Travel Visa

Croatia Cracks Down On Visa Abuse: More Stringent Laws For International Workers

Croatia has enforced more stringent visa and work permit laws after discovering significant misuse, mainly among Bangladeshi citizens. After acquiring lawful permits, administrations revealed that several international employees never landed in Croatia or unlawfully used their visas to enter other Schengen nations.

Alarming Statistics On Visa And Work Permit Misuse

In 2023, Croatia provided work permits and visas to Bangladesh citizens. Hence:

  • 8,000 never landed in Croatia, with just their bags making the trips.
  • Of the 4,400 who landed, only nearly 50% are presently hired.
  • Similar offenses were reported among employees from Nepal, Egypt, India, and the Philippines; however, Bangladeshi citizens were recorded as having the highest number of cases.

Currently, about 7,000 to 8,000 foreign citizens are lawfully hired in Croatia. Because of these discoveries, the authority has halted or majorly limited new work permits and visas for foreign candidates until further notice.

Government Response And Prospective Visa Suspension

Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has formally raised concerns with the foreign embassy. The authority warned that work permits and visas could be permanently halted in the Bangladesh embassy in the Hague if corrective efforts are not obtained.

In response, the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accepted the problem and guaranteed that measures will be taken to deter further abuse.

Improved Screening For Visa Candidates

Croatia’s Ministry of the Interior has tagged Bangladeshi citizens as a high-threat migration group. Several visa holders were discovered living in other Schengen nations rather than Croatia. Some even renounced their journey while transiting via European airports, with just their bags reaching Croatia.

To tackle this, Croatia will currently:

  • Perform more stringent setting reviews on all third-nation candidates, including Bangladeshi citizens.
  • Evaluate each candidate’s plan and migration threat before accepting visas or work permits.
  • Refuse requests if there is proof or huge suspicion of visa abuse.

Crackdown On Job Agencies

Authorities are also examining job agencies processing work permits; reports demonstrate that some agencies have neglected to adhere to lawful consensus, adding to the problems.

To fight this, the administration will:

  • Scrutinize recruitment agencies suspected of mischief.
  • Obtain stringent efforts against agencies going against labor rules.
  • Boost laws to deter further misuse.

Future View For International Employees In Croatia

While these standards may temporarily restrict Bangladeshi citizens from getting work permits, Croatia remains available to a systematic consensus that enables legal labor relocation.

Facilitated cooperation between the Croatian and Bangladeshi governments could settle these problems and restore honesty in the work visa procedure. Until then, international employees must remain informed about developing visa guidelines and adhere to all immigration laws to prevent disruptions in their job intentions.