Lack of knowledge of the Croatian language and of motivation to learn it, hindering easier integration into society, alongside discrimination by the local population are among the biggest challenges faced by workers from distant Asian countries, according to a survey presented on Thursday.

Липсата на владеене на хърватски език и на мотивация за изучаването му, пречка за по-лесната интеграция в обществото, заедно с дискриминацията от местното население са сред най-големите предизвикателства, пред които са изправени работниците от далечни азиатски страни, според проучване, представено в четвъртък.

At the conference “Migration, Labour Market and Integration: Croatia Tomorrow”, organised by the Croatian Employers’ Association (HUP) and the Institute for Migration Research, the survey explored the quality of life of foreign labour in Croatia.

Iva TadiД‡ of the Institute said the survey was conducted in December and January on a sample of 400 foreign workers, of whom 83% were men.

Around 90% were under the age of 40, with the majority of respondents coming from the Philippines, Nepal and India. The results showed that most participants were married and childless, having come to Croatia primarily for economic reasons.

“They come here to earn money due to difficult conditions in their home countries, and 90% of them send money back to their families,” said Tadić.

Although their education levels weren’t verified, 90% of respondents claimed to have secondary or higher education. Half reported having a high school diploma and around 40% a university degree. Most are employed in transport (particularly delivery services) and hospitality, and 78% are employed full-time.

One key issue, Tadić noted, is that 70% of foreign workers in Croatia do not speak the language, and instead learn it informally on the job. Only 8% claimed to speak Croatian fluently. Over 90% intend to remain in Croatia for at least ten years and many until retirement.

More than half of those surveyed plan to bring their families to Croatia. Regarding their physical and mental health, 66% reported high stress levels, mainly due to feelings of discrimination or rejection by the local population. Seven percent reported experiencing mental health issues. Notably, 87% believe they are entitled to the same quality of life as Croatian citizens.

Asked to rate their quality of life in Croatia on a scale of 1 to 10, respondents gave an average score of 4.2.

Economic growth depends on foreign workers

Sadmir Hošić, vice-president of HUP Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said Croatia is facing a new phenomenon with the arrival of a large number of workers from distant countries who must integrate into society, an inherently difficult process.

He recalled that while foreign workers were present in Croatia before, they mainly came from neighbouring countries and shared the language, yet even some of them struggled to adapt.

Hošić views the influx of foreign workers positively, stating that without them, Croatia would not have achieved the economic growth it has today.

“We definitely need to work on integrating foreign workers into our society, but that will remain a major challenge for a long time,” Hošić said, highlighting language barriers and numerous administrative hurdles before workers can even begin employment.

He added that out of nine foreign workers in his company, only one is actively trying to learn Croatian.

Marina Perić Kaselj, director of the Institute for Migration Research, noted that demographic shifts are underway in Croatian society.

“We were once a traditionally emigrant country, but we are now becoming an immigrant country,” she said, explaining that most foreign workers now come from distant Asian nations, though some still arrive from the surrounding region. She also mentioned that some Croatian emigrants are returning home.

Perić Kaselj advocated for a proactive migration policy, emphasising that migration is not just a physical movement, but a social process as well.

(Тази информация се разпространява от БТА по договор с хърватската агенция ХИНА)