Croatia Leads Europe in English Proficiency, Boosting Outsourcing Appeal

Croatia English proficiency outsourcing Global Talent Index ICT growth

A 2026 Global Talent Index for Outsourcing commissioned by U.S. consultancy Ataraxis ranked Croatia as one of only two Eastern European countries—alongside Romania—to achieve a perfect 100 out of 100 score for English proficiency. The study, which evaluated 193 UN‑recognised nations on labour costs, English skills, talent availability, digital infrastructure and political stability, also gave Croatia a 90 out of 100 rating for digital infrastructure and 84 out of 100 for labour‑cost competitiveness.

The report highlights Croatia’s growing attractiveness for high‑value outsourcing work. The country hosts roughly 70,000 technology professionals and sees about 500 new ICT companies founded each year. Broadband coverage is strong, with 82.7 % of the population served by very‑high‑capacity networks, 77.9 % with fibre‑to‑the‑premises and 97.8 % covered by 5G. These factors position Croatia as a “hidden gem” in a global outsourcing market worth hundreds of billions of dollars, increasingly diversified beyond traditional hubs such as India and the Philippines.

Entities: Ataraxis · Austria · Croatia · Croatian State Inspectorate · Germany · Global Talent Index for Outsourcing · ICT sector · Slovenia · Technology professionals

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Croatia received a labour‑cost rating of 84 out of 100 in the study. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] Croatia has approximately 70,000 technology professionals. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] Only Croatia and Romania achieved a perfect English proficiency score among Eastern European countries. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] Croatia scored 100 out of 100 for English proficiency in the 2026 Global Talent Index for Outsourcing. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] Croatia’s broadband coverage includes 82.7 % very‑high‑capacity networks, 77.9 % fibre‑to‑the‑premises, and 97.8 % 5G coverage. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] Croatia received a digital infrastructure rating of 90 out of 100 in the study. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] The global outsourcing market is worth hundreds of billions of dollars and is no longer dominated solely by India and the Philippines. (study by Ataraxis)
[● 2 SOURCES] Around 500 new ICT companies are founded in Croatia each year. (study by Ataraxis)