The Story of a successful businesswoman from Brașov who facilitates workforce recruitment from South and Southeast Asia
In the heart of Romania, a successful businesswoman manages to connect two continents through her workforce recruitment activities. Ritu Sinha, holding dual citizenship in India and Romania, dedicates her time and resources to bringing skilled workers from Asia to Europe and Romania, offering them employment opportunities and contributing to the local economy. She is 53 years old, settled in Brașov, has married, and has three children
Pioneering workforce recruitment
Ritu Sinha moved to Brașov with her family and began engaging in workforce recruitment in 2017 when she noticed an acute need for workers in Romania. “I realized there was a major problem with the labour shortage and decided to act” Ritu recounts. “As an entrepreneur, I personally felt this shortage in 2017 when I struggled to find qualified staff for my businesses. I found out that millions of Romanians had left to work abroad, leaving a huge gap in the local labour market”.
În her opinion, the immigrant work force will have a significant role in defining the Romanian economy, society and culture in the coming decade, so it becomes critical and crucial that the phenomena be managed by professional and trained companies who have required skills and experience
So, her decision to get involved in workforce recruitment came at a crucial time. “For instance, for the year 2024, the Ministry of Labor approved a contingent of 100,000 newly admitted workers into the labor market. But we in the private sector believe the actual need is at least double that. This demonstrates how great the need for workers is in Romania,” Ritu explains.
Extension and international collaborations
Her company does not limit itself to recruitment for Romania alone. Ritu collaborates with firms across Europe, where labor shortages are a common problem. “Labor shortages are not specific to Romania but to all of Europe. Europe is an aging continent and needs skilled workers in trades like construction, welding workers, HORECA, Manufacturing etc. The need for CNC machine operators is also critical. If 5,000 such skilled workers from Asia arrived tomorrow, they would all be employed the next day. European citizens no longer want to work at the blue collar level, so tradespeople are highly sought after (…) Our recruitment firm is authorized by the Ministry of Labor, and we work with organizations like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to protect workers’ rights,” Ritu states.
Currently, she brings workforce from South Asia, including countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or Nepal. “Recently, we’ve also had requests from Indonesia, and we bring workers from African countries as well. But we don’t recruit just anyone. We have well-defined fields of activity where labor is needed, as we collaborate with County Employment Agencies to understand exactly what skills are needed at any given time. Therefore, the selection criteria are clear because companies want qualified people. During recruitment, candidates undergo various tests. We have a specially trained team for testing, selection, and recruitment,” the businesswoman explains
Challenges and solutions in integrating foreign workers
Integrating foreign workers into the local community is a priority for Ritu. She collaborates with various national and international agencies and other organizations to ensure workers’ rights are respected and to provide educational and legal support. “A helpline would be extremely useful for foreigners arriving in Romania and facing problems. Unfortunately, this doesn’t exist yet. If a foreigner happens to have an accident or issues with their employer, they have nowhere to seek help. It’s true they can call the emergency number 112 or approach specialized agencies, but many of those who come to work in Romania don’t have much communication skill and find it difficult to seek help,” Ritu mentions
Impact on the Brașov labor market
Since 2018, Ritu and her team have brought over 3,000 workers to the country, meeting demands in various sectors, from civil and industrial construction to HoReCa and the automotive industry. “The need for labor is enormous, and our recruitment efforts significantly contribute to the local economy. Our clients are usually from the Brașov area, but also from Cluj, Sibiu, Mureș and Covasna. We receive many labor requests from all these areas recently,” she emphasizes.
Vision for the future
Ritu Sinha firmly believes that the process of recruiting foreign workers will continue to be essential for Romania in the long term. She wants that Romania to become an attractive destination for foreign workers, offering them more facilities and opportunities. “Romania should not just be a gateway to the West but a destination in itself, where foreigners want to stay and contribute in the long term. I believe there are more opportunities in Romania than in other countries currently perceived as more friendly,” she concludes
The businesswoman also sounds the alarm about the risks foreign citizens face in seeking a better life in Romania. “Recently, several recruitment agencies have been established. They do not all have the necessary experience or seriousness for such a business. Therefore, it is very important for all foreigners who want to work in Romania to check a few basic things before boarding the plane. First, they should verify whether the company they are supposed to be employed by actually exists, whether it is active, whether it has other employees, the reason it is hiring from abroad, and whether it has ongoing contracts. References about all these aspects can be obtained from county employment agencies or even the Immigration Service. Unfortunately, there have been cases where people signed contracts in their home countries, only to realize they were abandoned upon arrival at their destination airport,” Ritu explains
Diversifying businesses
Besides recruitment activities, Ritu Sinha has opened a Indian store in Brașov in Piata Dacia and is working on setting up an Indian restaurant, both in partnership with Romanian associates. “I wanted to bring a part of India’s culture and traditions to Brașov, offering locals and tourists an authentic experience. Our shop offers spices and food products specific to India, and the restaurant will complete this culinary experience. We aim to create a corner of India in the heart of Brașov,” Ritu says.
Through her activities, Ritu Sinha not only brings skilled workers to Europe but also builds cultural and economic bridges between Asia and Romania, demonstrating that diversity and international collaboration can bring significant benefits to all parties involved
Camelia Vlad, Radio România Brașov
