How to hire senior software engineers in Romania
A foreign company can hire senior engineers in Romania without opening a local entity. The common routes are a direct contract with the engineer's own Romanian company, an embedded-engineer provider such as DevStaff that sources, vets, contracts and invoices while the engineer works inside your team, an outsourcing firm that delivers a project with its own team, or an employer of record when the person must be your employee. Romanian engineers typically work in EU business hours and in English.
Route 1: a direct contract
Many Romanian engineers invoice through their own limited company (SRL) or as a registered sole trader (PFA). You do the sourcing, vetting, contract and invoices yourself. It works for one or two people you already know.
Route 2: an embedded-engineer provider
The provider finds and vets senior engineers, holds the contracts and sends you one monthly invoice; the engineer works in your team and you direct the work. With DevStaff, most engineers start 24 to 72 hours after you approve a profile, the first 15 days are risk-free, and rates by role and seniority are public.
Route 3: outsourcing
A software house delivers a scope with its own team and project manager. You manage the vendor, not the engineers. It fits a defined project; it fits less well when the work is your core product.
Route 4: an employer of record
If the engineer must be an employee on a Romanian employment contract, an employer of record hires them on your behalf. That is employment, priced and regulated differently from contracting. Employees serve a notice period, by law up to 20 working days for most roles.
A note on advice
This page describes common practice, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the structure for a specific engagement with your own advisers.