The Romanian Road Authority has announced that the certificate needed by those who want to transport people or goods will be obtainable after a test in English. In fact, more and more foreigners from outside the EU are integrating into the Romanian job market, advancing in their careers and even learning the language.
Many foreign employees from outside the European Union strive to integrate in our country. They learn the language, advance professionally and want to bring their families here.
Male: "I have traveled to other countries, France, Spain and other countries. But if I compare them, Romania is better, that's why I live here. My wife lives in Bangladesh and I try to bring her here with me."
Male: "I am from Pakistan. I am a courier and have been here for almost 2 years."
Since March, the exam for the professional attestation of transport personnel can also be taken in English. In other words, foreign workers who want to get their certificates for taxi driver, ride sharing or freight transport can also register.
For this they need a valid driving license. Only those from countries covered by the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic can exchange their license obtained in their country of origin for a Romanian one. That means countries like South Africa, Azerbaijan, the Philippines or Turkey. Others, such as those from Nepal, for example, have to attend driving school in Romania.
Yosef Gavriel Peisakh, manager of a recruitment company: "On the freight side they are very much in demand, there is an acute shortage of drivers. We have a project now underway for 3,000 drivers from the Philippines. For Romania the salary is somewhere between €900 and €1,000, and for international routes at €2,300-2,500 a month."
In Romania almost 100,000 foreigners have temporary residence for employment. Most come from Nepal, Sri Lanka and India. The need could be even greater, say recruiters, but the process of bringing in foreign workers can take up to a year because of red tape.
Elena Panțiru, co-founder of the Romanian Labor Importers Employers' Association: "In Sri Lanka I have applications uploaded on the portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since May 2024 that have not yet obtained an appointment to come to Romania for an interview. These are people who come interested in the job they want to do and they want to perform and they want to progress. I have very many cases where a chef's assistant has become a chef, assistant manager."
For this year, the government has decided to allow another 100,000 foreigners to work in Romania.
