Foreign-born population – 2024 | 13.4% of the population | |
0.5 million, 51% women | Evolution since 2014: ‑7% |
International Migration Outlook 2025
In 2024, 3 000 new immigrants obtained a residence permit longer than 12 months in Croatia (excluding EU citizens), ‑66.4% compared to 2023. This figure comprises around 44% labour migrants, 44% family members (including accompanying family), 3% who came for education reasons and 10% other migrants. Around 400 short-term permits were issued to international students and 84 000 to temporary and seasonal labour migrants (excluding intra-EU migration).
Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nepal were the top three nationalities of newcomers in 2023. Among the top 15 countries of origin, Ukraine registered the strongest increase (1 000) and Germany the largest decrease (‑200) in flows to Croatia compared to the previous year.
In 2024, the number of first asylum applicants decreased by ‑39%, to reach around 1 600. The majority of applicants came from Russia (300), Syria (200) and Türkiye (100). The largest increase since 2023 concerned nationals of Egypt (25) and the largest decrease nationals of Russia (‑400). Of the 310 decisions taken in 2024, 21% were positive.
Emigration of Croatians to OECD countries decreased by ‑15% in 2023, to 30 000. Approximately 43% of this group migrated to Germany, 27% to Austria and 9% to Switzerland.
In 2025, the Croatian Government adopted amendments to the Aliens Act targeting the residence and employment of third-country nationals. The amendments align national legislation with EU law while addressing the needs of the Croatian labour market by easing access for highly skilled workers, especially in the IT sector, while tightening requirements for employers and strengthening legal protections for workers.
The law outlines cases exempt from needing a dedicated stay and work permit or registration. Unless exempted, the work permits are generally tied to a labour market test from the Croatian Employment Service (CES) to ensure that local workers are prioritised. Work permit holders can now stay for up to three years and may change jobs and take on supplementary employment. Seasonal work permits may now last up to nine months, while Digital Nomad stays were extended from 12 to 18 months.
The validity of the EU Blue Card was extended from two to four years. Seeking to attract more highly skilled IT professionals, applicants who lack formal educational requirements, but have at least three years of relevant IT experience may also be eligible. EU Blue Card holders can now change employers without a new permit and engage in self-employed or professional activities. Both EU Blue Card holders and work permit holders can be unemployed for a limited time without losing their status.
Employers hiring foreign workers face increased obligations and responsibilities. To qualify for the employment of foreign workers, employers must meet a set of requirements including having had employed at least one Croatian or EU/EAA/Swiss Confederation national for the past 12 months and being actively engaged in economic activity. Moreover, employers who were found to be engaging in undeclared work in the past are forbidden from hiring foreign workers. Given past cases of visa issuances to foreigners who never arrived or used their visas to enter other Schengen countries, recruitment agencies are facing increased scrutiny, and employers face a fine if the third-country national does not start work as stated in their employment contract or if the contract is terminated within three months. Regulations also aim to deter illegal employment of third-country nationals via increased financial penalties. Furthermore, in cases when employers are intermediaries, accommodation for workers must be adequate.
The reforms also include a set of incentives for the immigration and return of Croatian emigrants. Foreigners of Croatian descent and their family members are eligible for a two‑year temporary residence permit that allows them to work or be self-employed without a permit, access to education programmes, and the option to apply for Croatian citizenship immediately after receiving their residence permit.
Croatia also advanced the digitalisation of its immigration processes in 2024.
For more information: https://emn.gov.hr | https://mup.gov.hr/
