Before the new tourist season, many Croatian employers fear they will not have enough workers. The reason is the new rules for hiring foreigners, which have been in force since March 15 of this year.

According to the new Foreigners Act, companies can hire foreign workers only if they have achieved an average monthly turnover of at least 10,000 euros in the last six months. Many entrepreneurs from the tourism sector warn that this condition is difficult for them to meet, especially those on the coast and islands where turnover drops significantly outside the season.

'Our turnover increases only during the summer, and in winter we practically do not work. With rules like these, we will have a hard time finding enough people for the season,' complained a restaurant owner from the Adriatic.

An additional problem is that the law makes no distinction between large cities and smaller places. While hotels and restaurants in Zagreb can operate all year round, on the islands business is limited to a few months.

The Ministry of Labour says that the goal of the new rules is to prevent abuses in the hiring of foreigners. They also add that seasonality of business will be taken into account when considering applications. Also, the turnover requirement does not apply to the extension of existing permits, nor to seasonal work permits of up to 90 days.

Nevertheless, employers warn that 90 days is not enough for the whole season. If a permit expires in the middle of summer, they could be left without key workers just when they need them most.

Many are therefore wondering how they will manage to fill their jobs this year and whether the tourist season will pass without major problems.