Croatia Work Permit

CROATIA WORK PERMIT

Croatia is currently in need of a lot of workers. There are lots of industries, like construction and tourism, that simply do not have enough people to fill all the open positions. As a result, Croatian companies are looking abroad to fill these roles. The company hires a foreigner and the government grants a work permit.

This shortage of labor is partly because young Croatians are moving abroad to other EU countries and partly because Croatians don’t want to do these kinds of jobs. If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you may apply for a work permit in Croatia if you meet the right conditions.

Who qualifies for a work permit in Croatia

A residence permit based on employment is a unique permit, which provides temporary residence and allows one to work for a specific Croatian company in Croatia.

To qualify for a work permit, you must meet these two criteria:

• Are a third-country national (non-EU)
• Have been offered a work contract with a Croatian company

A work permit is tied to a specific work contract. Because of this, the term of your residence permit will match the term of your work contract, up to a 1-year maximum. If your work contract is terminated (either by you or the employer), your work and residence permit will be terminated within 15 days.

So, if you want to be granted a work and residence permit in Croatia, the first thing you need to do is get a job.

How to get a job in Croatia

Your very first step, BEFORE you can apply for a work permit, is to get a job in Croatia. You cannot apply for a work permit before you have a job.

Once you find a job, you can start your work permit application. The employer must provide you with one of the following as proof you were hired:

• An offer of employment with a Croatian company
• A valid employment contract or other proof of employment

After you have one of the above, then the company can request a work and residence permit on your behalf. However, there are a few steps the company must go through before they can request your permit, which we explain in the next section.