May the 16th, 2026 – The Croatian tourism sector, otherwise the country’s strongest branch, still can’t find enough workers even after importing thousands of people from near and far.
Croatia is once again heading into the rapidly approaching main summer season facing the same problem that has haunted its tourism industry for many years now – there’s simply not enough workers. What makes the situation more alarming now is that this shortage is continuing despite a massive increase in foreign labour across the country, from both distant and near labour pools.
According to Croatian tourism sector estimates, the country needs around 5,000 more seasonal workers this summer than it did just last year. As is always the case, hotels, restaurants, bars and retail businesses are all currently busy scrambling and competing for staff ahead of the peak season.
without foreign labour, tourism would be extremely vulnerable
The Croatian tourism sector as a whole has increasingly turned toward foreign workers from countries such as the Philippines, Nepal, India, Bosnia and Serbia to fill labour gaps that domestic recruitment can no longer cover.
Industry representatives openly acknowledge that many businesses would struggle to operate normally during summer without imported labour. Recruitment campaigns for foreign workers now begin months earlier than before, with some employers starting the process as early as October to secure permits in time for the season.
This frankly bizarre and deeply concerning scale of dependency on other people from elsewhere is becoming difficult to ignore. Croatia’s labour market has tightened significantly in recent years due to demographic decline, emigration and an ageing population. Unemployment still remains relatively low, while many younger Croatians continue seeking higher salaries abroad and never planning to return.
direct competition for staff
Another major shift is happening inside Croatia itself. Tourism businesses are no longer only competing with each other for staff, they’re competing with construction, logistics and retail sectors, all of which are also experiencing labour shortages and are hiring foreigners at quite the pace.
This has pushed wages markedly upward in seasonal industries, especially along the Adriatic coast, but even that may not fully solve the problem.
Ironically, labour shortages are intensifying just as Croatia moves toward stricter regulation of foreign employment. The government recently proposed tighter oversight measures, including stronger employer compliance rules and even mandatory Croatian language requirements for some permit extensions. Supporters argue the changes are necessary to improve integration and prevent abuse within the system.
Critics, however, warn that additional bureaucracy could slow recruitment at exactly the moment the tourism sector needs workers most urgently.
a very serious structural problem
What makes the current labour shortage different from earlier years is that fewer people in Croatia still view it as temporary. The country’s tourism model now appears structurally and firmly dependent on imported labour.
Croatia’s economy continues to grow, tourism numbers remain strong and employment levels are relatively high. But demographic realities are reshaping the workforce faster than domestic supply can replace it. In practical terms, that means Croatia’s record tourism seasons increasingly rely on workers arriving from thousands of kilometres away.
from inconvenience to a seasonal rinse and repeat saga
For years, seasonal labour shortages were treated as a recurring inconvenience, now, they are rapidly becoming one of the defining economic stories of modern Croatia. The country’s tourism industry is still constantly expanding, but the workforce supporting it is changing rapidly, culturally, geographically and economically.
Despite importing tens of thousands of foreign workers from various countries over recent years, Croatia is discovering that finding enough people to power another record summer is still far from guaranteed.
