What the A1 certificate is
The A1 certificate, also called portable document A1, confirms which social security legislation applies to a worker temporarily active in another EU, EEA member state or Switzerland. The rules are set by Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 987/2009.
For an employee posted from Romania, the certificate shows they remain insured in the Romanian system and social contributions continue to be paid in Romania.
When you need an A1
You need an A1 whenever an employee temporarily works in another member state for the Romanian employer. The most common situations are:
- construction, installation or maintenance work for a client abroad;
- services provided under a contract with a company in another state;
- work normally carried out in two or more states, for example drivers or technicians.
For posting, the covered period is usually up to 24 months. The employer must carry out substantial activity in Romania, not just internal administrative tasks.
Which documents to prepare
- the employment contract and the posting addendum;
- the contract or order with the foreign client;
- company details and proof of activity carried out in Romania;
- the workers' ID documents.
The exact list depends on the situation and on the institution's requirements at the time of filing. That is why we carry out a free preliminary review before any application.
Why you should not delay the application
In the host country, authorities can check at any time whether workers hold an A1. A missing certificate can lead to contributions being claimed there too, fines or delays on site. The safest option is to apply before the workers leave.
This article is for information only and reflects requirements published by institutions at the time of writing. It is not legal advice. For your specific situation, ask us for an assessment.
