Croatia: EU Blue Card Rules and Many Work Permit Rules Relaxed

Extension of work permit periods. The duration of various work permits has been extended as follows:

• • Work permits requiring an opinion of the Croatian Employment Service are now valid for three years, up from one year;
  • EU Blue Cards are now valid for four years, up from two years;
  • Digital nomad visas are now valid for 18 months, up from 12 months; and
  • Seasonal work permits are now valid for nine months within one calendar year, up from six months.

Longer permit validity periods offer greater certainty for employers in workforce planning, as well as reducing administrative challenges and costs.

EU Blue Card reforms. Multiple EU reforms have been implemented, including the following:

• • Professional skills. Individuals are now eligible for an EU Blue Card if they will be working as either ‘directors’ or ‘professionals’ in the information technology sector and have at least three years of professional experience (acquired within the last seven years) in such fields, even if they lack any academic qualifications. Previously, only applicants with relevant higher education qualifications that matched their job were eligible for a Croatian EU Blue Card.
  • Change of employer. All EU Blue Card holders can now change employers without obtaining a new work permit, provided they meet required conditions. Previously, EU Blue Card holders who were changing employers within the first two years of their stay could not change employers without obtaining a new work permit.
  • Self-employment. EU Blue Card holders can now engage in self-employed or professional activities provided that they inform Croatian authorities within five business days of commencing the activity. 

• Employers can now hire highly skilled talent from a wider pool of applicants, especially in the information and communication technology sector. This is particularly pertinent given current labor shortages in Croatia.
• New rights, to change employers and engage in self-employed or professional activities, offer EU Blue Card holders significantly more autonomy, and can be expected to make Croatia a more attractive destination for highly skilled talent and boost retention of already-present talent. 

Unemployment durations to hold work permit rights. Rights for unemployed work permit holders have been liberalized as follows:

• • Work permit holders can now be unemployed for a total of 60 days without losing their work permit status, whereas previously they had to leave as soon as their stay and work permit were canceled.
  • EU Blue Card holders can now be unemployed without losing their EU Blue Card status, whereas previously, they could only remain in Croatia after termination if the termination was not considered their fault. 

• By allowing extended periods of unemployment without jeopardizing immigration status, these reforms provide much-needed flexibility in times of job transition, personal hardship, or family-related leave. 
• These changes are likely to help retain skilled talent in-country during periods of economic uncertainty – helping to alleviate existing skills shortages in the long term.

Change of employer or role. 

• • Holders of a work permit issued on the basis of a positive Croatian Employment Service opinion can change employers (provided they remain within the same occupational field) one year after commencing employment with their original employer, without having to apply for a new permit. Previously, the current stay and work permit had to be canceled and a new stay and work permit for the new employer had to be obtained.
  • The same category of foreign workers can change their occupation with the same employer provided that the new role is a shortage occupation. 

By allowing already-present foreign talent to change employers more easily, these changes are likely to help retain foreign talent in-country – helping to alleviate existing skills shortages.