Entry conditions, residence and work by third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia are regulated with Aliens Act (OG 133/20, 114/22, 151/22).
Employers wishing to employ third-country nationals must first contact the Croatian Employment Service to conduct a labour market test (finding labour in the domestic labour market) before applying for a residence and work permit to the Ministry of the Interior through the competent police department or police stations.
In case of not finding a domestic workforce, the Croatian Employment Service will notify the employer on the result of the labour market test. The employer may submit a request for a residence and work permit to the Ministry of the Interior, through the police department or police station, within 90 days of receiving the notification on the result of the labour market test.
Employers are not required to request a labour market test before submitting a request for a residence and work permit if:
In case of not finding domestic labor, the Croatian Employment Service will provide the employer with a notification on the labor market results, and the employer may, within 90 days of receiving the notification, submit a request for a residence and work permit to a third country national. through the police administration or police station.
The Ministry of the Interior, through the police administration or police station, will ex officio ask the Croatian Employment Service electronically for an opinion on the issuance of a residence and work permit for a specific third-country national from a Croatian employer.
In the manner described above, which regulates the employment of third-country nationals, it is stipulated that the conditions to be met by the employer to issue a positive opinion will be checked by the Croatian Employment Service, and the conditions for third-country nationals by the Ministry of the Interior.
The Ministry of the Interior, through the police department /police station, may issue residence and work permits without a labour market test and the opinion of the Croatian Employment Service, at the request of a third-country national or employer to, inter alia:
The requests for issuance of residence and work permit for which it is not necessary to conduct a labour market test or obtain the opinion of the Croatian Employment Service also relates to:
The Ministry of the Interior shall decide on the request for the issuance of a residence and work permit through the police department or police station according to the place of residence or intended residence of the third-country national. A residence and work permit shall be issued to a third-country national for the time required to perform the work, i.e. for the time for which the employment contract has been concluded, and for a maximum of one year.
The application for renewal of a residence and work permit shall be submitted no later than 30 days before the expiration of the residence and work permit in the police department or police station (which decides on the extension), according to the place of residence of the third-country national. The police department or police station is obliged to decide on the request for extension of the residence and work permit before the expiry of the valid residence and work permit.
Nationals of a European Economic Area (EEA) and members of their families (irrespective of their nationality), as well as the nationals of the Swiss Confederation who have the right to stay in Croatia, have equal rights as Croatian citizens under the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. They may work and provide services without a residence and work permit or certificate of work registration.