Entering Schengen could leave us without foreign workers. Romanian employers fear that Asian workers will leave Romania after January 1, when Romania joins the Schengen area, and that would mean big problems on the labor market, where the crisis is huge.
Suresh has been working for a year in a bakery in the center of the capital. He came from Sri Lanka in search of a better life. "Romania is ok, the pay is good, Romanians are good people"said Suresh Dassanayake, bakery employee. He has 29 more Asian colleagues because the need for labor is huge. "Three years ago, the labor shortage was worsening, so we had to bring in staff from Asia due to a lack of Romanian personnel." said Cristian Chițuowner of the bakery.
In the meantime, at least 1,000 foreigners have paid to transit through our country in order to reach Western Europe illegally
"Demand is intensifying and growing. Across all fields, including construction, automotive, industrial, as well as domestic workers. They come to work for money, just like Romanians leave to work for money." said Yosef Gavriel Peisakh, recruitment agency manager. But Asian workers could also leave Romania. Some 35% of foreign workers have fled after Romania's entry into Schengen with airspace. And the percentage could rise from January, when we also enter with land borders.
"They'll quietly go to France, Germany, anything that means higher salaries. For the same roles they have, they would earn double. In construction and HORECA"said Sorina Faier, human resources specialist. "The risk exists. But it needs to be discussed at European level. to have an electronic register of employees. Employers in the EU should be able to see whether he or she has an active employment contract in another country"said Yosef Gavriel Peisakh, recruitment agency manager. Asian workers leaving would destabilize the whole market.
"Let's find other solutions. Or we're going to have, for one worker, we're going to have two brought in, so that one we have on hold. but it's going to increase those costs enormously. Let's increase their wages. But it's quite difficult, because we don't have the financial strength that Germany has"said Sorina Faier, human resources specialist. The Romanian Labor Ministry has agreed to introduce a quota of 100,000 foreign workers into the Romanian labor market this year. In the meantime, at least 1,000 foreigners have paid to transit through our country to reach western Europe illegally. The authorities have tracked down the migrant smuggling network and carried out raids in several counties.
