Author
Applicants have the right to work after the expiration of a period of three months from the day of lodging an application upon which the Ministry of Interior has not yet issued a decision if the applicant’s conduct has not affected the reasons for not issuing a decision.[1] The applicant shall exercise the right to work without the need for a residence and work permit or a work registration certificate until the decision on the application becomes enforceable.[2]
The Ministry of Interior should issue a document at the request of an applicant to certify that the applicant has acquired the right to work. On the other hand, if the applicant does not meet the conditions, the Ministry shall issue a decision refusing to issue the certificate.[3] No appeal is permissible against the decision refusing to issue the certificate, but a lawsuit may be brought before an administrative court, within eight days of the day of delivery of the decision.[4]
The applicant must inform the Reception Center for Applicants for International protection in writing about the establishment of an employment relationship and submit the employer’s certificate of the concluded employment contract, within 15 days from the conclusion of the employment contract.[5]
A person whose status as an applicant has ceased must, within 15 days of the cessation of the status, return the certificate on the right to work to the Ministry of Interior for annulment.[6]
According to the MoI, in 2025 a total of 359 applications for certificates confirming the right to work were approved, while 8 were rejected. During the same period, 282 applicants for international protection submitted employment contracts for review to the staff of the Reception centre for Applicants for International Protection. No applicants were contributing to accommodation costs due to their employment in 2025.[7]
In 2025, the Administrative Court in Zagreb received 2 lawsuits against the MoI’s decisions refusing to issue a certificate of the right to work, and both were rejected. The average processing time for administrative disputes against decisions refusing to issue a certificate of the right to work before Administrative Court in Zagreb was 300 days in 2025.[8]
According to the Croatian Employment Service (CES), registration in the records of the CES is regulated by the Law on Labour Market. The applicant for international protection and their family members can register at the Employment Service if the MoI has not made a decision on the application for international protection within the legally prescribed period. They should apply and register at the Employment Service according to their place of residence, i.e., residential address.[9]
According to data from the CES, in 2025, a total of 104 applicants for international protection with the right to work (of whom 27 were women) were registered in the CES unemployment register. Following registration, individuals were included in individual counselling activities, and during 2025 a total of 90 applicants for international protection with the right to work participated in 126 counselling sessions. In addition, 21 applicants for international protection with the right to work were included in active labour market policy measures aimed at facilitating faster and more effective labour market integration.[10]
Applicants can work on a voluntary basis in both Reception Centres.[11] According to the Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions, applicants accommodated in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection may, at their own request and with a signed statement, assist in activities related to the maintenance of the centre and housing such as cleaning, landscaping, gardening, help in storehouse, washing, ironing, painting the walls, etc., and can be voluntarily involved in work for the benefit of local community or the work of humanitarian organisations. The Croatian Red Cross runs the Job Center within which the applicants participate in the maintenance of the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection and its environment.
Are You Syrious (AYS) reported that, in 2025, they provided information to applicants for international protection on the right to work and provided support in job searching (e.g., writing CVs, contacting employers).[12] According to AYS, the problems that appeared during 2025 include non-payment of wages or overtime hours, failure to inform applicants about employee rights and avoidance of signing contracts by employers. Jesuit Refugee Service,[13] also provided support in job searching and reported similar challenges.
In 2024, the Croatian Law Centre, as an implementing partner of UNHCR, in collaboration with the Croatian Employment Service produced the brochure „The right to work – applicants for international protection, persons granted international protection and foreigners under temporary protection”. The brochure provides key information on the right to employment and work, as well as the protection of these rights.The brochure is available in Croatian, English, Ukrainian, Russian, French, Turkish, Arabic and Farsi.[14] The brochure is available to beneficiaries in all regional offices and services of CES.
[1] Article 61(1) LITP.
[2] Article 61(5) LITP.
[3] Article 61(2)-(3) LITP.
[4] Article 61(4) LITP.
[5] Article 61(6) LITP.
[6] Article 61(7) LITP.
[7] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2025- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/en/2026/06/17/2025-national-asylum-system-report/.
[8] Information provided by Administrative Court in Zagreb, 4 February 2026.
[9] Article 14 Law on Labour Market, Official Gazette 118/2018, 32/2020, 18/2022, 156/2023, 152/2024.
[10] Information provided by the Croatian Employment Service, 10 February 2026.
[11] Article 19 Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[12] Information provided by AYS, 17 February 2026.
[13] Information provided by Jesuit Refugee Service, 17 February 2026.
[14] CLC: brochure „The right to work – applicants for international protection, persons granted international protection and foreigners under temporary protection”, available in in Croatian, English, Ukrainian, Russian at: https://www.hpc.hr/2024/02/05/izradena-brosura-pravo-na-rad-trazitelja-medunarodne-zastite-osoba-s-odobrenom-medunarodnom-zastitom-i-osoba-pod-privremenom-zastitom/ and in French, Turkish, Arabic and Farsi at: https://www.hpc.hr/2024/08/23/brosura-o-pravu-na-rad-dostupna-i-na-francuskom-turskom-i-farsi-jeziku/.