Membres

How the Romanian Language Training Market for Foreigners in Romania Has Changed Over Nearly 20 Years

"In 2008, when we launched A_BEST, you could count on one hand the companies requesting Romanian language courses for their foreign employees. Today, we are talking about three distinct market segments and an industry that has grown alongside the internationalization of the Romanian economy.," says Aura Icodin, Founder & CEO of A_BEST Foreign Language Center.

Nearly two decades ago, Romanian language courses for foreigners were a niche service requested almost exclusively for expatriate managers and specialists relocated to Romania by multinational companies. Today, they have become an essential integration tool for thousands of international professionals and employees living and working in Romania.

This transformation has been driven by developments in the labor market. In 2025, for example, Romania maintained a quota of 100,000 new foreign workers admitted to the labor market. As of September 30, 2025, more than 136,000 valid residence permits had been registered for foreign nationals residing in Romania for employment purposes. In addition, the General Inspectorate for Immigration issued over 107,000 residence permits in 2025, confirming the continued internationalization of the Romanian economy and the growing mobility of the global workforce.

Market growth has also been supported by legislative changes. Government Emergency Ordinance (GEO) No. 32/2026, published in the Official Gazette No. 335 on April 27, 2026, strengthens the framework for the integration of foreign workers in Romania and highlights the importance of support measures that facilitate their adaptation. Against this backdrop, an increasing number of companies are including Romanian language training in their onboarding and integration programs, viewing it as an investment in communication, employee retention and the effectiveness of multicultural teams.

Active on the Romanian language training market since 2008, A_BEST has evolved alongside these changes. Over nearly two decades, the company has trained learners from four continents, developing Romanian language programs tailored to highly diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. This experience reflects the evolution of the Romanian economy itself and the changing profile of those choosing to live and work in Romania.

Stage One: Expatriates and the Internationalization of Companies

The early years of A_BEST coincided with a period when Romania was attracting an increasing number of international managers, specialists, and consultants relocated by multinational companies.

The company's first Romanian language courses were designed for these expatriates, who wanted to communicate more effectively with local teams, better understand the organizational culture and integrate into the communities where they would live and work.

Over the years, A_BEST has partnered with numerous companies from Romania's Top 300, developing customized training programs based on industry, participants' proficiency levels and each organization's objectives. For many companies, Romanian language courses gradually became an integral part of employee relocation and integration programs.

Stage Two: Diplomacy and Intercultural Integration

As Romania strengthened its international presence and welcomed a growing number of representatives from diplomatic missions and international organizations, interest in Romanian language courses for this audience also increased.

Over the years, A_BEST has delivered customized programs for diplomats, administrative staff, and their family members, adapting course content to each participant's professional responsibilities and personal objectives.

In this context, learning Romanian facilitates interaction with public institutions, the business community and Romanian society while also fostering a deeper understanding of the country's cultural and administrative environment. For diplomats and embassy personnel, language proficiency represents an important asset in their daily work and in strengthening institutional relationships.

The experience gained from working with this audience has enabled A_BEST to develop highly customized programs that combine language learning with intercultural communication and insights into Romania's institutional and cultural landscape.

Stage Three: Labor Shortages and the Growth of International Recruitment

In recent years, as labor shortages have intensified across numerous industries, the market has entered a new phase. More and more companies have begun recruiting workers from Asia to fill positions in manufacturing, construction, logistics, retail and hospitality.

Building on its extensive experience in the corporate sector and its work with the diplomatic community, A_BEST has developed Romanian language courses specifically tailored to this category of learners, focusing on practical communication, job-specific vocabulary, workplace instructions and occupational health and safety terminology.

Today, Romanian language training has become an important component of organizational integration. It contributes to more effective communication among employees, facilitates adaptation to the workplace and supports the development of stable and high-performing multicultural teams.

Recent legislative changes have further encouraged employers to place greater emphasis on the integration of foreign workers, making Romanian language programs a natural part of onboarding and employee adaptation processes.

A Market That Continues to Grow

Looking back over the past two decades, the transformation is undeniable. In 2008, Romanian language courses for foreigners represented a niche service aimed almost exclusively at expatriates working for multinational companies. Today, they address a much broader range of needs and have become an important tool for both professional and social integration.

"We have witnessed the transformation of a niche into a mature market. When we launched A_BEST in 2008, most requests for Romanian language courses came from expatriates relocated to Romania by multinational companies. Today, we work with three distinct categories of learners—international managers and specialists from leading companies, Asian workers and embassy and consular staff—each with different objectives and learning needs. Over nearly 20 years, we have trained participants from four continents, and this experience has taught us that learning Romanian is about much more than acquiring language skills. It is about integration, effective communication, and building bridges between people and cultures. In today's increasingly internationalized Romanian economy, Romanian language courses have become a strategic tool for both employers and individuals who choose to build their careers in Romania," says Aura Icodin, Founder & CEO of A_BEST.

Looking ahead, the trend is clear. As Romania continues to attract foreign investment, international specialists, and workers from around the world, and as organizations place increasing emphasis on integrating and retaining international talent, Romanian language training will play an even more significant role. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience and training learners from four continents, A_BEST believes that learning Romanian is no longer simply a competitive advantage—it is an investment in collaboration, belonging, and performance within an increasingly multicultural workplace.