Do I need a job offer and a work permit before applying for the Romanian employment visa?

The employment route is employer-driven. A Romanian employer must secure a work permit, also called a notice of employment, from the General Inspectorate for Immigration on your behalf before any visa step.

To get that approval the employer generally has to show the role could not be filled by Romanian, EU/EEA or permanent-resident candidates, that the company has been genuinely operating, and that the position falls within the government's annual work-authorisation quota.

Only after the work permit is granted do you apply for the long-stay employment visa at a Romanian consulate. Without a sponsoring employer and an approved permit, there is no application to make.