ZAGREB, June 14,2019 - The government is ready to consider an additional increase in the number of work permits for foreigners, however only when all possibilities for hiring local workers are exhausted, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday.
When we establish beyond doubt that all possibilities for the employment of our citizens have been exhausted, then we will be ready to consider expanding the quota for foreign workers, Plenković said in Zadar.
In that context he admitted that it was evident that increased quotas were necessary, particularly in Croatia's coastal region in the tourism, hospitality and construction sectors.
Promising that a decision to that effect could be expected, Plenković explained that increases like that must be well-analysed.
He also commented that in some sectors vacancies are advertised and there have been no applications submitted although there are a lot of people at the same time registered as unemployed with the Croatian Employment Agency (HZZ).
The premier added that he would like to see that as many local jobless people as possible find employment and make use of this favourable period on the labour market.
In late December 2019 the Plenković cabinet government decided that 65,100 permits could be issued to foreign workers in 2019, including 15,000 permits that have already been extended.
The highest number of the work permits refer to construction, tourism and transport.
The quota for 2019 includes 20,331 more work permits than in 2018 and nearly 13,000 referred to tourism and construction.
However, earlier on Friday the Croatian Employers' Association and the Croatian Tourism Association asked the government to urgently adopt a decision to raise the quota for foreign workers, saying the tourist season was at risk due to a labour shortage.
In a joint statement, they said the opening of some restaurants and bars before the peak tourist season was at stake. "There are no local employees and the quotas for foreign workers have been filled, which requires an urgent response by the Labour Ministry and the government."
The two associations accused the minister in charge and the government of having turned a deaf ear to weeks-long appeals to help the tourism sector. The associations recalled that last autumn they warned that the import of foreign labour was a short-term solution to the labour shortage and that it was necessary to reduce administrative obstacles.
The Labour Minister on Friday called on employers to contact the HZZ that could connect them with job-seekers and help them find the necessary labour force.
When all the possibilities on the local market are exhausted, requests for a higher number of work permits for foreigners will be considered, the ministry said.
More employment news can be found in the Business section.
