Croatia is looking for seasonal workers, these are professions

The “seasonal workers from Serbia have invaded Croatia! ” It was a bombing title of Croatian media just two years ago, when Croatia had 5 times more tourists than residents. Of course, under such conditions, when Croatian tourism got so hot, even the need for external workforce was great. Pandemia has already lowered this pace, but even this summer Croatia will employ seasonal workers. One of them is Aleksandar Simic from Belgrade, who has been cooking all over the world's kitchen for 20 years.

But the pandemic has closed many roads. This summer Alexander will spend it next door, Croatia, in the restaurant kitchen in Promajna, a coastal area in the vicinity of Split. Good working conditions and linguistic freedom in communication make him hope that this was the right decision. The beginning is hopeful. My employer is excellent, and I can't complain, everything he promised he has kept so far. The kitchen is modern and new, which matters at work. The team that came here to work is good, most come from Belgrade”, says Aleksandar Simiić.

Last year's wine was the worst for Alexander. Because of the warhead in Serbia, he had to stay at home. But even the need for seasonal workforce in Croatia was smaller than usual. In the previous year, the abnormal year “before the pandemic, the Croatian economy needed 30,000 workers. Even 2020 began well, over the first two months, 11,000 workers were required, but then the pandemic closed Croatia as well.

But the hopes of this season are great. Just before his start, you could find online news of jobs in Croatia again. This country currently needs cooks, waiters or hotel employees.

Hrvoje Tomas, the restaurant manager wants workers, and is aware that this problem does not affect Croatia alone. “In tourism but also in gastronomial throughout the European Union, labour forces are lacking. Hence, more and more staffs are received from Eastern Europe. We also employ people who know how to do the job well and who are not yet oriented towards the western labour market”, says Hrvoje Tomas.

But west has long gone by many Croats. In the years leading up to pandemic, 40,000 people have left Croatia, mostly in Germany. Even that is one of the reasons why, in Croatia, there are many seasonal workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, or Serbia. At the restaurant in Promajna, a working team from Serbia was deployed, though, according to them, workers from Romania and Bulgaria could also be taken. Serve Thomas explains the reasons. “They know our kitchen and it's easier to communicate and work than with other forces coming from the birth of the EU.”

Belgrade, Alexander, however, is satisfied, with the reception they made on Croatian coasts. We are treated very well by the locals, by all means, with those we've had contact. So far, we haven't had any problems”, Aleksandar Simic says. Now everyone is ready for tourists. / DW