Thinking about working in another European country? For each of 32 countries – all 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – you will find the key labour market figures, where the jobs are, how to apply, pay and working conditions, student jobs and what to do in your first weeks. General advice on job search, your CV and your rights: How to find a job abroad – 10 practical guides »
Romania is a country of 19.0 million people (2026 estimate) with an employment rate well below the EU average: 69.0% of people aged 20–64 have a job (EU: 76.1%).
Unemployment was 5.6% in 2022 and 2023 and 5.4% in 2024, then rose to 6.1% in 2025 – just above the EU average of 6.0%. Young people find it much harder: youth unemployment is 26.1% among people aged 15–24, compared with 15.2% in the EU, and it has gone up from 22.8% in 2022.
As an EU citizen you do not need a work permit – you can work in Romania for an employer or as self-employed, on the same terms as Romanians. For most jobs you need Romanian: CVs are normally written in Romanian, and your employment contract will be in Romanian too.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.
EN 
CS
DE
ES
FR
HU
IT
PL
PT
РУ
SK
TR
УК
AR
中文