Croatia Set to Grant More Rights for Foreign Workers

Foreign workers in Croatia will soon be able to enjoy more rights as the country has decided to amend some of the rules that currently apply to those participating in its labour market.

In an attempt to make Croatia more attractive for foreigners who want to take up employment, the Croatian authorities have decided to offer more security by offering compensation for foreigners who might find themselves unemployed, Schengen.News reports.

As the authorities have explained, they are working on a rule that will allow foreigners to benefit from compensation for a total of 60 days if their employment contract is terminated. During this 60-day period, the foreign workers will be able to look for other job opportunities within Croatia.

By doing this, Croatia wants to ensure that foreigners will not leave the country as there are currently shortages in various sectors.

Commenting on the move, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Pension System and Social Policy, Ivan Vidriš, said that this measure will help the country prevent the abuse of foreign workers who often are not able to leave their employer.

According to him, Croatia needs foreign workers, and this measure will make it easier to retain them by allowing them to change their employers without having to face any difficulties.

As part of its measures to retain and attract more foreign workers, Croatia plans also to extend the validity of work permits for foreigners.

As the Croatian authorities have revealed, the country plans to extend the validity period of work permits from one year to three years.

By extending the validity, the Croatian Minister of Labour, Marin Piletić, said that the country wants to offer an easier transition for foreigners who want to change their job position and also to make it simpler to change employers.

Pension Insurance Institute data show that there are around 143,000 foreigners working in Croatia. The majority of these foreign workers are from non-EU countries, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania.

The 2023 EURES report revealed that there are about 30 jobs in shortage in Croatia. Foreign nationals who have an occupation part of the shortage list have a higher chance to obtain a work visa and enter Croatia to take up employment.

Source: https://schengen.news/croatia-set-to-grant-more-rights-for-foreign-workers/