Croatia is preparing to introduce another requirement for foreign workers, as part of wider changes to its rules on labour migration. Under proposed amendments to the Law on Foreigners, workers who want to extend their work permit after one year in the country would be required to pass a basic Croatian language exam.
According to Croatian media reports, the planned requirement would apply at the A1.1 level, which is considered an introductory stage of language learning. It typically includes around 70 school hours and focuses on basic communication skills, simple everyday phrases and practical language use in daily situations.
The measure could have a stronger impact on younger workers from Macedonia, particularly those who may have had less previous exposure to Croatian compared with older generations who grew up during the former Yugoslavia, when the languages of the region were more commonly understood across borders.
Media reports indicate that the costs of the language courses and the exam would be covered by employers. Trade unions, however, have raised concerns that the proposed changes make the exam mandatory without clearly guaranteeing access to organised language courses for workers.
Interest in Croatian language learning has already been rising. Last year, 211 applications were approved through vouchers issued by the Croatian Employment Service for Croatian language courses. This year, the number has already more than doubled, reaching 481 approved applications.
The mandatory exam is expected to come into force next year, after the Croatian government submitted the proposed amendments to parliament.
Unions warn that the availability of courses remains limited and that the measure could create additional pressure on both workers and employers. They also caution that, if not properly implemented, the new rule could increase staff turnover or even encourage the falsification of documents.
The language requirement follows another recent tightening of rules for foreign workers in Croatia. Authorities have already introduced stricter standards for worker accommodation, including minimum space requirements and limits on the number of people allowed to live in the same facility.
