The Interior Ministry has been notably liberal in granting residence permits, issuing more than 85,000 between January and July 2024, compared to nearly 113,000 in the same period last year. Additionally, 32,000 permits were extended, accounting for 78% of those granted in 2023.
The number of seasonal work permits has also risen, with 15,000 issued recently. This trend is widespread across Croatian cities and municipalities, with notable increases in Bjelovar-Bilogora and coastal counties like Istria, Dubrovnik-Neretva, and Split-Dalmatia.
Istria particularly saw a surge, approving 14,000 new permits and 3,000 extensions. Conversely, Zagreb issued 16,000 new permits and extended 10,000, relatively fewer compared to its population size.
Coastal counties are high in demand due to seasonal tourism, with Lika-Senj County relying heavily on foreign workers, while Zagreb, despite its size, received fewer seasonal workers proportionately.
Croatia’s need for foreign labor is underscored by demand across 30 occupations, prominently in construction, transportation, electrical trades, and the service industry.