List of Shortage Occupations — 236 occupations with COR code

Romania publishes periodically a list of shortage occupations — professions for which employers cannot find sufficient workers on the domestic labour market. The list below includes all 236 occupations, with the official name according to the Classification of Occupations in Romania (COR) and the corresponding COR code, in the order of the official annex.

What is the list of shortage occupations

The list is drawn up based on the methodology approved by Order no. 987/2026 of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity, published in Official Gazette no. 603 of 23.07.2026. It identifies occupations with labour force deficit and serves authorities in grounding policies on admission and employment of workers from outside the European Union.

For employers, the presence of an occupation on this list is an important signal: recruiting foreign workers for these positions is officially recognised as a response to a real deficit on the labour market.

The annex with the 236 occupations is in the adoption procedure; the final form is confirmed upon publication in the Official Gazette. Always check the version in force before basing decisions on this list.

Complete list of all 236 shortage occupations

How to use the list in practice

1. Check if your position is on the list — search for the exact name or the 6-digit COR code (the correct COR code appears in the individual employment contract and in REVISAL).
2. Document deficit in recruitment — for positions on the list, official inclusion supports your efforts in hiring non-EU workers.
3. Prepare complete file — regardless of occupation, hiring a non-EU worker requires approval from the General Immigration Inspectorate (IGI), an employment contract and, according to OUG 32/2026 (emergency government ordinance), an integration and language training programme for the worker.

Frequently asked questions

What does the COR code mean?

The code from the Classification of Occupations in Romania — 6 digits that uniquely identify each occupation. It appears mandatorily in the individual employment contract and in the employee record register.

The occupation I am looking for is not on the list. Can I still hire foreign workers?

Yes. The list of shortage occupations does not limit hiring to these 236 positions — hiring non-EU workers remains possible for any occupation, following the legal work permit procedure. The list only signals where deficit is officially recognised.

How often is the list updated?

The list is reviewed periodically according to the methodology in Order 987/2026, depending on labour market evolution. This material reflects the annex at the date of publication of this page.

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