Residence and work permit

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, 40/25 and 55/26).

A residence and work permit (single permit) is an official document that enables third-country nationals to legally reside and work in Croatia. As a rule, an application for the issuance of a residence and work permit is submitted by the employer to the competent police administration or police station according to the place of intended residence or work of the third-country national, or according to the employer’s registered office. The permit is issued by the Ministry of the Interior through the competent police administration or police station, within a statutory deadline of up to 90 days from the submission of a complete application.

The permit is issued for the period for which the employment contract has been concluded, but for a maximum period of three years (or two years if issued without a labour market test and an opinion of the Croatian Employment Service). For seasonal workers, the permit is issued for the period covered by the seasonal employment contract, but for a maximum period of 90 days or up to nine months, or up to three years under certain conditions.

Residence and work permits based on the opinion of the Croatian Employment Service

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:

• It is an extension of the residence and work permit for the same employer and the same third-country national, for the same occupation,
• Employment is foreseen in deficit occupations enumerated in the Decision of the Management Board of the Croatian Employment Service,
• Third-country nationals are employed in agriculture, forestry, catering and tourism for up to 90 days during a calendar year.

In case of not finding domestic labor, the Croatian Employment Service will provide the employer with a notification on the labor market results, no later than 15 days from the date of the employer’s request, 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 Croatian Employment Service shall submit a positive opinion to the competent police administration or police station if all statutory requirements are met, including that:

• the employer carries out an economic activity in a field registered in the Republic of Croatia;
• the employer has settled its obligations arising from public charges for which official records are maintained by the ministry responsible for finance;
• during the previous year, the employer has continuously employed at least one same employee, who is a Croatian national or a national of an EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation, under an open-ended employment contract and on a full-time basis in the territory of the Republic of Croatia;
• the employer has not been finally convicted of criminal offences against labour relations and social security or against general safety;
• the employer has not been subject to a final misdemeanour sanction for the most serious misdemeanours against labour relations or a misdemeanour sanction relating to social security or occupational safety;
• the employer has generated turnover in the previous six months as follows:

a) an employer – legal person: in the minimum amount of EUR 10,000 per month;
b) an employer – natural person: in the minimum amount of EUR 15,000 during the observed period;

• the employer is not included on the list of employers for which the existence of undeclared work has been established pursuant to the special legislation governing the prevention of undeclared work.

Residence and work permits without a labour market test and the opinion of the Croatian Employment Service

In addition to the above-mentioned cases, pursuant to Article 110 of the Act, the Ministry may issue a residence and work permit without conducting a labour market test and without obtaining an opinion of the Croatian Employment Service, inter alia, in the following cases:

• Key personnel in companies, branches and representative offices,
• Third-country national for the purpose of self-employment in a company in which he has an ownership share of at least 51% or in a trade in which he has an ownership share of at least 51%,
• Highly qualified third-country national who qualifies for an EU Blue Card,
• Scientific researchers who are employed in scientific, scientific-teaching or other research positions in scientific legal entities,
• Third-country national who is a manager, expert or trainee transferred within the company,
• Third-country national transferred within the company for the purpose of long-term mobility,
• Third-country nationals who come for a certain period to perform certain tasks in accordance with agreements concluded by the Croatian Government with third countries,
• Third-country national who comes to implement strategic investment projects or is the holder of incentive measures under the legislation on investment incentives, and
• Other necessary persons, except for persons which have been transferred within the companies, as defined by the Protocol of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Marrakesh Treaty establishing the World Trade Organization.

The complete list of all categories of third-country nationals for whom a residence and work permit may be issued without a labour market test and without an opinion of the Croatian Employment Service is set out in Article 110 of the Act.
In such cases, an application for the issuance of a residence and work permit may be submitted by the third-country national or the employer, either in person or by e-mail, to the competent police administration or police station according to:

• the place of intended residence;
• the place of work of the third-country national; or
• the employer’s registered office.

Renewal of residence and work permit

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 EEA Member States and members of their families

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.