Documents required

For the issuance of a residence and work permit, the following documents must be enclosed with the application:

• copy of the foreigner’s valid travel document;
• evidence of adequate means of supporting himself/herself and health insurance;
• employment contract or other relevant contract for the performance of high-skilled jobs, with a minimum one-year duration;
• evidence of university education or completed undergraduate and graduate university studies or an integrated undergraduate and graduate university study or specialised graduate occupational study.

Duration of validity of permits (Blue Card)

A residence and work permit (the EU Blue Card) shall be issued with the term of validity of up to two years.

If an employment contract was concluded for a period of at least two years, the residence and work permit shall be issued for the term of the employment contract increased by three additional months.

Further information

N/A

The EU Blue Card holder who changes his/her employer within the first 2 years of stay in the Republic of Croatia shall submit an application for the issuance of a new EU Blue Card to the police administration or police station within eight days of the date of termination of employment with the initial employer.

After a period of 2 years, the EU Blue Card holder shall notify the competent police administration or police station of the change of job within eight days of the change and submit the new employment contract or other relevant contract with the new employer

Long-term residence

A permanent stay may be granted to an EU Blue Card holder if he/she:

• possesses an approved EU Blue Card for an uninterrupted period of five years in the Republic of Croatia before submitting the application – exceptionally, permanent residence may be granted to a non-EU national who resided in the territory of another EU country for an uninterupted period of five years as an EU Blue Card holder, out of which at least two years prior to the submission of an application were as an EU Blue Card holder in the Republic of Croatia;
• possesses a valid foreign travel document;
• 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.