Romanian construction workers build court houses, bridges, supermarkets and holiday homes all over Spain. However, the Spanish Government introduced a two-year moratorium on the free movement of Romanian workers on Spainâs job market. Some 41% of the Romanian workers in Catalonia are still working on the black market. dispatch from Barcelona, Spain In Catalonia, Spain, some 41% of the Romanian workers go on the black job market because Spain limits their access on the legal job market Romanian construction workers build court houses, bridges, supermarkets and holiday homes all over Spain. However, the Spanish Government introduced a two-year moratorium on the free movement of Romanian workers on Spainâs job market. Some 41% of the Romanian workers in Catalonia are still working on the black market.
Those already in Spain waited for Romaniaâs European Union accession on January 1st as to their life-changing event, expecting it to allow them work legally in that country.
But this was not to happen: scared by an estimated flood of workers, Spanish authorities ask Romanians willing to engage in lucrative activities to file for a work permit.
Many Romanians gave up on turning their lives around, and chose to stay on the black job market.
The law is pretty clear: Romanians who travel for tourism or study, or those that held residential status and had work permits for one year or longer, should stay calm.
There are no changes for them.
But those arriving after January 1st have only a right to reside in Spain, not one to work. That is unless they hold a "tarjeta de trabajo", or work visa.
The employer should first present his job offer to the Office for foreigners in the province his business resides; then the employees file their applications for resident status and work permit, if they want to work longer than three mon
