‘Companies are the first choice always a domestic worker. Until they return, we must replace them ‘

In the last ten years, Croatia has lost more than 400,000 inhabitants, mostly because of the negative demographic trend and emigration to other European Union countries, this was exactly the topic shows open on HRT. The consequences are very visible in the labor market, domestic workers are missing, and foreign workers are increasingly becoming the basis of maintaining the Croatian economy.

Ivan Vidiš, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, openly pointed out in the show that Croatia currently records a record employment, but also a record low number of unemployed.

– We’re already on a new minimum. To this day, we have fallen below 75,000 people in the unemployed records – you said.

Nevertheless, the market needs transcend the available workforce from the domestic pool, which is why the engagement of foreign workers has become a necessity.

– According to April data, we have approximately 136,000 foreign workers in Croatia. Most of them come from Europe, that is, neighboring countries, and most of them work in tourism and building – you explain. You see.

As a member of the Eurozone and Schengen, Croatia becomes attractive to many foreign workers, especially with an average net salary above 1400 euros. But it also carries some challenges with him.

– We have become extremely interesting for the import of labor, but also to avoid regulations. This is why a large cleansing of the labor market followed. Serious employers, who think about their personnel politics, have not encountered bigger problems – you can see.

He also added that in parallel with foreign workers engagement, support for employment of domestic workforce were increased.

« Home workers are practically free now, » he said.

Ante Perica from the Center for Internationalization of the Business of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce recalls that Croatia faced the outflow of labor after joining the EU.

– We had a 2008 crisis, and after joining the EU, many of our workers went to Western countries. At the same time, the economy began to grow and the « hole » was created in the workforce. The companies turned to a foreign workforce to cover the needs. Their first choice is always a home worker, but until our people return, we have to replace them – Perica explained.

Nepal leads, Filipinos preferred, but slower in arrival. Stjepan Jagodin from HUP’s coordination for agency work states that workers from Nepal are currently leading the leader for simpler and faster procedures.

– The Filipins are culturally perhaps closest and most acceptable, but the procedure is slower for them. This is one of the reasons why there are fewer, although businessmen prefer them – says Jagodina.

Although the new stranger law was to facilitate the system, in practice it currently creates difficulties. Jagodin points out that the application of the law of March 15, just before the season, caused problems due to insufficient education and increased administrative requirements.

– Due to increased checks, workers are late with their arrival, and even when they arrive, they often wait 6-7 weeks to issue an OIB before they can start working. That disrupts the beginning of work – warns Jagodina.

Zoran Ničano from the MUP confirms that the tightened control has already brought results.

– The decline in the requirements and permits issued by about 11% this year is visible. We are working to better connect all bodies, including HZMO, the Tax Administration and the CES – he said. The production of a new rulebook is also underway, which should define the conditions of stay of foreign nationals in Croatia. Fight against abuse and “fraudulent companies”

The MUP, as he points out, has already extinguished 25 agencies employed by workers for Uber and Bolt by law.

The Ministry of Transport has abolished 63 licenses auto -taxi carriers, and 7 more is in the proceedings. These are huge numbers in just two months, he said. About 800 employment agencies are currently registered in Croatia, but the problem is those that operate outside the system.

– These companies are not supervised, nor is there a certificate that would guarantee the quality of their work. The CCC proposes a certification model modeled on real estate agencies, Perica said.

You see points out that most agencies work correctly and implement humane standards for foreign workers, but part of them manipulates information, uses uncomfortable work and acts on the edge of the law. Many of these flexible agencies will end up on black lists, he adds. Regulation is necessary, but those who work seriously will not have a problem, he concluded.