How does Stay and Work Permit (dozvola za boravak i rad) work in Croatia, and who qualifies?

The Stay and Work Permit (dozvola za boravak i rad) is the central route for non-EU nationals who want to live and work in Croatia. It's a single permit that combines your right to stay with your right to work, so you don't have to chase two separate approvals. It's for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who have a job offer from a Croatian-registered employer.

A genuinely important change: in 2021 Croatia abolished its old annual labour quota system, so there's no longer a fixed cap on foreign hires. Instead, for most jobs your employer first asks the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) to carry out a labour-market test, which checks whether a suitable local candidate is already available. Roles on the HZZ's annually published high-demand occupation list skip that test.

The core requirements are a job offer or employment contract with a Croatian-registered employer, a successful labour-market test (unless your role is exempt), a valid travel document, proof of means of subsistence, health insurance, and a clean criminal-record certificate with no entry ban or SIS alert. The administrative fee is 74.32 EUR for the permit, with the biometric residence card charged separately.

Because the high-demand list changes from year to year and the labour-market test outcome isn't guaranteed, confirm the current rules on the official MUP website before applying. ACME's free initial consultation can help you check whether your role is likely to be exempt.