Good to know
- Who this is for: foreigners who want to work in Moldova, as an employee or for themselves.
- There are two main routes: a residence permit for work, or the right to stay without a residence permit, which exists only for set categories.
- Each route has its own conditions and documents. They are in the guides linked below.
- Not sure which route fits? Ask us about your case.
Steps, in order
- You do this
Check whether you need a residence permit
Full guide: Residence permit in Moldova (right of residence) →checked 19 October 2026Work is one of the reasons for a temporary right of residence: as an immigrant worker, for IT work, or as an investor, manager or specialist. You usually ask for it while you hold a long-stay visa issued for the same purpose. There are exceptions, including migrant workers.
- You do this
Or check the right to stay without a residence permit
Full guide: Right to stay in Moldova without a residence permit →checked 19 October 2026For some kinds of work you can get permission to stay for more than 90 days in total, up to one year, without a residence permit. It is granted by exception, in set categories such as seasonal agricultural workers, cross-border workers and IT specialists.
- You do this
Enter with the right visa
Full guide: Moldova visa: how to apply →checked 19 October 2026Full guide: Invitation for a foreigner to visit Moldova →checked 19 October 2026A long-stay visa (type D) is requested only at a Moldovan embassy or consulate. Some travellers also need an invitation first.
Know how your health insurance works
Full guide: Compulsory health insurance in Moldova →checked 19 October 2026If you work under an employment contract, you are insured as an employee, and the premiums are paid as a percentage of your salary.
- You do this
If you work for yourself, register as a sole proprietor
Full guide: Register as a sole proprietor (individual enterprise) →checked 19 October 2026You can register from 18, as a Moldovan citizen or as a foreigner who is a resident of Moldova.
- You do this
Get a tax certificate when someone asks for it
Full guide: Tax residency certificate in Moldova →checked 19 October 2026Full guide: Certificate of income tax paid in Moldova (foreign residents) →checked 19 October 2026If you become a tax resident, you can ask for a certificate that proves it, and for a certificate of the income tax you paid in Moldova. Both are used, for example, by the tax authority of another country.
- Practical tip · not from an official source
Ask the migration office what it needs for your category
Documents differ for each category. Before you go to the office, call the number in the guide and ask what to bring.
- Not covered here
Whether you qualify, and what your employer must do
Ask about your case →The conditions for each work category, and the employer’s part in the process, are not covered on this page.