New employment rules for foreign workers in Croatia

The number of foreign workers continues to rise

In 2024, Croatia experienced a significant increase in foreign worker applications, with 286,000 requests for residence and work permits submitted—22% more than in 2023.

The government issued 206,529 permits, marking a 20% rise from the previous year, Lider.hr reported.

Currently, 113,504 foreign workers hold valid work permits in the country. The majority of these permits were granted in sectors such as construction, tourism and hospitality, industry, transport and communications, and trade.

Out of the total permits issued, 132,000 were for new employment, nearly 57,000 for renewals, and 17,500 for seasonal workers, primarily in tourism and hospitality.

The highest number of permits in 2024 were issued to citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina (38,100) and Nepal (35,635), followed by Serbia (almost 28,000), India (20,000), the Philippines (14,600), North Macedonia (just under 14,000), Bangladesh (13,600), Kosovo (8,000), Uzbekistan (7,000), and Egypt (slightly less than 7,000).

The Croatian Parliament is set to vote on a new proposal for the Aliens Act, aiming to better regulate the legal framework for foreign workers and align with European legislation.

The proposed law seeks to establish the status and protection of foreign workers and oversee agencies that facilitate their employment in Croatia.

It mandates that foreign workers’ salaries must not be lower than those of Croatian workers in the same occupations.

The amendments also implement the EU directive on the so-called Blue Card, designed to attract highly qualified professionals.

Changes include extending the Blue Card’s validity from 24 to 48 months. Individuals without formal educational qualifications but possessing skills, particularly in the IT sector, can obtain a Blue Card by demonstrating work experience, as assessed by a commission appointed by the labour minister.

Blue Card holders must earn a monthly salary of at least 1.5 times the average gross wage in Croatia.

Under the proposed changes, residence and work permits will be issued for up to three years, an increase from the current one-year limit. Permits for seasonal work will be valid for up to nine months, up from six months. The law also sets standards for the accommodation of foreign workers.

Employers will be required to provide financial guarantees in case they withdraw from hiring a worker for whom they have obtained a work permit.

To allow employers time to adjust, the enforcement of penalties as a barrier to issuing permits is postponed until 1 January 2026. The law prohibits conducting business through digital platforms (such as Bolt, Wolt, etc.) if the employer has unlawfully employed foreign workers.

Employers seeking permits for foreign workers must have at least one Croatian citizen employed for the past year, settled all public dues, and a minimum turnover of €10,000 for legal entities or €15,000 for individuals—a requirement not previously regulated.

Changes to the Aliens Act will ensuring safer working conditions, Ivan Vidiš, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, said on HRT. He says the reforms aim to improve the labour market and make it easier to identify serious employers in the foreign worker system.

Accommodation standards will be regulated, and a blacklist will be introduced for those who fail to register workers for mandatory insurance, he adds. Vidiš also highlighted that the changes will create better conditions for ethnic Croats who wish to return to Croatia.