Living As a Migrant of African Descent In Romania - between Expectations and Reality

Prior to its accession to the European Union in 2007, Romania primarily functioned as a country of emigration and transit, with relatively low levels of immigration. Migration-related issues and questions of migrant integration consequently received limited attention in both public discourse and academic research. In recent years, however, Romania has increasingly become a host country, accompanied by a steady rise in the number of immigrants. Immigrant populations in Romania can be broadly classified into voluntary migrants, such as students and labor migrants, and forced migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers (Simionescu, 2019). Within this changing migration context, specific vulnerable groups remain under-researched.

This exploratory qualitative study focuses on African migrants, a population characterized by a long-standing history of cultural, historical, and intergenerational trauma, as well as persistent experiences of racism, discrimination, and social exclusion (Ramos, 2011). These historical and contemporary stressors heighten vulnerability to mental health problems. Previous research indicates that African migrant women are more likely to experience anxiety and depressive disorders when migration is driven by threats to personal safety, while among men, mental health difficulties are often associated with irregular legal status in the host country (Pannetier et al., 2017). Additionally, post-migration discrimination has been strongly linked to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Thela et al., 2017). Despite this evidence, research focusing specifically on African migrants in Romania remains scarce. The present study aimed to identify and analyze the main barriers to integration encountered by African migrants living in Romania.

The study was conducted in Romania between September 2024 and January 2025 and employed a qualitative research design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus groups involving 47 African migrants and 9 key experts working in migration-related fields. A thematic analysis approach was used to systematically analyze the data and generate a comprehensive understanding of participants’ experiences and perspectives.

The analysis revealed three overarching themes: low access to information, limited access to resources and services, and discrimination and economic exploitation. Key experts emphasized structural barriers such as the lack of centralized and accessible information, an insufficient number of support services, educational challenges, language barriers, and weak community support networks. African migrants highlighted similar challenges, while also emphasizing additional difficulties, including restricted access to social and healthcare services, housing insecurity, discrimination in public spaces, exploitation in the labor market, and heightened vulnerability to gender-based violence.

The findings indicate that, although Romania has increasingly assumed the role of a host country for migrants of African descent, discrimination, hate speech, and racially motivated violence remain prevalent. Women of African descent emerged as a particularly high-risk group, frequently experiencing physical and emotional abuse and facing significant barriers to leaving abusive relationships due to the risk of losing legal residency through marital dissolution. These findings underscore the need for improved access to information, stronger institutional support, and the development of gender-sensitive and culturally informed policies and services to facilitate the social integration and well-being of African migrants in Romania.