The Croatian government has sent amendments to the country’s Foreigners Act into parliamentary procedure, introducing new requirements for foreign workers that include mandatory Croatian language learning as a condition for renewing residence and work permits, while also easing restrictions on changing employers, reports HRT
The proposed changes, approved at a government session this week, are intended to align Croatian law with European Union legislation, including the EU Single Permit Directive and the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration. Officials say the reforms are designed to improve labor market flexibility while strengthening protections for third-country nationals working in Croatia.
Under the amendments, foreign workers will be required to pass a Croatian language exam at level A1.1—the most basic level of proficiency—after one year of residence in the country in order to extend their permits. The government describes the measure as a step toward better integration rather than a barrier to employment.
At the same time, the law would make it easier for foreign workers to change jobs. Workers would be allowed to move between occupations with the same employer, not only in officially designated shortage professions, provided a labor market test is conducted. They would also be permitted to change employers after six months with their first employer, without the need to apply for a new residence and work permit.
Presenting the amendments, Davor Božinović, Croatia’s interior minister and deputy prime minister, said the changes aim to provide a faster response to labor market needs while maintaining security standards.
The reforms also introduce new procedures related to migration management at the European Union’s external borders, including deeper screening of third-country nationals, an independent mechanism to monitor respect for fundamental rights during screening and asylum procedures, and border return processes for those whose asylum claims are rejected.
Additional provisions extend the deadline for issuing residence and work permits to 90 days, and allow foreign workers to remain unemployed for up to three months during the validity of a permit, or six months if the permit has been held for more than two years.
Seasonal work permits, which were previously issued for up to one year, would be valid for three years under certain conditions involving the same employer and occupation, allowing work for up to 90 days per calendar year or nine months annually. Temporary residence permits for students would also be extended from one year to three years.
The amendments tighten requirements for employers as well. Companies placed on an official blacklist for labor violations would be barred from obtaining new permits for one year, while employers—not workers—would be responsible for electronically notifying authorities of contract terminations. Employers would also be required to meet stricter financial criteria and demonstrate sustained account activity.
According to government data, the number of issued residence and work permits declined slightly following earlier legislative changes. In the first nine months of 2025, 136,194 permits were issued, compared with 158,837 in the same period a year earlier.
Officials say the reforms seek to balance Croatia’s growing dependence on foreign labor with integration, worker protection, and compliance with evolving European migration policy.