Croatia updates Foreigners Act to align with EU migration pact

Zagreb

The Croatian Government has adopted a final proposal to amend the country’s Foreigners Act, bringing national legislation into line with European Union rules ahead of the implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in June.

The draft amendments were presented today at the Government’s 162nd session by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Davor Božinović and will now be sent to Parliament for a second reading.

Key changes introduced

The proposed reforms introduce a number of significant measures affecting foreign workers, students and employers.

A mandatory test of Croatian language and Latin script proficiency will be introduced, marking a major shift in integration requirements for third-country nationals.

Temporary residence permits for students will be extended to up to three years, while seasonal work permits will also be issued for periods of up to three years.

During that time, seasonal workers will be able to work up to 90 days annually without approval from the Croatian Employment Service, or up to nine months with approval, reducing the need for yearly renewals.

Digitalisation is also a key focus, with electronic communication between employers and authorities to be carried out via the e-Građani system.

Labour market and employer rules tightened

The amendments introduce stricter conditions for employers seeking to hire foreign workers.

Employers will need to demonstrate financial activity over the previous 12 months, instead of six, and must not have had their accounts blocked for more than 30 days. In addition, the required ratio of domestic to foreign workers will be increased as a condition for a positive opinion from the Croatian Employment Service.

Workers will benefit from greater flexibility, including the ability to change employers more easily after six months and an extended permitted unemployment period of three to six months, depending on their length of employment in Croatia.

Migration control and EU alignment

In line with the EU pact, Croatia will introduce enhanced screening procedures for third-country nationals at its external borders. A new border return procedure will apply to individuals whose asylum applications are rejected at the border.

An independent mechanism to monitor respect for fundamental rights will also be established.

Changes to “blacklist” provisions

A previously proposed measure to suspend work permits for employers placed on a so-called blacklist has been removed. Existing permits will no longer be automatically revoked, with related provisions to be addressed under forthcoming legislation on undeclared work.

Special provisions for professional drivers

To ease pressure at border crossings and support supply chains, particularly during the tourist season, new rules will allow long-stay visa (Visa D) issuance for up to one year for certain third-country drivers.

This applies to truck drivers and bus drivers employed by non-EU companies operating transport services to and from Croatia. The visas will be granted to nationals of visa-free countries deemed secure, provided they meet conditions such as proof of purpose and health insurance.

Authorities warned that misuse of such visas, including operating in other EU member states contrary to their intended purpose, will result in their cancellation.

Next steps

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said the changes represent not only alignment with EU legislation but also an effort to improve the employment system, address labour market needs, protect foreign workers and maintain security standards.

The Government has formally adopted the proposal and forwarded it to the Croatian Parliament for further consideration.