Croatia is facing a chronic labor shortage, especially in the tourism and hospitality sector, leading to increased employment of workers from Nepal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and other countries. In the first half of the year, over 83,000 work permits were issued, with a large portion for seasonal workers in tourism. However, a new law on issuing work permits to foreigners introduces stricter conditions and bureaucratic hurdles, resulting in a decrease in the number of permits issued and potential negative impacts on the tourist season and Croatia’s economy. Employers complain about the lack of workers, which may affect service quality and tourism revenues. Additionally, there are comparisons with working conditions in other countries like Switzerland, where conditions and wages are better. The topic sparks debates on how inflation and rising living costs affect wages and working conditions for both domestic and foreign workers.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning sources emphasize the exploitation and poor working conditions of foreign seasonal workers in Croatia, highlighting the low wages and lack of social protections. They criticize the government’s new restrictive laws on work permits as harmful to workers and the economy, and call for better labor rights and protections for migrant workers.
Center: Centrist sources focus on the economic necessity of foreign labor in Croatian tourism due to domestic labor shortages. They report on the bureaucratic challenges introduced by new laws and the potential negative impact on the tourism sector. The narrative is balanced, acknowledging both the benefits of foreign workers and the challenges posed by regulatory changes.
Right: Right-leaning sources emphasize the importance of protecting domestic workers and may highlight concerns about foreign workers accepting lower wages, potentially undercutting local labor. They may support stricter immigration and work permit policies to prioritize local employment, while recognizing the need for foreign labor in certain sectors.
