Author
Asylees and foreigners under subsidiary protection have the right to social welfare pursuant to the regulations governing the domain of social welfare of Croatian citizens.[1] The Law on Social Welfare regulates that asylees and foreigners under subsidiary protection beneficiaries as well as members of their family who legally reside in Republic of Croatia, have rights in social welfare system under the conditions set out in the law.[2]
Social welfare activities are performed by social welfare institutions, local and regional self-government units, associations, religious communities, other legal persons, craftsmen and other physical persons performing social welfare activities.
The basic information on welfare benefits can be found on the WELCOMM website.[3] Some basic information are also provided in materials (i.e. videos and a brochure) prepared by the Croatian Law Centre.[4]
The realisation of social rights in Croatia also depends on the place of residence.
Following the Amendments to the Decision of Social Welfare in 2019,[5] the social rights provided by the City of Zagreb were extend to families of asylees and foreigners under subsidiary protection.[6]
AYS provided information to persons granted international protection on their rights and obligations within the social welfare system in 2020.[7] AYS also assisted beneficiaries when obtaining and filling in the necessary documentation for exercising social welfare’s rights, especially during the first lockdown in spring, when only the possibility for online application was available.
JRS reported that unemployed persons who were granted international protection are often not entitled to financial support from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund at the birth of a child due to the shorter length of stay in Croatia.[8] In addition, persons granted international protection often do not meet the conditions for receiving financial support for the birth of a child from local and regional self-government units.
According to the Croatian Red Cross the process of obtaining the minimum guaranteed compensation took two months which affected the financial situation of beneficiaries. [9]
[1] Article 73 LITP.
[2] Official Gazette 157/2013, 152/2014, 99/2015, 52/2016, 16/2017, 130/2017, 98/2019.
[3] The content of this website represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The Croatian Law Centre is not responsible for the accuracy of the information stated on the website and will not be liable for any false, inaccurate, inappropriate or incomplete information presented on the website.
[4] Croatian law Centre, video „You have a right to social welfare rights: https://bit.ly/3dPKWCc; https://bit.ly/3aCwtaY; https://bit.ly/32OY9VG; and brochure available at: https://bit.ly/2RZdkJz.
[5] Amendments available in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/2UQoMXa.
[6] City of Zagreb, Social welfare decision, 4 April 2019, available at: https://bit.ly/2URy7hj.
[7] Information provided by Are you Syrious, 2 February 2021.
[8] Information provided by JRS, 12 January 2021.
[9] Information provided by Croatian Red Cross, 2 March 2021. Guaranteed minimum benefit is the right to a monetary amount that ensures that basic living needs of a single person or household who do not have sufficient funds to meet basic living needs and are not able to achieve them through work, income from property etc. will be provided