Where and how to apply

An application for a residence and work permit may be submitted either by a foreigner or an employer.

The application is submitted to a jurisdictional police administration/station, depending on the place of residence/intended residence of a foreigner.

If the application for the residence and work permit is submitted for the first time by a foreigner who is obliged to possess a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia, the foreigner has to submit the relevant application at the diplomatic mission/consular office of the Republic of Croatia.

Documents required

If a foreigner submits an application for a residence and work permit based on the annual quotas for the employment of foreigners, the following documents must be submitted along with the application:

• copy of the foreigner’s valid travel document;
• evidence of adequate means of supporting himself/herself;
• evidence of health insurance;
• employment contract, or a written certificate of the concluded employment contract, or other relevant contract;
• evidence of the foreigner’s acquired academic qualifications and skills;
• evidence of the company’s registration.

In the event a foreigner submits an application for a residence and work permit exceeding the annual quota, the following must also be submitted along with the above mentioned documents:

• an argumented explanation for employing a foreigner containing all information regarding his/her professional knowledge, qualifications and work experience, and reasons for not hiring such a candidate from among the existing pool of workers in the Croatian labour market.

An exception is granted in the following cases:

• residence and work permit is to be issued to key personnel, service providers, workers and their family members whose status is regulated by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Community and its Member States and the Republic of Croatia;
• foreigners transferred within the companies’ internal staff transfers and other key personnel, as defined by the Protocol on the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organisation;
• self-employed foreigners in their own companies or in a company in which they own more than 51% of shares or in their own proprietor trades;
• workers who provide services on behalf of a foreign employer not entitled to the right of establishment in an EEA Member State and
• scientific research and foreigners employed for scientific, scientific-teaching or other research work places in scientific legal persons.

In the event a foreigner submits an application for a residence and work permit exceeding the annual quota in line with Article 76, paragraph 1, item 3 of the Foreigners Act (foreigners holding key positions in companies, branch offices and representations), the following documents must also be submitted along with the application:

• evidence showing that the value of the company’s share capital (assets of the general partnership or public trading company) exceeds the amount of HRK 100,000.00;
• evidence showing that at least 3 Croatian nationals are employed in the company, the branch or representative office of a foreign company occupying positions other than those of the procurator, management board or supervisory board member (5 Croatian nationals for every employed foreign national if there are more foreign nationals performing key tasks for the same employer);
• evidence that the foreigner’s gross salary matches at least the average gross salary paid last year in the Republic of Croatia according to the officially published data of the competent statistics authority.

In the event a foreigner submits an application for a residence and work permit exceeding the annual quota in line with Article 76, paragraph 1, item 5 of the Foreigners Act (self-employed foreigners in their own companies or in a company in which they own more than 51% of shares or in their own proprietor trades), the following documents must also be submitted along with the application:

• evidence of an investment of at least HRK 200,000.00 by the foreigner for the establishment of a company or a proprietor trade;
• evidence by the foreigner of him/her employing at least 3 Croatian nationals;
• evidence that the foreigner’s gross salary matches at least the average gross salary paid in the Republic of Croatia during the previous year;
• evidence that a trading company or a proprietor trade does not operate at a loss;
• evidence of settled tax obligations and contributions in the Republic of Croatia.

In the event a foreigner submits an application for a residence and work permit exceeding the annual quota in line with Article 76, paragraph 1, item 6 of the Foreigners Act (workers who provide services on behalf of a foreign employer not entitled to the right of establishment in an EEA Member State), the following documents must also be submitted along with the application:

• evidence of the concluded contract between a foreign employer with a company or proprietor trade in the Republic of Croatia;
• evidence of the specific provision of high technology services;
• evidence that providing such services is of particular interest to the Republic of Croatia.

Duration of validity of permits

A residence and work permit is issued for the time period required to execute the job or for the term of the concluded employment contract or some other relevant contract, for the period of up to one year at most.

Exceptionally, the residence and work permit under Article 76, paragraph 1, item 4 of the Foreigners Act (foreigners transferred within the companies’ internal staff transfers, as defined by the Protocol on the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organisation; self-employed foreigners in their own company or in a company in which they own more than 51% of shares, or in their own proprietor trades), is issued with the validity period of up to 2 years, unless applied for a shorter validity period of the residence and work permit.

Appeals

An appeal may be filed against a decision on issuing a residence and work permit within 15 days since the day it has been served. A Review Commission decides on the appeal in proceedings conducted in line with the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

An appeal is not permissible against a decision on rejecting the residence and work permit on the grounds of the annual quota being reached, or in the event the annual quota for prolongation, new employment or seasonal employment has not been established.

It is however possible to initiate an administrative dispute.

Further information

A residence and work permit within the annual quota for employing foreign nationals is based on the Decision on setting the annual quota for the employment of foreign nationals for the calendar year 2014 (Official Gazette Number 151/13).

Long-term residence

A permanent stay may be granted to a foreigner if he/she:

• had legal residence in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterupted period of five years including granted temporary residence, asylum or subsidiary protection;
• possesses adequate means of supporting himself/herself and health insurance;
• proves the knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script, the Croatian culture and social system;
• does not represent any threat to the public order, national safety or public health.