Nearly 5,000 foreign citizens work in Moldova: “An attractive country offering benefits”
The number of foreign citizens working in the Republic of Moldova continues to grow. Authorities report that around 5,000 foreign workers currently operate in the country’s labor market. In most cases, they receive salaries above the national minimum wage and benefit from additional support designed to improve integration and living conditions.
An example is a beverage production company in the country where three foreign citizens are also employed. Its representatives say they still need labour, especially for unskilled work.
“We are in contact with companies that import labor, mostly for lower-skilled positions. Here we see a decline in demand. Fewer people come to interviews specifically for low-skilled jobs,” said Serghei Baziuc, Director of the Human Resources Department, for Moldova 1 TV.
One of the foreign employees, Atacan Ozguner from Turkey, who has worked at the company for two years, says he integrated easily into the team and benefits from several perks.
“Moldova is a developed and dynamic country, which makes it attractive from a business perspective. Moldova is unique and has a welcoming atmosphere, which makes it very different from other European countries. They offer several benefits such as housing support, schooling, and rent assistance,” Atacan Ozguner, a finance manager, said.
Authorities say labor import helps address the existing workforce shortage but also stress the need to attract more Moldovan citizens into the labor market.
“We see discrimination or segregation in terms of treatment between workers coming to Moldova and local citizens. The minimum wage in the Republic of Moldova is 6,300 lei, while imported workers are paid at 50% of the average salary, which is about 2,500 lei more,” said Igor Zubcu, president of the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova.
“For us, it is important to ensure these contracts are legal and that workers are protected at their workplace. At the same time, we must invest in the inactive population of the Republic of Moldova and create mechanisms to attract them into the labor market,” said Labor and Social Protection Minister Natalia Plugaru.
In the first quarter of 2026, 20,000 unemployed people were registered. So far, 7,000 of them have managed to find jobs.
