Trainee in Croatia

Application for issuing a certificate for work registration is submitted in the police department or police station according to the place of conduct of the business or the seat of the employer (stay and work for up to 90 days).

The application for the stay and work permit is submitted to a competent police administration/station, depending on the place of residence/intended residence of a third-country national (work and stay longer than 90 days).

If the application for the stay and work permit is submitted for the first time by a third-country national who is obliged to possess a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia, the third-country national has to submit the relevant application at the diplomatic mission/consular office of the Republic of Croatia.

An application for a stay and work permit or work registration certificate may be submitted either by a third-country national or a host entity/company.

The administrative fee for issuing the certificate of employment is HRK 105 (approx. EUR 14.2).

Administrative fee for issuing a stay and work permit (HRK 560, approx EUR 75.6), fee of HRK 240 (approx. EUR 32.4) for the development of biometric residence permit and administrative fee in the amount of HRK 70 (approx. EUR 9.5) for the creation of biometric residence permit.

The indicative processing time is one day for work registration certificate and 30-60 days for stay and work permit.

The work registration certificate is issued by the police department or police station according to the place of conduct of the business or the seat of the employer (stay and work for up to 90 days).

The Ministry shall decide on the request for issuing of the work and stay permit trough the competent police administration, or police station according to the place of residence of the third-country national. An appeal may be lodged, which is decided by the Commission.

The stay and work permit shall be provided by the police department, or the police station to the third-country national and the employer as well as the regional offices or branches of the tax administration competent by the seat of the legal or natural person using the services of the third country national or the place where the contracted work will be carried out.

If a third-country national requires a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia, it can be issued in a diplomatic mission, namely the Consular Office of the Republic of Croatia, or it may be issued by a diplomatic mission, namely the Consulate office of another State with which the Republic Croatia has concluded a visa representation agreement.

Documents and information that shall be submitted by the applicant

Work registration certificate:

• There is no application form for this purpose.

Documents required:

• a written request for the issuance of a work registration certificate (clearly indicating the third-country national’s first name and surname, date, place and country of birth, nationality and information about the time period that the work registration certificate is requested for, as well as type of work that the alien is about to do);
• a certified copy of a valid travel document of the said third-country national or other document used for crossing the state border, and
• documents substantiating the type of work that the work registration certificate is requested for (an agreement on training with the host entity which provides for theoretical and practical training, comprising: a description of the training programme, including an educational or learning component, the duration of the traineeship, the conditions of implementation and supervision of the traineeship, traineeship hours and the legal relationship between the trainee and the host entity and evidence of the acquisition of a higher education qualification within two years preceding the date of submission of the application/ evidence of an ongoing study with a view to obtaining a qualification of the higher education level.

Stay and work permit outside the annual quota

The stay and work permit outside the annual quota may be granted to a trainee outside the annual quota if he/she fulfils the general conditions:

• has a valid travel document;
• has means of supporting himself;
• health insurance;
• no prohibition of entry and residence in the Republic of Croatia and
• does not pose a threat to public order, national security or public health) and deliver:
  • an agreement on training with the host entity which provides for theoretical and practical training, comprising: a description of the training programme, including an educational or learning component, the duration of the traineeship, the conditions of implementation and supervision of the traineeship, traineeship hours and the legal relationship between the trainee and the host entity,
  • evidence of the acquisition of a higher education qualification within two years preceding the date of submission of the application or evidence of an ongoing study with a view to obtaining a qualification of the higher education level.

The registration certificate shall be issued with a valid validity of 90 days. The trainee who has been issued a certificate of employment with validity of up to 90 days, who intends to stay longer than 90 days, may request permit to work and stay.

Work and stay permit shall be issued to the trainee with validity of up to six months, and can be renewed for another 6 months.

The work and stay permit may be extended for a maximum period of six months, if necessary for the completion of the traineeship.

An application for granting prolonged temporary stay for the purpose of employment (stay and work permit) is submitted at a competent police administration/station according to the place of temporary residence or the registered office of the employer at least 60 days prior to the expiry of the valid temporary stay and work permit.

Stay and work permit will be provided to the third-country national and the employer by the police department.

If a third-country national needs a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia, it can be issued in the diplomatic mission, namely the Consular Office of the Republic of Croatia, or it can be issued by a diplomatic mission, namely the consular office of another State with which the Republic Croatia has concluded a visa-issuing contract.

An appeal may be filed against a decision on issuing a stay and work permit within 15 days since the day it has been served. A Review Commission decides on the appeal in proceedings conducted in line with the provisions of the Aliens Act.