16,843 Croatians returned to Croatia last year, only 474 received the new tax break

27 August 2026 – A total of 16,843 Croatian citizens returned to or moved to Croatia last year, but only 474 have so far benefited from a new income tax incentive introduced to encourage people to return, according to figures reported by Večernji list .

The measure applies to Croatian citizens who returned from European or overseas countries after 1 January 2025 following at least two continuous years abroad, as well as emigrants and their descendants who meet the prescribed conditions.

According to data from the Croatian Ministry of the Interior and Tax Administration, 10,810 people have so far been recognised as returnees for tax purposes.

Of that number, 2,607 received employment income in 2025, while 474 taxpayers have so far received a reduction in their annual income tax.

The figures do not mean that the remaining returnees are unemployed. The Tax Administration noted that some may be self-employed or have other forms of income that do not qualify as employment income under the measure.

A further 8,203 registered returnees who did not receive employment income in 2025 remain recorded in the Tax Administration database for the next four years. They can still qualify for the tax benefit if they receive employment income and meet the other conditions.

According to Croatian statistical data, among the 16,843 Croatian citizens who returned or moved to Croatia last year were 10,579 people aged between 20 and 54, while 2,068 were children and young people aged up to 19.

The figures come as Croatia continues to address the long-term effects of emigration and population decline. Importantly, 2025 was the first year since 2013 in which the number of Croatian citizens returning to the country exceeded the number leaving, according to figures cited by Večernji list .