Craftsmen and employers continue to face a number of barriers that complicate and slow down the employment of foreigners, the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK) announced on Monday.
HOK warns of problems created by certain provisions of the Foreigners Act. It calls for digitalization and simpler procedures for bringing in foreign workers.
Craftsmen are particularly troubled by the inability to prove active engagement in business in the Republic of Croatia, the introduction of ratios of employed domestic and foreign workers even in deficit occupations, and the introduction of obligations to settle all public dues, not just those related to income tax and contributions for mandatory insurance, etc.
They also complain about the 15-day deadline for police administration employees to issue residence and work permits. They claim that this is difficult to meet and that the deadline is often extended, which adds to the frustration and helplessness among employers when hiring.
HOK considers the provision allowing a change of employer for a foreign worker in the same occupation after one year, without the need to reapply for a permit, to be a positive development. Previously, if a worker changed employers, the new employer had to go through the same process of obtaining a work permit again, even though the worker was already in Croatia and had a valid work permit for the first employer.
However, HOK notes that the legal provision allowing a change of employer only after one year has created practical problems – namely, since all previous work permits were issued for a period of up to one year, the current legal amendment has no practical application because it is necessary to wait for the extension of the work permit, and only then, after another year, will it be possible to change employers. Therefore, HOK has proposed to the Ministry of the Interior that the deadline for changing employers in the same occupation be shortened to six months for permits issued for a period of up to one year.
