Record number of Croatians return to Croatia – where they came from 

(Hvar)

A record number of Croatian citizens returned to Croatia last year, according to data on population migration in Croatia for 2021 published by the Croatia Central Bureau of Statistics. 

Unfavourable economic conditions and the inability to find permanent employment in their professions led a big wave of emigration after Croatia joined the EU back in 2013, but in 2021, more Croatians than ever decided to return back home. 

In 2021, 10,622 Croatian citizens moved back to Croatia, continuing a trend in the pre-pandemic years when 7,911 returned in 2017, 8,619 in 2018 and 9,882 in 2019. 

Whilst over 10,000 returned, a total of 25,950 Croatians emigrated from Croatia last year. 

In total, 35,912 people moved to live in Croatia in 2021, whilst 40,424 people left. There was a negative net migration rate in Croatia last year of -4,512.

(Photo credit: Ivan Vukovic/ www.instagram.com/dubrovnik_tourist_guide)

From the total number of Croatian citizens who moved back to Croatia last year, the most arrived from Germany. 

Where most Croatians returned to Croatia from in 2021

Germany – 4,225
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 1,786
Austria – 586
Serbia – 577
Ireland – 413
Switzerland – 377
USA – 280
Italy – 264
Canada – 233
Australia/Oceania – 202
Slovenia – 161
UK – 160
Asia – 148
South America – 60

Where most non-Croatian citizens who moved to Croatia in 2021 came from

Bosnia and Herzegovina – 6,269
Asia – 4,288
Serbia – 3,166
Kosovo – 1,779
Germany – 1,146
North Macedonia – 1,015
Slovenia – 844
Ukraine – 730
Italy – 393
Austria – 342
Poland – 282
France – 269
Montenegro – 225
USA – 190
South America – 190
Spain – 187

Zagreb (Photo credit: J. Duval/Zagreb Tourist Board)

Most people moved who moved to Croatia settled in the capital Zagreb and the surrounding Zagreb County (11,366), followed by Split-Dalmatia County (3,582), Istria (3,049), Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (2,600) and Zadar (1,922).