According to the latest data from the Croatian National Bank, nearly 2.9 billion euros arrived in Croatia from abroad last year, representing a historic record.

The largest share of that amount is sent by Croats employed in Germany, while significant sums also come from Ireland and the Netherlands. For comparison, in 2013 just over 190 million euros arrived from Germany, while last year remittances exceeded one billion euros, writes Novi list.

Besides Germany, the Irish diaspora is becoming increasingly important for the domestic economy, with more than 300 million euros in remittances last year. The Netherlands has also become a significant source of money transfers, and among the ten countries from which Croats send the most money are Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

At the same time, foreign workers employed in Croatia are sending more and more money to their families back home. The largest amount goes to Bosnia and Herzegovina, more than 287 million euros, while workers from Serbia and Nepal are also among the leading sources of remittances. Particularly notable is the strong growth in transfers by workers from Nepal, the Philippines, and India, reflecting changes in the Croatian labor market.

In the past few years, there have been more and more workers from Asia in Croatia, as a result of increased demand for labor in sectors such as construction, agriculture, and hospitality. Alongside workers from the Balkans, there is also a growing number of highly educated foreigners, while employers point out that workers from Nepal and India are the most sought after for auxiliary jobs.

Experts warn that Croatia is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign labor, while at the same time the number of domestic citizens leaving to work abroad is growing. Such trends significantly affect the demographic picture and the labor market, and the issue of retaining the workforce is becoming one of the key challenges for the future.