Poland or Romania
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Poland | Romania | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | $ 63 273 | — |
| Citizenship | 3 years | 8 years |
| Partner can work | yes | yes |
| Parents | difficult | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 5 | 5 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | $ 116 | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 1 684 · estimate | $ 899 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 29,3 | $ 26,8 |
| Life expectancy | 78.41 | 76.46 |
| Homicides/100k | 0.68 | 1.12 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 2.9 | 3.5 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Poland — 40, Romania — 95. Types present in both: work, study, family and job seeking. Romania adds: remote work, investment, talent, repatriation and working holiday.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Poland: fees range from 85 to 640 PLN. Routes with no fee: 1. Romania: the fee is 300 EUR wherever it is published. Routes stating an income threshold: 1; the lowest is 500 EUR a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 91; the shortest is 30 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: both after 5 years. Citizenship: Poland after 3 years, Romania after 8 years. Both allow a second citizenship.
Poland in brief
A large EU member with a growing tech sector (Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław) and some of the lowest violent crime figures in Europe. Held back by standard family reunification covering only a spouse and minor children — parents are not on the ordinary list — and by tightened security checks on residence applications and renewals for some applicants.
Romania in brief
An EU and Schengen country with a large tech sector and a low cost of living; held back by high seismic risk (Bucharest especially), an 8-year route to citizenship with a language requirement, and systemic corruption.
Other comparisons
More on each: Poland · Romania. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.