Citizens of the EU, U.S., U.K., Ukraine, Turkey and other countries will enjoy a simplified employment process in Moldova.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dumitru Alaiba presented on Thursday a new legislative initiative that will allow domestic entrepreneurs to import foreign labor in a simplified regime, as well as provide the market with the skills of specialists needed to develop the national economy. In particular, it is proposed to supplement the provisions of the Law on the regime for foreigners in Moldova and allow citizens of about 50 other countries to work in Moldova without first obtaining the right of temporary stay for labor activity and a temporary residence permit for labor activity. Thus, the right to work in Moldova without prior obtaining the right of temporary stay and temporary residence permit for employment purposes, currently enjoyed by 18 categories of foreign nationals, will receive citizens of 27 EU states and citizens of the following countries: Albania, USA, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Switzerland, Georgia, Great Britain, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iceland, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein. These are the countries with which Moldova enjoys great trade and investment potential. At the same time, liberalization of access of EU citizens to the Moldovan labor market is one of Moldova's obligations as an EU candidate country. At the same time it is proposed to increase the limit of working hours for foreign students: from 10 to 30 hours per week (1565 hours per year). Foreign students will be able to work more, according to the newly increased ceiling, only on the basis of a temporary residence permit for study. According to Dumitru Alaiba, expanding access to the labor market for citizens from other countries, including students, employers will be offered the opportunity to fill vacancies and ensure the continuity of economic activity. Also, the bill aims to increase the investment attractiveness of Moldova. Today, if an investor wants to start a business in Moldova, he/she must first of all request a work permit from the Bureau for Migration and Asylum. "If an investor wants to enter the Moldovan market at once with a team, it is necessary to create conditions for him/her to launch a business as quickly as possible, easily and simply, without bureaucracy", said Dumitru Alaiba. Also, the initiative is aimed at Moldovan companies that need foreign experts or specialists and at international companies that are already working in the country. One of the industries that will be a direct beneficiary of the bill is the IT sector, which is developing fast and is mainly export-oriented. "This market has grown by 50 percent in a year, and we've reached the limit of the workforce in the IT sector, these are realities. Due to the reform, we will give access to citizens of other countries to the Moldovan labor market, and employers will be able to solve the personnel issue in a simplified manner," the minister stressed. According to him, this and other initiated bills ("373" program, income tax reform, LLC reform, etc.) are aimed at removing obstacles for economic development and investment stimulation. // 04.05.2023 – InfoMarket
