation at the date of publication. The official texts (GEO 32/2026, GEO 194/2002) and the communications of the competent institutions prevail. For specific situations, we recommend consulting a specialist.