Calls for Action Grow as Reports of Worker Exploitation Surface in Croatia
When DD left his home in Chandigarh, India, for Croatia last year, he expected his food delivery work to be hard—long hours, low pay, the usual struggles of a migrant worker finding his footing. He did not expect to be spat at in the street.
Twice last year, the 27-year-old was abused by groups of young people while working. Some spat on him. Others shouted at him to “go back to your own country” as they tried to steal his delivery bag.
For DD, one of tens of thousands of foreign workers drawn to this European Union nation annually, the experience was a rough welcome. But he says it is increasingly common among his colleagues.
“I just came to work and live peacefully,” DD, who asked to be identified only by his initials, told AFP. “We are not stealing jobs.”
A Demographic Crisis Fuels Migration
Croatia has one of the five fastest-declining populations in the European Union, losing nearly 400,000 people over the past decade, according to the World Bank. The shortages have driven a steady rise in workers arriving from Asia—particularly since Croatia joined Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone in 2023.
Last year, four out of every 10 work and residency permits were issued to Nepalis, Filipinos, Indians, and Bangladeshis, mostly employed in tourism, catering, and construction. It marks a dramatic shift for a largely conservative society with extremely limited experience of immigration from outside Europe.
According to the most recent census, more than 90 percent of Croatia’s 3.8 million people are ethnic Croats, and about 80 percent are Roman Catholic.
Violence on the Streets
In WhatsApp groups used by DD’s fellow delivery riders, members share stories of almost weekly attacks. The worst cases report broken jaws and cracked ribs.
While national crime data does not break down rates by victims’ nationality, the number of crimes against Nepali nationals rose sharply in 2024, outpacing the roughly 50 percent growth of that diaspora in Croatia. Comparable increases were recorded among Indian, Filipino, and Bangladeshi nationals.
Food delivery company Wolt acknowledged that many attacks on its riders, committed mainly by opportunistic young people, go unreported.
Exploitation Beyond the Streets
The vulnerability extends beyond street violence. Most foreign workers arrive through private agencies or employers that typically offer little support, according to unions. Some employers provide overcrowded and unsafe housing at exorbitant rates.
Hasan, a delivery rider who declined to give his surname for fear of losing his job, said he was charged 270 euros ($319) per month for an “unliveable” room shared with five other men. Breaches of arbitrary rules, such as banning visitors, could result in hefty “fines” from his previous employer, who leased him the room.
“It’s pure extortion,” said the 27-year-old from India. He was also expected to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. “You are like their slaves.”
Hardening Attitudes
As migrant numbers grow, public attitudes appear to be shifting. An Institute for Migration Research survey found that more than 60 percent of Croatians were dissatisfied with the presence of foreign workers, up from 46 percent a year earlier. Fears over potential crime increases, impacts on local wages, job losses, and cultural differences were among the top complaints.
“When people feel their livelihoods are threatened, support for radical positions is more likely,” said sociologist Ivan Balabanic.
Some right-wing politicians have seized on the issue to push anti-immigrant rhetoric, portraying foreign workers as part of a plot to “replace” European populations—a conspiracy theory that has gained traction in various forms across the continent.
Government Response
The conservative government, which has condemned the violence against foreign workers, recently moved to improve protections. At the same time, it introduced language tests for long-term workers—a requirement that may create additional barriers for those already struggling to integrate.
DD said most Croatians were “generally friendly,” but without the local language, he has found it difficult to fit in.
Balabanic argued that politicians need to stop treating the issue as “taboo” and discuss the need for foreign workers candidly. “This is our reality and must be acknowledged as such,” he said.
The Path Forward
For Croatia, the challenge is twofold: protecting the workers its economy increasingly depends on, while managing the social tensions that accompany rapid demographic change. The country cannot afford to lose its foreign workforce—the labor shortages are too acute. But it also cannot afford to ignore the violence and exploitation that too many workers face.
DD continues his deliveries, navigating the streets where he has been spat upon, hoping that each shift will be uneventful. His colleagues share stories in WhatsApp groups, warning each other of dangerous areas and documenting attacks that rarely result in justice.
They came to work and live peacefully. Croatia is still learning how to receive them.
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