Work & Live Croatia

04/09/2026

WHEN CAN A FOREIGN WORKER WHO HAS JUST ARRIVED IN CROATIA CHANGE EMPLOYERS BEFORE COMPLETING SIX MONTHS OF WORK?

A few days ago, we wrote about changes to the employment rules for foreign workers and the easier procedure for changing employers and occupations introduced by the amendments to the Foreigners Act, which have been in force since June 2026.

Based on readers' reactions and the messages we have received, we can see that the rule concerning the first six months of employment is causing some confusion.

Here are several important points that need to be clarified.

First, the six-month rule applies to the first employer – that is, the employer connected to the residence and work permit on the basis of which the third-country national came to Croatia.

To use the simplified procedure for changing employers, the worker must generally first complete six months of work with that employer.

Once this requirement has been fulfilled, a new six-month period does not start every time the worker later changes employers.

Second, the six-month period is not linked to the duration of the employment contract.

It does not matter whether the contract was concluded for one, two or three years. After six months of work with the first employer, the worker may use the simplified employer-change procedure, provided that the other legal requirements are met.

However, the rules of the Croatian Labour Act still apply. In particular, a fixed-term employment contract may be terminated by ordinary notice before its expiry only if the contract itself provides for that possibility.

Can the employment relationship end before the first six months have passed?

Yes. The six-month rule in the Foreigners Act does not itself prohibit the termination of employment before six months have passed. However, the employment relationship must be terminated in accordance with the Labour Act and the worker's employment contract.

The important issue is what happens next.

If the worker wants to move to another employer before completing six months and none of the statutory exceptions applies, the simplified employer-change procedure cannot be used.

Instead, a new procedure for obtaining a residence and work permit must be initiated for employment with the new employer.

In other words, ending the first employment relationship before six months is possible under the applicable labour-law rules, but the worker generally cannot simply transfer the existing permit to another employer through the simplified procedure.

Third, there are situations in which a foreign worker can use the simplified employer-change procedure even before completing the first six months of work.

This is possible if, in relation to that worker:

• proceedings have been initiated against the employer for criminal offences against employment relations and social security

• the competent inspection authority has initiated proceedings concerning the most serious violations of employment rights or violations relating to social security or occupational safety

• court proceedings have been initiated to protect the worker's dignity

• the employer has failed to pay the worker's salary when it became due, as established through the Central Register of Insured Persons.

In these situations, the worker does not have to wait until the first six months have passed in order to use the simplified procedure for changing employers.

It is also important to understand that even after six months, a worker cannot simply start working for a new employer without following the required procedure. The new employer must meet the legal requirements and carry out the prescribed employer-change procedure.

If the employment relationship ends, the worker must report their unemployment to the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) within five days of the termination of employment.

In simple terms:

The six-month rule does not prevent the first employment relationship from ending earlier. However, if a worker wants to move to another employer before completing six months, they generally cannot use the simplified employer-change procedure unless one of the specific exceptions prescribed by law applies. Otherwise, a new residence and work permit procedure must be initiated.

Note: These rules apply to third-country nationals working on the basis of a residence and work permit. Seasonal workers are subject to a separate legal regime.

03/09/2026

PETITION LAUNCHED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CHILDREN OF FOREIGN WORKERS IN CROATIA

The association Latinos en Croacia has launched a petition calling for more accessible health insurance for the children of foreign workers in Croatia. The petition is addressed to the Croatian Parliament, and its organisers are drawing attention to the high cost of health insurance for children of third-country nationals who legally reside in Croatia with their parents.

The problem stems from the way the current health insurance system is regulated.

Health insurance in Croatia is mandatory. However, foreign workers from third countries who hold a residence and work permit, or another form of temporary residence, cannot simply insure their children who also have temporary residence as dependent family members under the parent’s health insurance.

Under the current rules, in order to obtain health insurance as a family member of an insured person, the child must have registered permanent residence, permanent stay or long-term residence in Croatia. A child of a third-country national who only has temporary residence does not meet this requirement.

As a result, the child’s health insurance has to be arranged separately, and the parent, guardian or another person responsible for the child is required to pay the health insurance contributions.

In 2026, this cost amounts to approximately €125 per month per child. For a family with two children, this means around €250 per month solely for the children’s mandatory health insurance.

An additional problem may arise when the child first enters the Croatian health insurance system. In practice, this often concerns children who come to Croatia through family reunification.

For a foreign child with temporary residence, there may be an obligation to make a one-off contribution payment covering the period between the end of the child’s previous health insurance and entry into the Croatian system, for a maximum period of 12 months.

As a result, the initial cost can exceed €1,000 in some cases and, for the full 12-month period, can amount to approximately €1,500. After that, the parent continues to pay around €125 per month for the child’s health insurance.

In other words, a family that legally reunites in Croatia may face a very high initial health insurance cost when the child arrives, followed by a substantial recurring monthly expense.

The organisers of the petition argue that children of foreign workers who legally live in Croatia should be able to obtain basic health insurance through their parents, who work in Croatia and already pay health insurance contributions, without this additional financial burden.

The petition also refers to examples of other European countries where health insurance for the children of employed parents is regulated more favourably.

The Croatian Ombudsperson for Children has also previously raised concerns regarding foreign children’s access to healthcare, particularly in connection with residence status, family reunification and access to health services.

You can read and sign the petition here:

https://www.openpetition.eu/hr/petition/online/za-dostupno-zdravstveno-osiguranje-za-djecu-stranca-for-the-health-insurance-of-foreign-children?fbclid=IwY2xjawTz359wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4zzKGuSUrlqYnh9c8Kzh1jRkyPij8b83o-5vkJ0DwbmH_rVdap6d0eu1WaYQ_aem_W0vKi4DA1q3-98Qg_Z0DnQ

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02/09/2026

TEMPORARY STAY FOR A THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONAL CHILD BORN IN CROATIA MUST BE REGULATED WITHIN THREE MONTHS

One important obligation that, according to information we receive from the field, some foreign workers are not sufficiently aware of concerns regulating the temporary stay of their children born in Croatia.

Under the Croatian Foreigners Act, a parent or guardian of a child born in the Republic of Croatia must submit an application for temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification by the time the child reaches THREE MONTHS of age, except in cases where family reunification is excluded under the Act.

Therefore, if the child is a third-country national, the fact that the child was born in Croatia does not mean that their residence status is automatically regulated. Parents must take the necessary steps to regulate the child’s stay in time.

It is particularly important to pay attention to the deadline: the application must be submitted before the child reaches three months of age.

If the parent or guardian fails to submit the application within the prescribed deadline, the Foreigners Act provides for a fine ranging from EUR 50 to EUR 700.

It is also important to know that, when submitting this application for a child born in Croatia, a valid travel document for the child and proof of health insurance do not have to be provided.

Temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification may be granted to minor children who are third-country nationals, provided that the conditions prescribed by the Foreigners Act are met.

If you are a third-country national and your child was born in Croatia, do not assume that the child’s residence status is automatically regulated by birth. Contact the competent police administration or police station in time and, if the conditions for family reunification are met, submit the application within the legally prescribed deadline.

01/09/2026

MANDATORY REPORTING OF UNEMPLOYMENT WITHIN 5 DAYS

Amendments to the Foreigners Act, which entered into force on 4 June 2026, introduced an important obligation for third-country nationals who hold a valid residence and work permit and to whom these provisions apply.

If you lose your job, you must notify the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) within 5 days from the date your employment ends.

Based on the information we receive from the field, it appears that many foreign workers are still unaware of this obligation.

How does this work in practice?

If your employment has ended – regardless of whether you resigned, were dismissed, mutually agreed to terminate your employment contract, or your fixed-term employment contract expired – you must notify HZZ of your unemployment within the statutory period of 5 days.

According to the current instructions of the Ministry of the Interior, foreign workers should personally notify HZZ of their unemployment. Therefore, the safest option is to visit the HZZ regional or local office responsible for the area where you are staying as soon as possible.

Why is this so important?

If you fail to notify HZZ within the required period, HZZ is required to inform the competent police administration or police station. Failure to report unemployment within 5 days is a legal ground for the revocation of a residence and work permit, and the Ministry of the Interior explicitly warns in its official guidance that the permit will be revoked in such a situation.

Therefore, do not wait until you find a new employer. Even if you expect to find a new job very quickly, first make sure that you report the end of your employment to HZZ within the statutory 5-day period.

It is also important to know that after registering, you are required to actively look for work, accept employment offered to you and respond to HZZ requests. If you do not look for work, refuse offered employment, fail to respond to HZZ or are unavailable, you may also lose your residence and work permit.

If you lose your job, do not wait. Contact HZZ immediately.

Note: This obligation does not apply to seasonal workers.

31/08/2026

IMPORTANT LOCATIONS IN THE WORK & LIVE CROATIA APP

The **Work & Live Croatia** app provides foreign workers in Croatia with a wide range of useful information and services in one place.

In the app, users can find information related to employment, healthcare, required documentation, accommodation, family life, and other important issues, as well as a Croatian language learning module at the A1.1 level, job advertisements, and the possibility of direct communication with employers.

A particularly useful feature is the list of locations and contact details of institutions that are important for foreign workers in Croatia. The app includes the locations of all offices of the Croatian Employment Service, the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute, as well as police stations of the Ministry of the Interior.

For each location, the address and contact details are available, and the app also allows users to start navigation directly to the selected office.

This feature makes it much easier for our users to find and contact institutions they may need for various matters related to work, residence, health insurance, pension insurance, and other administrative procedures in Croatia.

All content in the **Work & Live Croatia** app is available in 17 languages.

You can download the app for free from Google Play via the following link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.worklivecroatia.app&hl=hr

30/08/2026

CAN A WORKER IN CROATIA LEGALLY WORK 6 DAYS A WEEK?

Yes. Croatian Labour Act does not guarantee workers two days off per week, nor does it require full-time work to be distributed over five days.

However, the law does provide a number of minimum rights that every worker must have.

Full-time working hours may not exceed 40 hours per week.

If a worker works overtime, total working time generally may not exceed 50 hours per week. In cases of unevenly distributed working hours, and where this is regulated by a collective agreement, working time may reach up to 60 hours in an individual week, subject to additional legal limits.

Overtime work may not exceed 180 hours per year, or up to 250 hours if this is provided for by a collective agreement.

A worker who works at least six hours a day is entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes. This break is included in working time.

Between two working periods, a worker is generally entitled to at least 12 consecutive hours of daily rest.

In addition, a worker is entitled to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, to which the daily rest period is added. In a standard situation, this means at least 36 consecutive hours of rest. Certain types of work are subject to legally defined exceptions.

Therefore, a six-day working week is not illegal in itself. For example, 40 working hours can legally be distributed over six days.

A problem arises if a worker works more hours than the law allows, does not receive the required daily and weekly rest, or if overtime work is not properly recorded and paid.

Workers are also entitled to at least four weeks of paid annual leave.

As a general rule, employers must inform workers of their work schedule or any changes to it at least one week in advance, except in cases of an unforeseeable urgent need.

If a worker works on Sunday, every hour worked on Sunday must be paid at least 50% more.

Workers are also entitled to increased pay for overtime work, night work, work on public holidays, and work under difficult conditions. Apart from the statutory minimum increase for Sunday work, the exact amount of the increase is regulated by a collective agreement, workplace regulations, or the employment contract.

So, the fact that a worker works six days a week does not in itself mean that the law is being violated.

What matters is how many hours the worker works in total, whether the legally required daily and weekly rest is provided, how much overtime is worked, and whether all hours worked are properly recorded and paid.

29/08/2026

CHANGES TO CROATIA’S LABOUR ACT ARE COMING – PAY DIFFERENCES WILL NO LONGER BE SO SECRET

Croatia is preparing major amendments to the Labour Act to introduce European rules on pay transparency into national law.

The new rules will give workers significantly more information about how their pay is determined, which criteria are used, and what the average pay levels are for the same work or work of equal value.

WHAT IS CHANGING?

Workers will be able to request information about average pay levels for categories of employees performing the same work or work of equal value.

Important: this does NOT mean that you will be able to ask your employer exactly how much a specific colleague earns. Another worker’s individual salary will not automatically become available to you, but you will be able to obtain information about average pay levels for comparable jobs.

The new rules are also expected to introduce several other important changes:

- job applicants will have to receive information about the starting salary or salary range before employment

- employers will no longer be allowed to ask candidates how much they earned with their previous employer

- workers will not be prohibited from discussing their own pay when doing so in order to exercise their right to equal pay

- the criteria used to determine salaries and salary increases will have to be more accessible and objective

- workers will find it easier to understand how their salary was determined and how it compares with pay for the same work or work of equal value

- the current proposal is that employers with more than 100 employees will be included in the pay reporting system.

This could be particularly important for foreign workers, who often arrive in Croatia without enough information about how much the job they perform is normally paid and which criteria employers use when determining salaries.

Croatia’s Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Alen Ružić, told HRT on 24 August that the proposal is for reporting obligations to apply to employers with more than 100 employees and that a dedicated information system should be established.

Ružić said:

““These amendments are now going through an urgent procedure, and the Labour Act is ready.””

Earlier, on 22 May, while speaking about the planned amendments to the Labour Act, Ružić stated:

““We want to ensure that work of equal value is paid equally.””

WHEN WILL THE NEW RULES ENTER INTO FORCE?

The deadline for incorporating the EU Pay Transparency Directive into Croatian legislation was 7 June 2026. Croatia has not yet completed this process.

According to the latest information, the amendments to the Labour Act have been prepared and are expected to go through an urgent legislative procedure. The exact date when the new rules will enter into force is not yet known.

For workers, the most important point is this:

You will not be able to find out the exact salary of every colleague, but you will have much more information about how much the same work or work of equal value is paid and which criteria were used to determine your salary.

This should increase pay transparency and make it much more difficult for situations to arise in which a worker has no idea how their salary was determined or how much workers in the same category of jobs earn on average.

Photo source: HRT Dnevnik

28/08/2026

CAN A FOREIGN WORKER QUALIFY FOR A CROATIAN PENSION, AND WHEN?

Yes. Foreign workers employed in Croatia are generally covered by the Croatian mandatory pension insurance system, just like Croatian workers, and pension contributions are calculated and paid for them during their employment.

An exception may apply where EU rules or an international social security agreement require the legislation of another country to apply.

But when can a foreign worker qualify for a Croatian old-age pension?

Under the rules applicable in 2026, the two main age and pension-record requirements for a regular old-age pension are:

- at least 15 years of pensionable service completed in Croatia, if the pension entitlement is based solely on Croatian insurance periods
- reaching the statutory retirement age

In 2026, the statutory retirement age is:

Men – 65 years

Women – 64 years

As a general rule, pension insurance must also have ended before the right to an old-age pension can be exercised, although there are exceptions provided by law.

WHAT DOES 15 YEARS OF PENSIONABLE SERVICE MEAN?

If a foreign worker wants to qualify for an independent Croatian old-age pension based solely on insurance periods completed in Croatia, they must have at least 15 years of pensionable service completed in Croatia.

This means that working and being insured in Croatia for only a few years is not, by itself, sufficient to qualify for an independent Croatian old-age pension.

Example:

If a worker from the Philippines comes to Croatia at the age of 35 and completes 15 years of pensionable service in Croatia, they have met the minimum Croatian pension-record requirement for an independent Croatian old-age pension.

When they later reach the statutory retirement age applicable at that time and meet the other legal requirements, they can qualify for a Croatian old-age pension.

IMPORTANT – WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS?

Pension contributions are calculated and paid for foreign workers who are covered by the Croatian pension insurance system.

Simply stopping work in Croatia or leaving Croatia does not give a worker the right to have their mandatory pension contributions refunded.

The periods during which the person was insured remain recorded in the Croatian pension system and may form the basis for future pension rights.

WHAT IF THE WORKER RETURNS TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY?

If a foreign worker leaves Croatia and returns to their home country, the pensionable service they have already completed in Croatia is not erased.

For example, if a worker has completed at least 15 years of pensionable service in Croatia and then returns to their home country, they do not have to remain in Croatia until retirement.

When they reach the statutory retirement age and meet the other legal requirements, they can apply for their Croatian pension even if they are living abroad.

Payment of a Croatian pension abroad is possible under the conditions prescribed by Croatian law. Depending on the country of residence, payment may be based on EU rules, an international social security agreement, reciprocity, or a decision by the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO).

WHAT IF A WORKER HAS ONLY 5 OR 10 YEARS IN CROATIA?

If a worker has completed, for example, only 5 or 10 years of pensionable service in Croatia and has no other insurance periods that can be added under EU rules or an international social security agreement, they do not meet the minimum requirement of 15 years and therefore do not qualify for an independent Croatian old-age pension.

However, those 5 or 10 years of Croatian pensionable service are not erased.

If the worker has insurance periods from another country that can be taken into account under EU rules or an international social security agreement applied by Croatia, those periods may be added together for the purpose of determining whether the worker qualifies for a pension.

In such a case, Croatia does not pay a pension for the years worked in another country. Croatia calculates and pays its part of the pension based on the insurance periods completed in Croatia.

IMPORTANT – INSURANCE PERIODS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES CAN SOMETIMES BE ADDED TOGETHER

Insurance periods completed in other countries can, in certain circumstances, be taken into account when determining whether a person meets the conditions for a pension.

This applies, among other situations, where EU rules on the coordination of social security systems apply or where Croatia has an applicable international social security agreement with another country.

Under certain conditions, EU coordination rules can also apply to third-country nationals who are legally resident in the EU and whose situation involves more than one EU Member State.

However, Croatia currently does not apply a bilateral social security agreement with the Philippines, Nepal, India or Uzbekistan.

This means that insurance periods completed in those countries cannot currently be added to Croatian insurance periods on the basis of a bilateral social security agreement with Croatia.

For example, if a worker has completed 10 years of pensionable service in Croatia and 10 years in the Philippines, the 10 years completed in the Philippines cannot currently be added to the 10 Croatian years under a Croatia–Philippines bilateral social security agreement, because such an agreement is not in force.

Therefore, based only on those 10 Croatian years and 10 Philippine years, the worker would not meet the Croatian qualifying requirement for an old-age pension.

So, foreign workers in Croatia are not paying pension contributions “for nothing”.

If they complete the required pensionable service and meet the other legal requirements, they can qualify for a Croatian pension even if they later leave Croatia.

27/08/2026

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT A FOREIGN WORKER HAS TO WORK FOR SIX MONTHS WITH THEIR FIRST EMPLOYER?

A few days ago, we published a post about the new legal rules for changing employers in Croatia, and we received many questions about the six-month rule.

So, let us explain in more detail what this rule actually means.

First and most importantly: when we talk about the six-month period, the law refers to the residence and work permit on the basis of which a third-country national comes to Croatia.

In simpler terms, this is the employer through whom the foreign worker initially comes to Croatia to work.

This does NOT mean that a worker has to complete another six months every time they change employers.

For example:

A worker comes to Croatia from Nepal, the Philippines, India or another third country on the basis of a residence and work permit connected to Employer A.

Under the general rule, the worker must complete six months of work on the basis of that permit before they can use the simplified procedure for changing employers within the validity period of the existing residence and work permit.

Importantly, this is six months of work, not simply six months from the date the permit was issued.

The duration of the employment contract does not change this immigration rule.

Therefore, if a worker has an employment contract or residence and work permit valid for one, two or three years, this does not mean that they must remain with that employer for the entire period.

After completing six months of work, they may change employers under the procedure prescribed by the Foreigners Act.

IMPORTANT: THE SIX-MONTH RULE DOES NOT MEAN THAT A WORKER CAN NEVER CHANGE EMPLOYERS BEFORE SIX MONTHS HAVE PASSED.

If a third-country national wants to change employers before completing six months of work, and none of the special legal exceptions applies, a new application for a residence and work permit must generally be submitted.

In other words, changing employers before six months is possible, but the procedure is different.

The law also allows a worker to use the simplified employer-change procedure before completing six months of work in certain serious situations.

This applies when:

• proceedings have been initiated against the employer, in relation to that worker, for criminal offences against employment rights and social security

• the competent labour inspection authority has initiated proceedings concerning the most serious violations of employment rights or violations related to social security or occupational health and safety

• court proceedings have been initiated for the protection of the worker's dignity

• the worker's salary has not been paid when due, as established through the Central Register of Insured Persons.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SIX MONTHS?

After completing six months of work, the worker may use the simplified procedure to change employers within the validity period of the existing residence and work permit.

However, this does not mean that the worker can simply leave one employer and start working for another employer the next day without following the legally prescribed procedure.

The new employer must follow the procedure prescribed by the Foreigners Act.

A labour market test must be carried out when required by law, and the competent police administration or police station must be notified of the change of employer.

Where an opinion from the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) is required, the worker may start working for the new employer from the date of the positive HZZ opinion.

After a successful simplified change of employer, the existing residence and work permit remains valid until its expiry.

WHEN DID THE SIX-MONTH RULE ENTER INTO FORCE?

The rule was introduced by the amendments to the Croatian Foreigners Act published in Official Gazette No. 55/2026.

The amendments entered into force on 4 June 2026.

Before these amendments, the simplified procedure for changing employers in the same occupation was available after one year of work.

However, it is important to be precise: even under the previous rules, changing employers before completing one year was not absolutely prohibited. In that situation, a new application for a residence and work permit had to be submitted.

So, in simple terms:

• The six-month period relates to the residence and work permit on the basis of which the worker comes to Croatia.

• A new six-month period does NOT start every time the worker changes employers.

• The worker must complete six months of work, not merely wait six months after the permit was issued.

• After six months of work, the worker may use the simplified employer-change procedure within the validity period of the existing permit.

• Before completing six months, changing employers is still possible, but a new residence and work permit must generally be applied for.

• In specifically prescribed serious situations, the simplified employer-change procedure may also be used before six months have been completed.

• Having a two- or three-year employment contract or residence and work permit does not mean that the worker must stay with the first employer for two or three years.

NOTE: These rules do not apply to seasonal workers, for whom the Foreigners Act provides separate rules.

Proceedings that were already initiated before 4 June 2026 are completed under the rules that were in force before these amendments.