Croatia sees shift in foreign workforce as Nepalese numbers fall and Filipinos rise

ZAGREB, 11 August 2026 – The number of work and residence permits issued to foreign workers in Croatia has continued to decline in 2026, while the composition of the country’s foreign workforce is also changing significantly.

According to Croatian Interior Ministry data, 106,395 permits were issued to foreign nationals in the first seven months of this year. That is around 9,000 fewer than in the same period last year and approximately 25,000 fewer than during the record year of 2024, Glas Istre reported.

Of this year’s total, 41,716 permits were issued for new employment, 41,388 for extensions and 23,291 for seasonal workers.

One of the most notable changes is the sharp decline in permits issued to Nepalese nationals. Around 14,500 permits were issued to Nepalese workers by the end of July, about 6,000 fewer than a year earlier.

At the same time, the number of Filipino workers has increased by around 5,000, reaching approximately 15,700 permits and moving the Philippines into third place among the largest groups of foreign workers in Croatia.

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina remain the largest group, with almost 20,000 permits, followed by Serbian nationals with around 18,000. After the Philippines and Nepal come North Macedonia, India, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Egypt and Albania.

The decline is particularly pronounced in construction. Around 44,000 permits were issued in the sector during the first seven months of 2024, compared with approximately 33,000 last year and just 27,000 in 2026, a reduction of almost 40% in two years.

Tourism and hospitality, however, continue to rely heavily on foreign labour. Around 43,700 permits were issued in the sector this year, close to the record 44,100 recorded in the same period of 2024.

Trade unions have meanwhile highlighted the importance of protecting foreign workers’ rights, including access to collective agreements and recognition of previous employment.

The Tourism and Services Trade Union of Croatia (STUH) has also raised concerns about the additional burden placed on domestic employees who train and mentor newly arrived foreign colleagues.

STUH representative Roberto Erman said the sector’s new collective agreement, which came into force on 1 May, increased minimum gross wages in hospitality by between 25% and 28%, depending on the position, writes Glas Istre.

The union has also called for greater recognition of mentoring work and for the return of the former “permanent seasonal worker” model, which allowed seasonal employees to return to the same employer each year.

Erman said the model had provided greater security for workers while helping employers retain experienced seasonal staff in Croatia’s highly seasonal tourism industry.