On 7 March 2025, the Croatian Parliament adopted comprehensive amendments to the Aliens Act. This marks the third major reform of the legislative framework governing migration policy since 2020. The new amendments consist of 96 articles and bring far-reaching consequences for the legal status, employment, residence, and rights of third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia.

In recent days, one of the key legal developments in Croatia has been the adoption of amendments to the Foreigners Act. The Croatian Parliament has amended the existing Foreigners Act (Official Gazette Nos. 133/20, 114/22, and 151/22), following a proposal submitted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia last year. The revised Act entered into force on 15 March 2025 (hereinafter: the Act). The amendments primarily aim to improve the management of residence and employment of third-country nationals in Croatia and to align national legislation with EU law—particularly Directive (EU) 2021/1883 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which governs the admission and residence conditions for highly qualified workers (the so-called EU Blue Card). The Act also introduces stricter criteria for employers hiring foreign workers, in response to the continuous rise in the number of third-country nationals working and residing in Croatia.