Work permits in Croatia — we manage the entire procedure for you
What is a work permit and why is it complex?
A work permit for a non-EU national (a "third-country national") is an administrative decision that authorises the worker to perform paid work in Croatia. Without it, the worker cannot be registered with the tax authority, cannot receive wages via a bank account and faces deportation risk — while the employer faces significant inspection fines under the Foreigners Act.
The complexity comes from the multi-agency nature of the procedure: the HZZ must first confirm there is no suitable domestic candidate available (the labour-market test), then MUP processes the combined permit for temporary stay and work, and finally the consulate in the worker's home country issues the long-stay visa (D visa). Each step has its own document requirements, deadlines and counter-signatures. A missing apostille or an outdated health certificate can reset weeks of progress.
The permit procedure step by step
Step 1 — Document preparation
We guide you through the employer-side documents: employment contract, job description, company registration extract. We collect the worker's passport, diplomas, health certificate and police clearance.
Step 2 — HZZ labour-market test
We file the application with the Croatian Employment Service. HZZ has 8–15 days to confirm there is no suitable domestic candidate. We handle all correspondence and follow-up.
Step 3 — MUP combined permit
With the positive HZZ opinion in hand, we file the combined permit for temporary stay and work at the Ministry of the Interior. Processing takes 20–30 days. We monitor the case and respond to any requests.
Step 4 — D visa & arrival
The worker collects the D visa from the Croatian consulate in their home country. We coordinate travel, residence registration, HZZO health-insurance enrolment and JOPPD reporting.
Permit renewals
Croatian work permits are typically issued for one year and must be renewed before expiry. We track all expiry dates in our system and initiate the renewal process 60 days in advance. A seamless renewal prevents costly gaps in the worker's legal status and avoids inspection risk for you.
Stand-alone permit service
You have already found your candidate — perhaps through your own network or a direct application — but need a licensed agency to run the permit procedure. We offer permit-only handling as a standalone service: you provide the candidate and the employment contract, we manage HZZ, MUP, visa coordination and post-arrival registration. Contact us for a quote.