Stricter rules for foreigners: Residence Law adopted in final reading
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted a new law on Friday that regulates the stay of foreigners in the country. This legislation was approved in its final reading and includes an amendment that shortens the processing time for applications to confirm the right to work. Additionally, the law introduces the concept of a "risk profile" to identify individuals who may pose a threat to national security.
The draft law, developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, implements European directives on migration. It requires citizens from non-EU countries who wish to reside in the Republic of Moldova to demonstrate that they have sufficient means of subsistence and a place to live within the country. Furthermore, employers hiring foreign citizens must pay them salaries that are at least equivalent to those offered to Moldovan citizens for similar work.
For residents of the Transnistrian region, the law introduces additional documentation requirements for granting and extending residence rights, ensuring consistent application of national legislation across the country.
The draft establishes a single document—the “Residence Card”—which will be issued to all foreigners legally residing in the Republic of Moldova, regardless of the purpose of their stay.
An amendment proposed by parliamentarian Victoria Belous reduces the maximum time to review work permit applications from 90 days to 45 days. "The 90-day deadline is too long for the business environment," the parliamentarian stated during the meeting on April 30.
This initiative was supported by Lilian Carp, the chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense, and Public Order, who mentioned that the Intelligence and Security Service provides information about targeted individuals within ten days.
Another amendment, proposed by Ana Țurcan-Oboroc from the "Democracy at Home" faction, failed to gain enough support. It aimed to require foreigners to respect the language, traditions, and religion of the majority population; violating this requirement could lead to the cancellation of their residence permits and expulsion from the country.
"Our small population, potentially facing an influx of migrants, could stray from the Christian-European path of development and could become a site for ethnic conflicts," Ana Țurcan-Oboroc argued. This amendment received only 18 votes, falling short of the number needed for approval.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, over 21,500 foreigners and stateless persons from around 130 countries currently reside in the Republic of Moldova. Of these, approximately 16,000 have temporary residence permits, while about 5,600 have permanent residence permits as of 2025.
The new regulations will take effect in June 2027, following the alignment of national laws with European Union migration standards. The draft law was adopted in its final reading with support from 61 deputies.
