Resources for employers in Croatia
Resources for employers in Croatia
We use "refugees" to encompass forcibly displaced people with different legal statuses, such as refugees, subsidiary protection holders, temporary protection holders, asylum seekers, and other people in need of international protection.
In cases where differentiating information relating to each status is essential (i.e. regarding the right to work), this is clearly indicated.
Why hire refugees and stateless people in Croatia?
Croatia is hosting some 29,000 refugees, many eager to integrate and contribute to the local economy. As a country facing considerable labour shortages (in May 2024, there were 88,000 unemployed people and 125,000 vacancies), Croatia may benefit considerably from the full inclusion of refugees in the labour market. In particular, there are labour shortages in 30 occupations, such as construction, skilled crafts and trades, food production, hospitality, and information technology, and the tourism industry is facing considerable shortages during the summer.
Croatian employers have shown high interest in hiring refugees, with the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) recording inquiries from 517 employers who expressed interest in hiring beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. Employers who have hired refugees cite benefits such as multiculturalism and good teamwork, which contribute to the growth of all employees in an intercultural environment. The Yellow Submarine restaurant chain shares: "We are currently employing three asylum seekers, and we have only had positive experiences. They have proven to be valuable employees and equal members of our teams, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with them. Multiculturalism creates stronger teams, builds respect and encourages acceptance of diversity. A happy worker is a more productive member of any society."
The refugee internship programme at IKEA Croatia, known as Skills for Employment, developed in partnership with UNHCR, has been widely recognized as a good practice in the employment of refugees. The selection process for the internship takes into account refugees’ specific needs, supporting them from the beginning, including language courses, peer support programmes, and psychosocial support. Participants received three months of paid internship and access to custom training (intercultural training, preparation of CVs and preparation for job interviews among others). In total, 36 refugees have completed the Skills for Employment programme, of which 11 continued their careers at IKEA Croatia. IKEA has also shown leadership in changing the narrative about refugees in Croatia by supporting other employers interested in recruiting refugees and organizing a joint conference on refugee employment in 2023 in partnership with UNHCR, the Croatian Employers Association, and the Croatian Business Council for Sustainable Development.
How many refugees and stateless people are there in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
In 2024, there were 26,000 refugees in Croatia, 25,000 from Ukraine. In addition, there were 1, 300 asylum-seekers from the Russian Federation, Syria, Türkiye and other countries. As of mid-2024, there were approximately 740 recorded stateless people and people of undetermined nationality in Croatia.
Visit the Refugee Data Finder to learn more
How many of them are working?
No data is available on the labour market participation rates of refugees in Croatia. However, the Croatian Employment Services (HZZ) data shows that many refugees are employed in catering and tourism, sales, production, and administration. One can gather further insights from the HZZ's records regarding refugees they have assisted. However, these do not represent the entire population. Regarding asylum-seekers, data is available because individuals require a certificate to work and must present their contracts to the authorities. In 2023, 229 certificates granting the right to work were issued, and 141 asylum-seekers submitted their work contracts. It is unclear how many stateless people and people of undetermined nationality were working.
Read more in the National Report on the Croatian Asylum System in 2023
What are the main challenges?
Some of the challenges for refugees in Croatia seeking to access the job market include insufficient knowledge of the Croatian language (and a lack of systematic provision of language classes), a lack of social networks, limited access to information about employment opportunities, the long process for verifying foreign qualifications, and the lack of a procedure to assess the skills of those who do not possess formal qualifications.
In the absence of a dedicated statelessness determination procedure, stateless people in Croatia may face challenges to regularize their stay in the country and access employment. Stateless people in Croatia may obtain a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, which would allow them to work without needing to obtain an additional work permit.
Read more in the report "Integration of people granted international protection: Dissemination of good practices on European and international level."
Croatia is one of the pilot countries for the EU Talent Pool initiative of EURES (European Employment Services). Employers can search the CV Database on the EURES portal and sign up for notifications for candidates with the desired profiles. They can also benefit from the services of certified EURES advisors from the official database, which can be found here.
| Status | Who it applies to | Right to work? | Process |
| Asylum-seekers | Individuals who are applying for asylum in Croatia and who are still waiting for a decision on their application. | If the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) has not decided on their asylum case, asylum seekers have the right to work three months after applying for international protection. To acquire this right, asylum seekers need to submit their request to the Service for International Protection. Within 30 days of their request, the MUP issues a certificate confirming whether they have the right to work. | If asylum seekers are accommodated in a Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection, they must inform the Reception Centre in writing within 15 days of signing an employment contract and attach a certificate of employment issued by the employer. |
| International protection beneficiary | Individuals who have received positive decisions on their asylum applications due to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group in their countries of origin. | Beneficiaries of international protection have the right to work in Croatia. If they had a certificate for the right to work issued by the MUP while they were asylum seekers, they must return it to the MUP within 15 days because it is no longer needed. | The process is the same as for Croatian nationals. |
| Temporary protection beneficiary | Individuals who have fled Ukraine due to the recent conflict, including Ukrainian nationals and their families, stateless people who resided in Ukraine, and third-country nationals who cannot return to their countries of origin. | Beneficiaries of temporary protection have the right to work in Croatia. | The process is the same as for Croatian nationals. |
| Stateless person | A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a citizen by any country (whether recognized as such or not) | Under the new Foreigners Act, which came into force on 1 January 2021, if a stateless person is granted temporary residence on humanitarian grounds, they are entitled to the right to work without a permit. |
Bear in mind:
- Candidates must follow the standard recognition procedure for professional qualifications obtained from third countries to exercise regulated professions. The regulated professions database contains information on each profession's competent authorities and examination bodies.
- For unregulated professions, the national ENIC/NARIC office evaluates higher education qualifications from third countries. Further information on this process, aimed at refugees from Ukraine, can be found here. Individuals who are missing documents may request an ‘information document’ whose purpose is to authoritatively describe, based on individual assessment, the qualifications and periods of study completed.
How do I connect with refugee and stateless talent?
Employers interested in hiring refugees can contact the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ), which offers the services of a counsellor with experience in their industry and the hiring of third-country nationals for free. The Service can set up a selection procedure for the available vacancies, including testing skills, abilities, personality traits, interests, values, and motivation. Employers can also publish vacancies on the SVOJA job board to get in touch with refugee talent or work directly with SVOJA to recruit candidates. SVOJA may also accompany candidates to the job interview with a translator. Finally, employers can contact non-governmental organizations working with refugees in Croatia who offer targeted services such as training and integration support. These include the Red Cross, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Solidarna Foundation, and Are You Syrious.
What can I do to support refugee and stateless employees?
To facilitate the recruitment and onboarding of refugee and stateless hires, employers can take several steps, such as: 1) reviewing the language requirements of Croatian to allow candidates with a lower level of the language to apply for positions where it is not essential (e.g. non-customer facing jobs); 2) subsidizing language classes for new hires; 3) using the NGO network channels to disseminate information about vacancies; 4) assisting hires with the process of verifying their diplomas; 5) offering internships or apprenticeships to give a chance to those without formal qualifications to prove their skills and qualifications.
Useful resources
Language support
Through a voucher program, the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) can offer Croatian language courses to candidates who need to improve their language skills. The classes are adapted to the following sectors: 1) the construction industry, 2) tourism and catering, 3) the manufacturing industry and 4) the food industry. Migrant workers and refugees with temporary protection are eligible for the voucher program.
Job boards
IEmployers can use the most popular job boards, such as MojPosao and Posao.hr and the HZZ Job Boardhttps://svoja.hurma.work/public-vacancies, to publish jobs for refugees. In addition, the SVOJA Association, a refugee-led NGO with a wide network of Ukrainian refugees, maintains a targeted job board for Ukrainian refugees.
List of Employment Service Centers (in Croatian) which employers can contact.
Video with the stories of Ukrainian refugees who have successfully found work in Croatia by the SVOJA Association.
The AIDA Country Report on Croatia features information about the country's asylum and international protection conditions, including access to the labor market.