Moldova is recording a growing number of foreign workers, putting increasing pressure on both authorities and the country’s migration control system. Dumitru Lazar, head of the General Inspectorate for Migration, said that more than 6,300 foreign citizens had been documented for the first time for employment purposes by September 1, 2026, compared with approximately 4,300 throughout the entire year of 2025.
“In 2025, throughout the year, 4,300 citizens were documented for employment purposes for the first time. In 2026, as of September 1, we have 6,300 and something, meaning we already have an increase of more than 2,000 citizens,” Lazar said, according to BANI.MD.
According to Lazăr, the process of attracting foreign labor must be carried out gradually, as processing and verifying large numbers of people places significant pressure on the General Inspectorate for Migration.
The head of the Inspectorate also drew attention to the salaries offered to foreign workers. While some employers report salaries of 20,000 lei or more, Lazăr said that many of the employment contracts submitted to the authorities actually provide for salaries below 10,000 lei.
“I looked at the latest contract you submitted to the General Inspectorate for Migration on August 2, and the contract specifies a salary of 8,700 lei. Unfortunately, most of the contracts do not exceed 10,000 lei,” Lazăr said.
Authorities have also identified cases in which the salary indicated when documents were submitted was subsequently reduced. Employers could modify employment contracts, including by switching workers to part-time schedules, resulting in actual remuneration falling below the threshold initially indicated.
Following legislative changes, employers are now required to maintain the minimum salary level throughout the entire employment period, rather than only when submitting the application for the foreign worker’s documentation.
Lazăr said an effective monitoring mechanism is also needed, involving institutions responsible for labor and financial matters, so that compliance can be checked, including through selective inspections.
The increase in the number of foreign workers has also led to a rise in complaints, according to the General Inspectorate for Migration. Foreign citizens have reported problems with salary payments and promises made by recruitment agencies before their arrival in Moldova.
“A large number of those recruited abroad are promised that once they obtain a residence permit for employment purposes in Moldova, they will have free access to the European Union. Once they arrive here, they realize they have been misled and try to cross the Prut River, including in the north,” Dumitru Lazăr said.
IGM data also shows a sharp increase in the number of foreigners placed at the Temporary Placement Center. In the first half of 2025, 13 people were placed there, while during the same period in 2026, the number reached 128.
The costs of food, accommodation, custody and removal of these individuals are initially covered by the state. According to the head of the General Inspectorate for Migration, there are also companies that are supposed to cover the cost of tickets for workers returning to their countries of origin but fail to meet their obligations. The authorities are then forced to recover the money through court proceedings.
At the same time, some employers contact the General Inspectorate for Migration after foreign workers they brought to Moldova leave their jobs and can no longer be located.