France and the other EU countries must lift working restrictions for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens by 1 January 2014 under the terms of their accession treaties. However, France is one of only nine EU countries that still requires Romanians and Bulgarians to obtain a work permit to do so. Despite these restrictions, some Romanian workers continue to find work in the country—often through begging.

BUCHAREST, euworkers.fr (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron won lukewarm support from Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday for his push to tighten rules allowing cheap labor from poorer European nations to be posted abroad. Macron was in Bucharest on the second leg of a tour to Central Europe, where he will raise concerns about the posting of eastern European workers to wealthier western states.

Cultural Adaptation: The Journey of Romanian Workers Living in France

The first wave of Romanian physicians arrived in France before 2007, with many arriving to prepare a diploma for interuniversity specialization or for the certification of specialized training (DIS). The survey of 124 doctors interviewed revealed that, for these professionals, migrating to France is not solely based on a desire to gain experience and prestige, but also because it allows them to ensure continuity of healthcare services in rural areas and to provide medical care in deprived suburban communities.

Several respondents spoke of their dissatisfaction with their professional situation in France, and a number mentioned the difficulty they had in fulfilling their Hippocratic oath to serve the population they were treating when, due to an illness or maternity leave, they could not do so for extended periods. Moreover, they felt less satisfied with the general conditions of their professional practice in France than in Romania.