Croatia introduces mandatory Croatian language test for foreign workers

ZAGREB, 5 February 2026 (Hina) – The Croatian Government has sent amendments to the Foreigners Act into parliamentary procedure, introducing a mandatory requirement for foreign workers to learn Croatian as a condition for extending their residence and work permits.

Under the proposed changes, foreign workers will be required to pass a Croatian language exam at A1.1 level after one year of residence in Croatia in order to renew their permit.

The move is part of a broader reform aimed at aligning Croatian legislation with European Union law while responding more effectively to labour market needs and strengthening worker protection.

The amendments are being introduced to harmonise Croatian law with the EU’s Single Permit Directive and the Pact on Asylum and Migration, which establishes new rules for migration management and a common asylum system across the EU.

The framework allows member states flexibility to address their specific challenges while ensuring protection for vulnerable individuals.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Davor Božinović said the changes also introduce the possibility of in-depth checks on third-country nationals at the EU’s external borders, an independent mechanism to monitor respect for fundamental rights, and a border return procedure for those whose asylum applications are rejected.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the reforms aim to ensure a faster and more effective response to labour shortages, reduce administrative burdens, improve permit processing efficiency and provide stronger protection for third-country workers, while maintaining security standards and retaining the existing foreign workforce.

Significant changes have been proposed to improve job mobility for foreign workers. They will now be allowed to change occupations with the same employer in all professions, not only those classified as labour shortages, subject to a labour market test.

Foreign workers will also be able to change employers after six months with their first employer without requiring a new residence and work permit.

However, permits issued for shortage occupations will be territorially limited: workers will no longer be allowed to work in police administration areas where the occupation is not considered deficient or where a labour market test has not been conducted.

The deadline for issuing residence and work permits will be extended to 90 days. Permitted unemployment during the validity of a permit will increase to three months, or six months for workers who have held a permit for more than two years.

Administrative relief is also planned for seasonal work permits. Instead of being issued for up to one year, they will now be valid for three years when issued to the same worker and employer in the same occupation. Seasonal workers will be allowed to work up to 90 days per calendar year or up to nine months annually.

Temporary residence permits for students will be extended from one year to three years.

Stricter employer requirements

Employers found to have committed irregularities and placed on a so-called “black list” will be barred from obtaining new work permits for one year following the inspection ruling.

Responsibility for notifying police administrations of employment termination will shift from the foreign worker to the employer, who must report electronically via the e-Građani system.

Foreign workers must notify the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) within five days of contract termination. Refusing an offered job from HZZ will result in loss of the permit.

The deadline for registering a foreign worker’s residence will be extended from three to 15 days. Employers will also be required not to have a blocked bank account for more than 30 days, and will need to demonstrate transaction inflows over the past 12 months, instead of six.

Minimum financial inflow requirements are set at €100,000 for legal entities and €40,000 for sole traders.

Higher share of domestic workers required

To obtain a positive opinion from the Croatian Employment Service for hiring foreign workers, employers must meet stricter ratios. At least 10 per cent of employees must be Croatian citizens or nationals of EU, EEA member states or Switzerland, working full-time, relative to the number of third-country nationals employed.

The law also clarifies the authority of the State Inspectorate regarding oversight of accommodation provided to seasonal workers.

Fewer permits issued

Following earlier amendments to the law, Croatia has already recorded a slight decline in issued residence and work permits. In the first nine months of 2025, 136,194 permits were issued, compared to 158,837 during the same period in the previous year.

The Government says the latest reforms aim to strike a balance between economic demand, social integration and legal certainty, positioning Croatia within the evolving European migration framework.