Zagreb Holding has confirmed that seven workers from the Philippines will soon begin working as gravediggers in Zagreb.

This decision came after a series of unsuccessful job postings on the Croatian labor market, where it became clear that there is very little interest in this job. Holding says that the job of a gravedigger requires a special kind of responsibility and respect toward the deceased, which is why candidates are selected with special care, according to a report by the portal Net.hr. It is a job which, as they point out, is both physically and emotionally demanding, and which, despite stable working conditions and a secure salary, is finding it increasingly difficult to attract domestic workers.

As reported by RTL Danas, a gravedigger's salary, together with bonuses and allowances, can reach up to 1500 euros net. The amount depends on shift work and special tasks performed exclusively in cemeteries, and it is defined by the collective agreement as with other employees. Holding spokesperson Dubravka Grubišić explains that the hiring of foreign workers currently applies only to gravediggers, but that, in the event of a shortage of domestic labor, this model could be expanded to other activities as well.

This situation opens up a broader picture of the labor market in Croatia, where many municipal and construction activities are becoming increasingly difficult to fill with domestic workers. Many Croats are leaving abroad in search of higher earnings, while at the same time more and more foreigners are deciding to come work in Croatia. Jobs such as cleaners, waiters, construction workers, but also gravediggers are increasingly being offered to workers from Asia, especially from the Philippines, Nepal, and Indonesia, where candidates are willing to accept salaries that in Croatia range between 1000 and 1500 euros net.

Unlike Croatia, the countries of Western Europe have long since adapted their labor markets through the systematic integration of foreign workers into the municipal sector. Croatia is only now going through that process, and hiring workers from distant countries is becoming a necessity, especially in occupations that domestic workers are choosing less and less. Given the growing shortage of domestic labor, it is possible that Filipinos will soon work in other activities in Zagreb as well, not only in cemeteries, but also in the maintenance of public areas or sanitation.