Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Romania Madurika Joseph Weninger, and Secretary of State at the Romanian Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity, Gheorghita Daniela Barbu engaged in discussions recently. The meeting, which was a follow-up to the bilateral discussions held in July, 2024, underscored the growing cooperation between Sri Lanka and Romania in labour and employment sectors.
The main focus of the meeting was the progress of the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity of Romania. The MoU aims to expand foreign employment opportunities for Sri Lankans, foster bilateral cooperation in labour, employment, vocational training, social protection and facilitate a framework for recruitment and worker integration in Romania, with an emphasis on semi-skilled and skilled labour.
The discussions centred on advancing the recruitment process, streamlining visa issuance for Sri Lankan workers, and improving orientation programmes to ensure smooth integration into Romania’s workforce. Secretary of State, Gheorghita Barbu acknowledged the valuable contributions of over 40,000 Sri Lankan workers employed in Romania in sectors such as hospitality, construction, agriculture, caregiving, and delivery. Both sides also explored prospects of creating a Government-to-Government (G2G) mechanism to match Sri Lankan skills effectively with Romania’s labour market needs.
Romania has committed to offering a quota of up to 100,000 foreign workers annually. Final policy decisions are expected following the Romanian 2024 elections. Once finalized, the MoU and the quota allocation process will proceed swiftly.
In addition, the Romanian Ministry of Labor has launched national campaigns to inform foreign workers about their rights and working conditions, with multilingual guides, including Sinhala, available to assist Sri Lankan workers. These resources are accessible through the Romanian Labor Inspectorate’s website and are designed to ensure that foreign nationals, including Sri Lankans, are fully informed about their rights and obligations in Romania’s labour market.
The meeting between Ambassador Madurika Weninger and the Secretary of State Gheorghita Barbu marks an important step in strengthening the bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and Romania, with both nations being optimistic about the continued success and growth of this partnership.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Bucharest
25 November 2024
