Croatia is currently home to 99,118 foreign workers, according to new figures released by the Ministry of the Interior (MUP). The majority are employed in the tourism and hospitality sector, which accounts for 35,558 workers—highlighting the industry’s continued reliance on international labour to meet peak-season demands.
Construction follows as the second-largest employer of foreign labour with 28,352 workers, while 12,416 are working in various industrial roles. Other key sectors include transport and communications with 7,090 foreign employees, and retail, which has hired 5,045 foreign nationals.
From January to June 30, a total of 55,020 new residence and work permits were issued for first-time employment. An additional 31,557 permits were renewed, and 12,541 permits were granted to seasonal workers, most of whom are in tourism and hospitality (11,574).
In Dubrovnik-Neretva County alone, 7,622 work permits were issued by the end of June. Of these, 883 were for seasonal jobs, 1,509 were permit extensions, and 5,230 were newly issued for regular employment.
As for nationalities, the top source countries include:
Nepal – 19,207 workers
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 18,117
Serbia – 15,214
Philippines – 9,286
India – 9,060
North Macedonia – 7,640
Kosovo – 3,314
Egypt – 3,112
Uzbekistan – 2,898
Bangladesh – 1,865
With Croatia’s tourism sector continuing to expand and the construction industry booming, the country’s reliance on foreign labour looks set to remain a key part of its economic landscape in 2025.