Law on Amendments to the Law on Aliens, published in the Official Gazette no. 55/2026, entered into force on June 4, 2026. The changes are important for both third-country nationals and Croatian employers because they regulate the duration of unemployment, change of employer, seasonal work, electronic communication and the future obligation of basic knowledge of the Croatian language.

Longer permitted period of unemployment

A worker with a valid residence and work permit may, within the period of validity of the permit, be unemployed once or several times. The period allowed depends on how long the worker has residence and work permit:

•     up to three months if the worker has a residence and work permit for less than two years;
•     up to six months if the worker has a residence and work permit for more than two years.

The worker must notify the Croatian Employment Service of unemployment within five days of termination of employment. He is obliged to look for a job, accept the offered employment and respond to the invitation of the CES.

If there are indications of particularly exploitative working conditions, the permitted period of unemployment may be extended by an additional three months. The law lists examples such as non-payment of wages, proceedings due to serious violations of labor rights or extraordinary dismissal caused by the behavior of the employer.

Change of employer and profession

The amendments regulate in more detail the change of employer and occupation during the validity of the permit. In certain situations, the worker can continue to stay in Croatia while the competent authority decides on the duly submitted notification or request. The employer and employee should take into account whether the new position is the same or related, whether a new labor market test is required and how much time is left until the current permit expires.

Before signing a new contract, it is advisable to harmonize all the information in the contract, permit and accompanying documentation: employer’s name, OIB, occupation, place of work, duration of the contract and employee information. If the contract is bilingual, both language versions must match each other in terms of content.

Seasonal permits can be valid for up to three years

For the same employer and the same user, a seasonal worker can be issued a permit with a validity period of up to three years. Within each year, a worker can work up to 90 days or up to nine months, depending on the legal basis and the issued certificate. This reduces the need to completely repeat the process each season, but contracts and work periods still need to be properly documented.

More electronic communication

Conclusions, invitations and certain certificates are delivered to employers electronically in the user mailbox of the e-Citizens system. This means that employers should regularly monitor the inbox, deadlines for supplementing documentation and notifications from competent authorities

Croatian language exam: what will be introduced from 2027?

For certain citizens of third countries who reside in Croatia for at least one year on the basis of a residence and work permit, the obligation to have a basic knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script at level A1.1 is introduced. The cost of the exam is borne by the employer, and the proof will be submitted in the procedures prescribed by the Law.

Persons who have completed primary, secondary or higher education in Croatia, persons who speak a language from the subgroup of South Slavic languages ​​and seasonal workers are exempt from the obligation. Since the key provisions do not come into force until June 4, 2027, employers have a transition period to organize courses and exams.

Where are translations particularly important?

Certificates of non-punishment are often used in procedures for hiring foreign workers, diplomas, certificates, contracts, powers of attorney and civil status documents issued abroad. The competent authority may request a translation into Croatian, and it is often required for official use certified translation permanent court interpreter.

Before ordering a translation, you should check whether you need to have the document beforehand Apostille or other superstition. The sequence of procedures is not the same for all countries and all types of documents.

Practical recommendation for employers

1. Check the expiration date of each permit and contract.
2. Follow the e-Citizens user box.
3. Reconcile information in all documents before submission.
4. Prepare certified translations of foreign documents on time.
5. Plan for language support before starting to apply obligation A1.1.

Official sources

•     Official Gazette, Law on Amendments to the Law on Aliens, Official Gazette 55/2026
•     Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia, information for citizens of third countries