Croatia population grows due to migration and foreign workers

Croatia's population has seen a slight increase, rising by 0.2 percent in 2025 to an estimated 3,874,993 people, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. This growth follows a long-term decline that began in 2007.

Experts note that this population increase is driven exclusively by migration rather than natural birth rates, which have remained negative since the 1990s. The influx of foreign workers, facilitated by the liberalization of employment systems for third-country nationals in 2021, is the primary driver of this trend.

Ministry of the Interior data shows that approximately 170,000 residence and work permits were issued in 2025. The largest groups of permit holders included citizens from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nepal, Serbia, the Philippines, and India. Between January and September 2026, roughly 124,000 permits were issued, including 25,000 for seasonal workers.