Work Permit

What are the requirements for a foreign national to work in the Republic of Croatia?

Article 85(1) of the Aliens Act (Narodne novine No 109/03 and 182/04) stipulates that an alien may work in the Republic of Croatia on the basis of a work permit or a business permit.

Under Article 97(5) and (6) of the same Act, the application for a business permit is filed with the competent authority in the place of sojourn (Police Administration/police station). Exceptionally, aliens working for a foreign employer may apply for the business permit in a diplomatic mission or a consular office of the Republic of Croatia abroad.

Under Article 88(1) of the Aliens Act (Narodne novine No 109/03 and 182/04), at the request of a legal or natural person employing an alien, the work permit is issued by a competent authority or the Police Administration/police station in whose area the employer’s head office is situated, within fifteen days from the date of filing the application. Under Article 89 of said Act, the employer shall submit the information on the alien with whom he/she is to conclude a contract of employment or other relevant contract, information on the work post or job and working conditions, certificate of the registration of the company, agency or small business in the Republic of Croatia, certificate of taxes paid and the employer’s statement justifying the employment of the alien.

A work permit may be issued if the said conditions have been met and if the annual government-established work permit quota for specific occupations are not filled.

What categories of foreign nationals do not need a work permit under relevant legislation?

Pursuant to the provisions of the Aliens Act relating to temporary stay, as provided in its Article 95, the following categories of aliens are not required to posses a work permit:

Indispensable personnel of companies defined in the Stabilization and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States and the Republic of Croatia;
Founders, proxies, members of boards of management and supervisory boards of companies, who perform tasks in the company, where the task performance does not have the character of employment and does not total more than three months a year;
Professors invited as lecturers by Croatian universities, scientists doing scientific and professional further studies, scientific representatives of international organizations and scientists taking part in the execution of scientific research projects important for the Republic of Croatia;
Administrative personnel, experts, teachers and lecturers of foreign cultural and educational institutions who do their work in the Republic of Croatia within the framework of a program of cultural and educational cooperation;
Civilian and military officials of other states who come to work in the Republic of Croatia pursuant to a cooperation agreement with the Government of the Republic of Croatia;
Members of scientific international missions who carry out research work in the Republic of Croatia that has been approved by the Government of the Republic of Croatia;
Foreign correspondents accredited to the Republic of Croatia or reporters of foreign media;
Representatives of religious communities carrying out work exclusively related to religious service;
Artists and technical staff taking part in opera, ballet, theater, concert, art and other cultural events, if for this purpose they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia longer than 30 days, or three months a year discontinuously;
Authors and performers in the art of music, music drama, dance and ballet, as well as supplementary reporting, organizational and technical staff who are taking part in cultural workshops, meetings, colonies, if for this reason they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia longer than 30 days or three months a year discontinuously.
Persons that pursuant to a contract with the Government of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Defense or Ministry of the Interior, are carrying out tasks relating to defense and national security or who are undergoing further training in these areas;
Croatian nationals spouses and children who reside in the Republic of Croatia;
Persons who visit the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of taking part in sports and chess events;
Experts in the conservation of cultural heritage, librarianship or archive administration if for this purpose they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia longer than 30 days;
Aliens sent by a foreign employer who provide services of professional further training and training to persons employed with legal or natural persons in the Republic of Croatia for a period of up to three continuous months;
Persons who have been granted temporary stay for the purpose of professional further training with a Croatian employer, which is an organizational form of the foreign employer that has sent them for further training, if their further training does not last longer than three continuous months;
Aliens who engage in activities related to delivery, assembly or servicing of machines or equipment, if their work does not last longer than 30 continuous days or a total of three months a year discontinuously;
Aliens who take part in fairs and exhibitions where their employer is exhibiting;
Aliens who take part in professional congresses and seminars;
Aliens employed with circuses or amusement parks, if they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia more than three continuous months;
Persons who have been granted asylum status;
Aliens with permanent residence permits;
Aliens who in the Republic of Croatia have the status of a fulltime school or university student when engaged in activities of a temporary nature, through authorized agents, and in line with the regulations governing engagement in such activities.

Aliens under Subparagraphs 9, 10, 14, 15, 17, 18 and 20 of Paragraph (1) of this Article must have a valid contract concluded with a natural or legal person that is registered in the Republic of Croatia for the engagement in these activities.

If persons are to stay in the Republic of Croatia less than 30 days, they need not regulate the temporary stay but only have to register the sojourn, as stipulated in Article 80(2) and (3) of the Aliens Act. If they intend to stay in Croatia more than 30 days, they are to regulate their temporary stay for the purpose of work, as set out in Article 34(1)(iii) of the said Act. The application shall be accompanied by documents listed in the Rules of the Status of Aliens in the Republic of Croatia (Narodne novine No 202/03 and 145/04).