A total of 109,814 foreign nationals had their residence in Romania in the first quarter of 2016, according to the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

Most of them (more than 64,400) come from countries outside the European Union such as Moldova (10,658), Turkey (6,039), and China (7,607), and 45,321 come countries members of the EU, EEA, and the Swiss Confederation, such as Italy (12,962), Germany (5,492), and France (4,981).

Most of the foreigners live in urban areas, according to data from the General Inspectorate for Immigration. Bucharest hosts almost one-third of the total number of foreign nationals, followed by Ilfov, Timis, Cluj, and Constanta counties.

The main purposes for which foreigners have taken up residence in Romania include family reunification, studies, employment, or the permanent establishment in Romania.

Moreover, 229 people who submitted applications for international protection had access to the asylum procedure in Romania in the first quarter of the year. Most of them were from Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, and Somalia.

The local authorities have also intensified the activities to prevent and combat the illegal stay of foreign citizens in Romania, according to the General Inspectorate for Immigration. A total of 676 people were found staying illegally in Romania in the first quarter of the year, and 149 of them were asked to leave Romania while 83 were taken out of the country under escort.

In March, Romania received 15 refugees from Greece, in agreement with EU decisions. In the same context, ten Romanian officers will take part in the joint actions taken to manage the migrants’ crisis in Greece. Four officers have already started their mission on the island of Lesvos.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com