Work permit

Third-country researchers who plan to stay and work in Croatia for less than 90 days, need to apply for a work registration certificate. Request for issuing work registration certificate can be submitted by researcher or host institution (employer) to the police directorate or police station, according to the place of business or registered seat of the employer. The certificate shall be issued within 1 – 2 days and prior to obtaining the certificate, third-country researchers and EEA citizens are not allowed to work. 

Based on a work registration certificate, the following categories of researchers and some other categories of workers and volunteers may work up to 90 days a year:

• scientists on scientific and professional training, scientists-representatives of international organisations and scientists who will participate in the implementation of scientific projects important for Croatia;
• administrative staff, experts, teachers, and lecturers at foreign cultural, educational and scientific institutions performing services in Croatia as part of a cultural and educational cooperation programme;
• administrative staff, experts, teachers, and lecturers at foreign cultural, educational and scientific institutions having branch offices in Croatia, provided that they come from their home institutions;
• third-country nationals at a traineeship or volunteering in the framework of EU Programmes, Erasmus+ programme, other international programmes as well as other programmes and initiatives managed by Croatian institutions in charge of education, science, and/or volunteering.

Documents needed to apply for a work registration certificate are:

• Written request for the issuance of work registration certificate
• Contract, hosting agreement, or other appropriate document proving the status of one of the above-mentioned categories of foreigners
• Original and copy of a valid travel document
• Registration papers of the host institution

The administrative fee in the amount of 39,82 EUR for the issuance of the certificate needs to be paid to the IBAN of the State Budget.

Third-country researchers and EEA nationals, planning to stay and work in Croatia for more than 90 days, based on an employment contract or any other contract containing essential elements of an employment contract, need to apply for approval of temporary stay for the purpose of employment or stay and work permit. Before applying for a stay and work permit, the employer is obliged to request the implementation of a labor market test at the regional office or office of the Croatian Employment Service. The labor market test includes checking the situation in the register of unemployed persons and the mediation procedure to employ workers from the national labour market. The regional service or office of the Croatian Employment Service will conduct the mediation procedure if there are persons in the unemployment register who meet the employer's requirements and will inform the employer about the result of the labour market test no later than 15 days from the day of the test. If the labor market test shows that there are no available persons in the unemployment register who meet the employer's requirements, or they cannot be met by migrations of unemployed persons in the country, the employer may request a residence and work permit within 90 days of receiving the notification about the result of the labour market test.

Without conducting labour market test and without the opinion of the regional service or office of the Croatian Employment Service, at the request of a third-country national or employer, the Ministry, through the police administration or police station, may issue a residence and work permit, among other categories, and the following categories:

• a highly qualified third-country national who qualifies for an EU Blue Card
• scientific researchers who are employed in scientific, scientific-teaching or other research positions in scientific legal entities
• professors - native speakers of foreign languages, lecturers and other teachers who teach at Croatian universities and other educational institutions or registered international schools and foreign language schools
• third-country nationals who came for professional practice, training or volunteering under the Union Program, the Erasmus + Education, Training, Youth and Sports Program and its successors, the European Solidarity Force Program and other international programs and initiatives implemented by ministries responsible for education, science, and volunteering, which do not have to provide proof that the host entity has a third party liability insurance policy
• administrative staff, experts, teachers, and lecturers of foreign cultural, educational and scientific institutions who perform activities in the Republic of Croatia within the program of cultural and educational cooperation, as well as administrative staff, experts, teachers, and lecturers of foreign cultural, educational and scientific institutions in the Republic of Croatia they have their branches if they come from the parent institution.

Documents needed to apply for a stay and work permit are:

• Application form 9a
• One colour photograph (35x45 mm)
• Proof of means of support*
• Proof of health insurance**
• Original and copy of a valid travel document
• An employment contract or written proof of signed employment contract, or another appropriate contract
• Evidence of the foreigner’s professional qualifications and skills
• Proof of registration of a company, branch office, representative office, craft, association, or institution in Croatia (not older than six months).

*Proof of means of support: The minimum amount of funds that a foreigner needs to have on a monthly basis for his/her own needs is 50% of the average monthly net salary paid in the last year. For a two-member family, the minimum amount is 15% more than the amount needed for one person, for every additional family member the amount is increased by an additional 10% of the average monthly net salary paid in the last year. Proof of means of support can be an employment contract which shows the amount of future salary, or the employer's future salary confirmation for the foreigner (in case of an application for a first-time temporary stay for the purpose of employment).

**Proof of health insurance: In case of an existing bilateral agreement on social security, the origin country of the local health insurance authority must issue a document based on which third-country national will be entitled to medical protection while in Croatia.

For citizens of countries with which Croatia has an agreement on social insurance in place, the proof of health insurance is considered to be:

1. A European Health Insurance Card, accepted by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund
2. A patient’s certificate issued by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund
3. A  regular certificate of a foreign health insurance agency or
4. Any other proof provided under the agreement on social insurance.

If third-country citizens have been issued a certificate of a foreign health insurance agency or any other proof provided under the agreement on social insurance with a validity period shorter than the planned duration of their stay, upon the expiration of the validity of said certificate, they are obliged to present a new one or contact the competent office of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje – HZZO) in order to establish their rights to health insurance for the remaining time of their valid stay. If third-country citizens cannot obtain any of the above-mentioned proof when applying for the first temporary stay permit, or they are citizens of countries with which Croatia has not concluded an agreement on social insurance or the agreement does not regulate health care, they are obliged to submit a travel insurance certificate. Moreover, upon their arrival in Croatia and upon having been granted a temporary stay permit, they are obliged to procure a health insurance policy from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, as described.

The administrative fee for granting the stay and work permit is 74,32 EUR. The administrative fee for the production of a biometric stay card is 31,85 EUR and 9,29 EUR in duty stamps. Documents required for the issuance of a biometric stay card are: passport, one colour photograph (30 x 35 mm), and confirmation of address registration. Biometric stay card should be issued within approximately three weeks from the submission of all required documents and needs to be returned to the police directorate before the final departure from Croatia.

All original documents must be officially translated into Croatian, and an “apostille” of all original documents and certified translations may be required. It is suggested to check with the Croatian diplomatic mission or consular post whether the need for an “apostille” exists. On the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is possible to find more information on ‘’apostille’’.

Third-country researchers planning to work in Croatia on a research project for a period of more than 90 days based on hosting agreement, need to apply for approval of temporary stay for the purpose of research. Third-country researchers may not start working prior to having obtained a temporary stay permit.

The procedure of hosting foreign researchers has three stages:

a) Stage 1 - Approval of scientific visit or accreditation for hosting researchers

The employer (host institution, legal person registered for scientific activity, research organisation) must write a request for the approval of a scientific visit (odobrenje za ugošćavanje znanstvenika) or accreditation for hosting researchers (akreditacija za ugošćavanje znanstvenika) and send it to the Ministry of Science and Education, along with required documents. The MSE will issue an approval or accreditation for research projects that last longer than 3 months.

b) Stage 2 – Hosting agreement

After the MSE issues approval for a scientific visit or accreditation, the employer and the researcher should sign a hosting agreement. Hosting agreement is an agreement signed between a public or private research organisation and a researcher with the aim of conducting a research project. The research organisation can only sign a hosting agreement with a researcher if there are funds available for the research and if it is satisfied with the researcher's scientific skills. Hosting agreement has the effect of an employment agreement if it contains essential clauses of an employment agreement, according to the Croatian Labour Act. Only a research organisation approved by the MSE can sign a hosting agreement with a foreign researcher.

You can find a list of registered research organisations in Croatia on this link.

c) Stage 3 – Temporary stay permit

An application for a first-time temporary stay permit for the purpose of research can be submitted to a police directorate or a police station in Croatia (no visa required), or to a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Croatia, together with the visa application (if a visa is required). If the foreigner is subject to the visa requirement, the application for a first-time temporary stay permit for the purpose of research can be submitted to a police directorate or police station in Croatia after obtaining a visa.

On the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, you can find a list of the Croatian diplomatic missions and consular offices.

Documents needed to apply for a first temporary stay permit for the purpose of scientific research are:

• Application form 1a
• Hosting agreement – original and copy
• Commercial court excerpt for the host institution
• One colour photograph (35 x 45 mm)
• Proof of means of support *
• Proof of health insurance**
• Valid travel document – original and copy
• Hosting approval or accreditation of a legal entity

*Proof of means of support: hosting agreement, employment contract, or other contracts which show the amount of future salary, or a confirmation from the employer about the salary which the foreigner will receive.

** Proof of health insurance for nationals of countries with which Croatia has concluded a social insurance contract is considered to be: a European health insurance card recognized by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), a HZZO patient's certificate, a foreign health insurance certificate or other proof provided by a social insurance contract.

Upon approval of a temporary stay in Croatia, third-country researchers shall receive a biometric stay card. Documents required for the issuance of a biometric stay card are: passport, one colour photograph (30 x 35 mm) and confirmation of address registration. Also, confirmation on submission of an application for the approval of the temporary stay must be returned when applying for the production of a biometrical stay card. Biometric stay card should normally be issued within approximately three weeks from the submission of all required documents and needs to be returned to the police directorate upon the expiration of stay in Croatia.

The administrative fee for granting the permit for a temporary stay is 46,45  EUR. The administrative fee for the production of biometric stay card is 31,85 EUR and 9,29  EUR in duty stamps. Documents required for the issuance of a biometric stay card are: passport, one colour photograph (30 x 35 mm) and confirmation of address registration. Biometric stay card should normally be issued within approximately three weeks from the submission of all required documents and needs to be returned to the police directorate or police station upon the expiration of the stay in Croatia.

It is recommended to start compiling documents at least 4 months prior to the arrival to Croatia and to submit them 3 months before arrival (please note that consular offices and police administration will not accept applications for a temporary stay submitted earlier than 3 months before the stipulated arrival date).

All original documents must be officially translated into Croatian, and an “apostille” of all original documents and certified translations may be required. It is suggested to check with the Croatian diplomatic mission or consular post whether the need for an “apostille” exists.

On the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is possible to find more information on ‘’apostille’’.