The number of employed people in Croatia reached 1,766,371 in July, which is 10,417 more than in June.

At first glance, this appears to be solid growth in the middle of the peak tourist season. The data comes from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, but a comparison with last year shows that there is still no reason to celebrate.

Tourism did its part

In just one month, the number of employed people increased by 0.6%. The biggest growth was recorded in accommodation and food preparation and service, where employment jumped by as much as 7.6%.

This is the expected July effect. Hotels, campsites, restaurants, and cafés need the most people then, so seasonal hiring quickly boosts the overall figure. The number of employed people in crafts and freelance professions simultaneously rose by 1.5%.

However, even in accommodation and hospitality there were 1.6% fewer employed people than in July last year. In other words, the season brought monthly growth, but it failed to reach last year's level.

The annual comparison brings a cold shower

Compared with July 2025, Croatia had 1.8% fewer employed people. The decline is not limited to just one month, because from January to July the number of employed people was 1.5% lower than in the same period last year.

In legal entities, 1,508,052 people were employed, which is 2.2% fewer than last year. A noticeable decline was recorded in administrative and support service activities, where there were 8.4% fewer employed people. Manufacturing lost 5.1%, and construction 4.4% of employed people.

Among the few larger sectors that recorded annual growth, education stands out with an increase of 2.7%, as well as healthcare and social welfare with growth of 1.1%.

Autumn will show the real situation

July employment growth is primarily driven by the tourist season, while industry, construction, and several other large sectors have fewer employed people than last year. An additional warning comes from the data showing that employers sought 18,311 workers through the Croatian Employment Service, which is 5.4% less than in July last year.

The real test comes after the end of the season. If the annual decline continues during the autumn as well, it will no longer be possible to explain it only by the usual seasonal movements. An unemployment rate of 3.4% still sounds good, but it cannot hide the fact that Croatia has fewer employed people and fewer active residents than a year ago.