Managing Foreign Workers After Arrival in 2026

Who Manages Foreign Workers After Arrival: Accommodation, Discipline, and Integration

The recruitment process does not end when workers arrive in Romania. At that point, an important stage begins for the stability of the team: managing foreign workers after arrival.

The company must organize daily activities, communicate the rules, provide training, and respect the conditions presented to candidates before departure. The placement agency fulfils the obligations established by law and by the agreements concluded, without taking over the employer’s role in managing employees’ daily activities.

Who is responsible for foreign workers after they arrive in Romania?

The company that concludes the individual employment agreement is the employer and is responsible for the employment relationship and the organization of daily work. The agency is responsible for the recruitment, placement, information, and support services assigned to it under the applicable legal framework and the agreements signed by the parties.

Below, we explain how responsibilities should be divided regarding reception, accommodation, transport, training, discipline, integration, and unexpected situations.

Why Managing Foreign Workers After Arrival Is Important

A candidate may have the necessary experience and be professionally suitable for the position, but their stability also depends on how they are received and integrated into the company.

Problems often arise when there are differences between the conditions communicated during recruitment and the situation encountered after arrival.

Misunderstandings may concern:

• the actual responsibilities of the position;
• working hours and shifts;
• salary and payment dates;
• accommodation conditions;
• transport to the workplace;
• internal rules;
• the expected pace of work;
• communication with managers and colleagues.

Insufficient preparation for integration may increase the risk of poor adaptation, conflict, or early departure.

For this reason, responsibilities must be clarified before the workers arrive and communicated clearly to the agency, the employer, and the recruited workers.

What Is the Employer’s Role After the Workers Arrive

The company that signs the individual employment agreement is the foreign worker’s employer.

It manages the worker’s daily activity and is responsible for respecting the employee’s rights in accordance with the Romanian Labour Code and the special legislation applicable to the employment of foreign nationals.

The employer is mainly responsible for:

• assigning tasks;
• establishing working hours;
• professional training;
• occupational health and safety;
• paying the salary;
• recording working time;
• discipline;
• performance evaluation;
• the daily relationship with the employee;
• respecting the conditions communicated during recruitment.

The agency does not become the worker’s direct manager and cannot manage the workplace activity on behalf of the company.

For a complete explanation of these responsibilities, consult our article on hiring foreign workers as a complementary staffing solution.

What the Employer Must Prepare Before the First Working Day

Integration must be prepared before the recruited workers begin their activity.

The company must clarify:

• who receives the workers upon arrival;
• where they will be accommodated;
• how they will reach the workplace;
• who their direct manager will be;
• how training will be organized;
• which equipment must be prepared;
• how the working schedule and rules will be communicated;
• who will answer administrative questions;
• how problems must be reported.

On the first day, every worker should know where they will work, what responsibilities they have, whom they should contact, and which rules they must follow.

Essential instructions must be communicated in a language or format the worker understands.

How Tasks and Expectations Should Be Communicated

General job titles are not sufficient for organizing daily work.

Terms such as “construction worker,” “production operator,” or “warehouse worker” may include different responsibilities from one company to another.

The employer must explain clearly:

• which activities must be carried out;
• which equipment will be used;
• which quality standards apply;
• what pace of work is expected;
• how performance will be evaluated;
• which activities are prohibited;
• which situations must be reported to the direct manager.

Before concluding that a worker is unable to perform the job, the company must verify whether the tasks were explained correctly, whether they correspond to the position originally communicated, and whether the person received the necessary training.

Who Is Responsible for Foreign Workers’ Accommodation

Accommodation responsibilities must be established in the firm job offer, in the agreements concluded by the parties, and in the other documents applicable to the recruitment process.

Accommodation does not automatically fall to either the agency or the employer in every situation. It must be verified who has assumed responsibility for organizing the accommodation and covering the related costs.

It is not sufficient for the offer to state only that “accommodation is provided.”

Before accepting the position, workers must know:

• the city or area where they will live;
• the type of accommodation;
• the estimated number of people sharing a room;
• the available facilities;
• the distance to the workplace;
• the accommodation rules;
• the costs covered by the company;
• any costs that may be covered by the employee;
• how daily transport will be organized.

If the employer provides or organizes the accommodation, the company must respect the agreed conditions and manage the day-to-day use of the accommodation.

The agency may facilitate communication and support the resolution of problems within the limits of its legal and contractual obligations.

For more information about the process, consult our foreign worker recruitment services page.

Which Accommodation Rules Should Be Established

Accommodation rules should be communicated from the beginning, not only after a problem occurs.

They may cover:

• access to the property;
• cleanliness;
• use of facilities;
• utility consumption;
• visitors;
• quiet hours;
• reporting maintenance issues;
• behaviour towards roommates;
• responsibility for damaged property.

The rules must be reasonable, clear, and explained in a language or format the workers understand.

The accommodation costs and conditions communicated to candidates must correspond to the actual situation after arrival.

Who Manages Problems Related to Accommodation

If misunderstandings arise, the party that organizes or provides the accommodation must examine the situation and discuss it with the people involved.

The employer must intervene when the problem affects employees’ work, safety, workplace discipline, or compliance with the agreed conditions.

The agency may support mediation when there are communication difficulties, cultural differences, or uncertainties regarding the conditions presented before arrival.

Each company should appoint a contact person for administrative and accommodation-related matters.

Who Organizes Transport for Foreign Workers

Initial transport from the point of arrival to the accommodation or workplace must be organized in accordance with the applicable procedure and the obligations assumed under the agreements.

Before arrival, the following must be clarified:

• who monitors the date and time of arrival;
• who receives the workers;
• which means of transport will be used;
• the initial destination;
• which party covers the costs;
• the contact person’s details;
• the procedure applicable in the event of a delay.

Initial transport should not be confused with daily transport between the accommodation and the workplace.

If daily transport is required, the employer must clearly communicate:

• whether transport is provided;
• who organizes it;
• the schedule;
• whether the employee must cover any costs;
• what happens if the work schedule changes.

This information must be presented to the candidate before they accept the offer.

How Discipline and Conflicts Should Be Managed

Foreign workers must comply with the individual employment agreement, the internal regulations, and the lawful instructions of their managers, just like any other employees.

Workplace discipline is managed by the employer.

The company must clearly communicate:

• working hours;
• rules regarding lateness;
• the procedure for absences;
• safety rules;
• obligations regarding work equipment;
• expected behaviour;
• how leave must be requested;
• the consequences of failing to follow the rules.

The agency may facilitate communication, but it does not impose disciplinary sanctions on an employee hired by the client company.

Any disciplinary measure must be managed by the employer in accordance with the procedure established by labour legislation.

When a conflict arises, the company must examine the specific circumstances before making a decision.

An apparently disciplinary problem may be caused by:

• a misunderstood instruction;
• a difference between the initial offer and the actual situation;
• insufficient training;
• a communication difficulty;
• an accommodation issue;
• failure to pay the salary on time;
• changes to the schedule or duties.

The agency may help clarify the situation and identify a reasonable solution without replacing the employer’s responsibility.

What Is the Agency’s Role in the Integration Process

The agency’s role should not be reduced to identifying and presenting candidates.

Depending on the applicable legal framework and the services assumed under the agreement, the agency’s activities may include:

• correctly informing workers;
• verifying the information communicated to candidates;
• facilitating communication between the parties;
• supporting the integration process;
• monitoring the situation of placed workers under the conditions provided by law;
• identifying adaptation difficulties;
• reporting situations involving abuse or exploitation;
• supporting the resolution of misunderstandings;
• completing the notifications assigned to it.

The specific obligations must be verified according to the applicable procedure and the agreements signed by the parties.

This support does not transfer the employer’s daily responsibilities to the agency.

For the process to work, each party must fulfil its role, and the conditions presented to candidates must be respected after arrival.

If a worker leaves or does not adapt to the requirements of the position, the situation must be assessed based on the facts and the signed agreements. This subject is explained separately in our article on what happens when a foreign worker leaves or is unable to perform the job.

How Foreign Workers Should Be Trained

Professional training and occupational health and safety training are the employer’s responsibility.

The company must ensure that the worker understands:

• the responsibilities of the position;
• the risks associated with the activity;
• how to use the equipment;
• access rules;
• emergency procedures;
• prohibited activities;
• how incidents must be reported;
• whom they should contact.

Signing documents alone is not sufficient if the worker does not understand the information provided.

Where necessary, the employer must use translations, visual materials, practical demonstrations, or language support.

The individual employment agreement must be concluded in the form and languages required by the applicable legal framework. These requirements are explained in our article about the employment agreement for foreign workers in 2026.

Legal Framework Applicable in 2026

The special legal framework governing foreign nationals’ access to the labour market is regulated by Government Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026.

The legislation establishes rules regarding foreign nationals’ access to the labour market, the roles of the entities involved, and the use of a digital system for managing procedures.

At the date of publication of this article, the official WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform is in the testing and operationalization stage.

The data entered during this stage is used to test the platform’s functions, and the information collected during testing is expected to be deleted when the platform is officially launched.

The information published on the platform is for guidance purposes and does not replace verification of the legislation in force or the procedure applicable to each individual case.

Employers should also consult the information published by the General Inspectorate for Immigration regarding employment permits, residence rights, and the required documents.

Depending on the situation, the company must also comply with:

• labour legislation;
• occupational health and safety rules;
• employee registration obligations;
• salary requirements;
• document retention obligations;
• rules regarding termination of employment;
• residence permit procedures.

Not all applications follow the same procedure.

The applicable process may vary depending on:

• the worker’s category;
• the occupation for which the worker is recruited;
• the employer’s status;
• the involvement of a placement agency;
• the candidate’s legal status;
• the date on which the procedure is initiated.

Before recruitment begins, the updated legislation and the procedure available at that time must be verified.

What the Employer Must Verify

Before the workers arrive and begin their activity, the company must verify:

• whether the placement agency is authorized;
• which services are included in the agreement;
• how candidates are selected;
• which conditions were communicated to the recruited workers;
• who organizes the reception;
• who covers the cost of the initial transport;
• who organizes the accommodation;
• which costs may be covered by the employee;
• who prepares and submits the documents;
• who monitors the deadlines;
• who provides the training;
• who the direct manager will be;
• how conflicts will be managed;
• what support is provided after arrival;
• how a potential replacement will be managed;
• which notifications are the company’s responsibility;
• which documents must be retained.

These responsibilities must be established in writing and explained before the process begins.

General wording may lead to different interpretations and may unjustifiably transfer responsibility from one party to another.

What Employers Should Remember

Managing foreign workers after arrival is mainly the responsibility of the company that concludes the individual employment agreements and manages the employees’ activities.

The employer organizes daily work, pays salaries, communicates the rules, provides training, manages discipline, and respects the conditions presented during recruitment.

Responsibilities regarding reception, transport, and accommodation must be clarified through the firm job offer and the applicable agreements. They should not be assumed and do not automatically fall to the same party in every situation.

The agency is responsible for the recruitment, placement, information, and support services assumed under the agreement and for the obligations established by the legal framework.

To reduce risks, the company must prepare the integration process before arrival, appoint clear points of responsibility, and intervene promptly when problems arise.

A stable process requires:

• clearly defined responsibilities;
• transparently communicated conditions;
• clarified and organized accommodation and transport;
• clearly explained tasks;
• appropriate training;
• understood rules;
• continuous communication;
• compliance with the legal framework.

Recruitment is effective when the correct selection of candidates is followed by a well-organized integration process and respect for the conditions agreed by the parties.