Why Croatia Is Hiring Foreign Workers Even When Many Croatians Are Unemployed

Croatia’s growing dependence on foreign workers has sparked heated debate across the country.
Many citizens ask a simple but powerful question:
Why is Croatia importing workers when thousands of Croatians remain unemployed?

The official explanation usually points to labor shortages. But this explanation only scratches the surface.
The real issue is far more uncomfortable: Croatia is facing a systemic failure in wages, working conditions, and long-term workforce planning.

Unemployment Exists, But the Jobs Are Unacceptable

On paper, Croatia still has unemployed citizens. In reality, many of the available jobs are ones people
cannot afford to accept.

The majority of job openings are concentrated in tourism, hospitality, construction, agriculture, and low-paid industrial work.
These jobs are often seasonal, physically demanding, poorly paid, and offer little job security.
Expecting people to survive on such wages — especially amid rising living costs — is unrealistic.

This is not laziness. It is an economic reality.
When full-time work cannot guarantee a dignified life, people will look elsewhere — or refuse altogether.

Tourism Profits, Worker Poverty

Tourism is celebrated as Croatia’s economic success story.
Yet the workers who keep hotels, restaurants, and resorts running often struggle to cover basic expenses.

Each summer, Croatia urgently needs tens of thousands of additional workers.
But instead of improving wages and conditions to attract local labor, businesses increasingly rely on foreign workers
who are willing to accept what locals cannot.

This model keeps tourism profitable, but it does so by shifting the burden onto vulnerable labor.
It solves short-term problems while creating long-term instability.

Emigration: Croatia’s Silent Crisis

For years, Croatia has been losing its young and working-age population to other EU countries.
Germany, Austria, and Ireland have become symbols of opportunity that Croatia failed to provide.

These citizens did not leave because they wanted to.
They left because the domestic job market offered low pay, limited growth, and uncertain futures.

Today, Croatia is paying the price.
The workforce is shrinking, the population is aging, and entire sectors are left without skilled labor.

Why Employers Prefer Foreign Workers

Employers often argue that foreign workers are more reliable.
In truth, foreign workers have fewer options.

They are more likely to accept:

• Lower wages
• Longer working hours
• Seasonal contracts
• Shared or substandard accommodation

This creates a dangerous imbalance.
Instead of raising standards for everyone, the system lowers expectations to the minimum.

Foreign Workers Are Not the Problem

It is important to be clear:
foreign workers are not the problem.
They are filling gaps created by years of poor policy decisions.

The real problem is a labor market that:

• Fails to reward work fairly
• Normalizes temporary and insecure employment
• Depends on cheap labor instead of reform

Hiring foreign workers has become a convenient solution that avoids addressing deeper structural issues.

The Long-Term Risk for Croatia

Relying heavily on foreign labor without improving domestic conditions carries serious risks.

It discourages young Croatians from staying.
It weakens social cohesion.
And it delays the reforms needed to build a sustainable economy.

If wages remain low and job security remains weak, the cycle will continue:
Croatians leave, foreign workers arrive, and the core problems remain untouched.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call, Not a Solution

Croatia’s reliance on foreign workers is not a sign of economic strength.
It is a warning.

Until the country invests in fair pay, dignified working conditions, and long-term employment stability,
unemployment and labor shortages will continue to exist side by side.

Foreign workers may keep the economy running today,
but without meaningful reform, Croatia risks losing its own workforce tomorrow.