Do I need formal qualification recognition to work in Roménia?

It depends on the profession. Regulated professions (medicine, law, architecture, etc.) require formal recognition before you can practise or receive a work permit. Unregulated professions do not legally require formal recognition, though employers may request a voluntary comparability assessment.

Qualification recognition in Roménia — degrees and regulated professions

Recognition bodies

CNRED — Centrul Național de Recunoaștere și Echivalare a Diplomelor (NARIC Romania)

Academic

Romania's national NARIC centre and the primary recognition authority for all foreign higher-education qualifications. CNRED assesses academic degrees and issues an atestare (attestation) or echivalare (equivalence decision) that maps the foreign qualification to the corresponding Romanian degree level and field. The decision serves as the official employer-facing document for unregulated roles and is required as a prerequisite for regulated-profession registration for third-country nationals.

www.cnred.edu.ro

Ministry of Education — Ministerul Educației

Academic

The Ministry of Education oversees CNRED and sets the legislative framework for recognition procedures in Romania. It publishes the official list of regulated professions in education and issues guidance on recognition procedures under Legea nr. 200/2004.

www.edu.ro

Colegiul Medicilor din România (CMR) — Romanian Medical College

Regulated profession

The statutory professional body for all physicians practising in Romania. EEA-trained doctors benefit from automatic recognition and apply directly to CMR for registration. Third-country nationals must first obtain a CNRED recognition decision, then apply to CMR. CMR requires proof of Romanian language proficiency for patient-facing practice.

www.cmr.ro

Uniunea Națională a Barourilor din România (UNBR) — National Union of Romanian Bar Associations

Regulated profession

The national umbrella body for the county-level bars (barouri) that regulate the legal profession in Romania. EEA lawyers may practise under their home-country professional title and may apply for full admission after a three-year integration period; non-EEA lawyers face a national-qualification requirement.

www.unbr.ro

Regulated professions

Profession	Governing body	Recognition type
Medicine (Medic)	Colegiul Medicilor din România (CMR)	Automatic (EU Directive)
Dentistry (Medic dentiست)	Colegiul Medicilor Dentiști din România (CMDR)	Automatic (EU Directive)
Pharmacy (Farmacist)	Colegiul Farmaciștilor din România (CFR)	Automatic (EU Directive)
Nursing (Asistent medical generalist)	Ordinul Asistenților Medicali Generaliști, Moașelor și Asistenților Medicali din România (OAMGMAMR)	Automatic (EU Directive)
Architecture (Arhitect)	Ordinul Arhitecților din România (OAR)	Automatic (EU Directive)
Engineering (Inginer — non-EEA or general system)	Ordinul Inginerilor din România (OIR)	General system
Law (Avocat)	Uniunea Națională a Barourilor din România (UNBR) / county bar	National only

Recognition process

Obtain a certified Romanian translation (traducere autorizată) of all documents

All foreign documents submitted to CNRED or to any Colegiu/Ordin must be accompanied by a certified Romanian translation prepared by a sworn translator (traducător autorizat) registered in Romania. This applies to degree certificates, transcripts, apostilles, and supporting identity documents. Budget 1–2 weeks for translations before submitting your application.

Apostille or legalise your degree and supporting documents

Documents issued in countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention must bear an apostille issued by the competent authority of the issuing country. Documents from non-signatory countries require full legalisation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and the Romanian embassy or consulate. CNRED will not process applications without proper legalisation.

Submit your application to CNRED for academic recognition

Lodge the CNRED application online or in person at the CNRED office in Bucharest. The standard application package includes: the original or certified copy of the degree certificate, official academic transcript, apostille or legalisation, certified Romanian translation of all documents, a copy of your identity document or passport, and the application fee receipt. CNRED will assess the degree against the Romanian Qualifications Framework (CNC) and issue a recognition decision (atestare or echivalare).

Receive the CNRED recognition decision

CNRED issues a formal recognition decision that maps your foreign qualification to its Romanian equivalent, specifying the level (licență, master, doctorat) and field of study. The legal deadline is 30–45 days from receipt of a complete application; in practice, processing can take 2–3 months, particularly during peak periods. For regulated professions, this decision is the mandatory prerequisite for the next step.

For EEA-trained practitioners in sectoral professions: apply directly to the Colegiu/Ordin

If you hold a qualification from an EEA member state in one of the seven sectoral professions (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, architecture, midwifery, veterinary surgery), you may apply directly to the relevant Romanian Colegiu or Ordin for automatic recognition without first obtaining a CNRED decision. Submit your EEA qualification certificate, proof of good standing from your home-country professional body, proof of Romanian language proficiency (typically B2), and identity documents.

Apply to the relevant Colegiu or Ordin for professional registration

Present the CNRED recognition decision (for third-country nationals) or your EEA qualification certificate (for automatic recognition) to the competent professional body — CMR for medicine, CMDR for dentistry, CFR for pharmacy, OAMGMAMR for nursing, OAR for architecture, or UNBR/county bar for law. Submit additional documents required by the Colegiu, including proof of language proficiency, a good-standing certificate from your home-country professional body, criminal record extract, and relevant professional indemnity evidence. The Colegiu/Ordin issues registration on approval.

Supplementary measures (if required)

For general-system regulated professions where significant gaps are identified between the foreign qualification and the Romanian equivalent, the Colegiu/Ordin may impose compensation measures: an aptitude test or an adaptation period of supervised practice. The adaptation period may last up to 3 years. The applicant may choose between the aptitude test and the adaptation period unless the Colegiu can justify limiting the choice to one option.

Typical timelines

Certified Romanian translation preparation 1–2 weeks

CNRED recognition decision (legal deadline) 30–45 days from complete application

CNRED recognition decision (in practice) 2–3 months; apply early to account for backlogs

Colegiu/Ordin professional registration 4–8 weeks after complete application

Supplementary measures — aptitude test Depends on Colegiu examination schedule; typically 2–4 months

Supplementary measures — adaptation period Up to 3 years of supervised practice

Unregulated qualification route

For professions that are not regulated in Romania — including most software engineering, finance, business management, and many technical specialisations — CNRED still issues a formal recognition decision (atestare or echivalare) that serves as the primary employer-facing document confirming the level and field of the foreign qualification. Unlike decentralised systems (such as Poland or Czechia, which route academic recognition through individual universities), Romania's process is centralised at CNRED, making it relatively straightforward to obtain a single document valid for all employers. The CNRED decision is not a licence to practise but gives employers and immigration authorities a clear statement of the qualification's Romanian equivalent. Applicants should use the same submission process as for regulated professions: certified translation, apostille, and the CNRED application form.

EU framework notes

Romania implements Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications through Legea nr. 200/2004 privind recunoașterea diplomelor și calificărilor profesionale, as subsequently amended. The seven sectoral professions — doctor, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, veterinary surgeon, midwife, and architect — benefit from automatic recognition for EEA-trained practitioners: the relevant Colegiu or Ordin must accept qualifying certificates from other EEA member states without a substantive curriculum assessment, provided the applicant demonstrates Romanian language proficiency at the level required for safe patient communication. For all other regulated professions, EEA applicants may use the general-system route under Legea 200/2004, which applies a structured comparability assessment and may impose compensation measures. Third-country nationals do not benefit from automatic recognition and must complete the CNRED route before applying to any Colegiu or Ordin.

Warnings

Warning

Não tratar as páginas em inglês antigas como autossuficientes

Várias páginas de explicação em inglês da IGI usadas aqui têm data de 27 de janeiro de 2022, pelo que foram verificadas em função da legislação atual e de documentos oficiais mais recentes de 2024-2025 antes da publicação. Os candidatos devem ainda confirmar a prática a nível de escritório se uma unidade territorial solicitar formulários mais recentes ou logística de apresentação diferente.

Warning

Os valores salariais do Cartão Azul precisam de uma verificação atualizada

O conjunto de fontes oficiais da Roménia acessível confirma claramente a via altamente qualificada e a regra de duração do contrato, mas não apresenta um valor salarial atual do Cartão Azul de forma suficientemente clara para publicação aqui. Verifique o limiar atual diretamente antes de apresentar candidatura.

Official sources

Romania – EU country

european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries/romania_en

official · European Union · checked 2026-04-23

Schengen: Council decides to lift land border controls with Bulgaria and Romania

www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/12/12/schengen-council-decides-to-lift-land-border-controls-with-bulgaria-and-romania/pdf/

official · Council of the European Union · checked 2026-04-23

EMPLOYMENT AND POSTING

igi.mai.gov.ro/en/employment-and-posting/