Croatia proposes pension credits for student work

The Croatian Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy has proposed a model to recognize student work as pension service. Under the plan, students could receive six months of additional pension seniority for every 1,000 hours worked, with a maximum limit of 24 months.

Minister Alen Ružić presented the proposal to the Croatian Student Assembly, noting that the model aims to reward student contributions to the labor market without increasing costs for students or employers. The proposal, which is currently in the development phase, is modeled after maternity leave pension credits. The ministry stated that the costs to the pension system would only be incurred once beneficiaries begin receiving their pensions.

In a separate development regarding national pension policy, new regulations for women in Croatia will take effect on January 1, 2027. These changes will gradually increase the age requirements for both regular and early retirement to align with those for men. For regular retirement, the age threshold for women will increase to 64 years and three months, with further incremental increases scheduled until full equalization in 2030.