At a glance
Croatia's stay-and-work permit lets you live there for an approved job. Your employer normally has to check whether a suitable worker is already available and obtain the Croatian Employment Service's opinion. Shortage occupations and certain other jobs have exceptions.
- Job offer required?
- Yes, under a contract meeting Croatian pay and employment rules
- Hiring review
- Required local-worker check and employment-service opinion, unless exempt
- Qualifications
- The training or professional license required for the role
Summary
Croatia’s employee residence-and-work permission lets a foreign worker take an approved local job. The employer normally needs to check for a suitable worker already available locally and obtain the Croatian Employment Service’s opinion. Some shortage occupations and other defined categories are exempt, but the specific job must meet the exemption.
The worker still needs the required qualifications or professional license and a stay-and-work approval matching the employment. A new employer or different role may require additional steps rather than being covered by the original permit.
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Employer's assessment Identify whether a labor-market test and employment-service opinion apply.
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Permit evidence Prepare a qualifying contract, pay, employer, and worker records.
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Stay-and-work application Submit the required file for the actual job.
A shortage-occupation exception can remove a test without removing the permit application.
Eligibility
The Croatian employer normally requests a labor-market test (a check for suitable workers already available locally) and the Croatian Employment Service’s opinion. Some shortage occupations and other categories are exempt from one or both steps; the exemption must fit the actual job.
The employment contract, pay, employer eligibility, and required qualifications must meet the current stay-and-work permit rules. A shortage occupation can remove a labor-market test without removing the permit application.
The employment contract must identify the real job and its pay and conditions. You also need the qualifications or professional license required for that role in Croatia; experience alone does not replace a mandatory license.
More about this route
An exception can simplify a step without making the rest of the application disappear. The employer, contract, pay, and worker’s qualifications still need to meet the permit rules. For someone considering an offer in a shortage occupation, the useful question is which checks are waived and which approvals remain necessary.
What This Route Allows
The permit allows you to live in Croatia and do the work covered by the approval. The permit covers the approved employment; changes must follow the current procedure. If the employer or role changes, the applicable notification or approval procedure needs to be checked before relying on the existing permission for the new job.
What This Route Is Not
A job offer does not by itself authorize work. This route does not cover general freelancing or unrestricted work for other employers.
Next Steps
The employer can ask the Croatian Employment Service which labor-market steps apply to the particular occupation and hire. The residence-and-work application then needs the qualifying contract and personal records, even where a shortage-occupation exception removes an earlier test.
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