Can International Students Work While Studying in Croatia?

For covered third-country nationals holding temporary stay for university studies, the Aliens Act amendment published as NN 55/2026 took effect on 4 June 2026. It allows up to 25 hours per week for work under the student-work law and for employee or self-employed work. The same rule says the study-purpose exemption does not apply to the specified case where an internship is an integral part of the study programme. This current law resolves the older 20-hour wording still visible on some English MUP summaries. It is not a blanket authorisation for every course, status or placement: confirm that your permit and work form fall within the amended provision before starting.

EU/EEA citizens work under free-movement rules, with registration obligations for longer stays; they do not use the third-country student exemption. In either case, a legal right to work does not guarantee a job, sufficient hours or income. Keep enrolment, residence, tax, contract and academic obligations in view.

How the student-work route works

Croatian Student Centres administer Student Service arrangements. Study in Croatia states that students can take temporary part-time work through this route and publishes a 2026 minimum net rate of €6.56 per hour. Sunday, public-holiday and night work (22:00–06:00) carries a 50% supplement under the portal’s current explanation. The employer also pays intermediary charges; the published figure is 18% on top of the student’s net amount. These figures are specific to the 2026 information and should be checked again before accepting a contract.

The portal also says student-work income up to €12,000 net in 2026 is not taxed as student-work income, with different tax treatment above the threshold and possible effects from other income or double-tax treaties. This is a tax statement, not a gross-pay guarantee or an immigration rule. Ask the Student Centre or tax authority how the threshold applies to your circumstances.

Check your eligibility before accepting work

1. Identify your citizenship and residence status. For third-country students, show the employer the exact study residence basis and ask MUP to confirm the amended 25-hour route applies.
2. Confirm whether the arrangement is Student Service work, employment, self-employment or an internship integral to the programme. Do not assume these categories are interchangeable.
3. If you use Student Service, register with the relevant Student Centre and obtain the required contract before work begins.
4. Record scheduled hours, pay basis, supplements, deductions and payment date in writing. Keep the contract and payslips.
5. Check how the job fits attendance and academic progress; a timetable that prevents study can jeopardise the purpose of residence.

Keep the study purpose central

A residence basis for study depends on the conditions attached to that purpose. Maintain enrolment and tell the university if work begins to conflict with required attendance, exams or annual confirmation. The legal 25-hour maximum is a ceiling in the stated categories, not a recommended weekly target or a promise that a student may ignore separate employment rules. Seek written guidance where the employer proposes a different contract form or a placement is built into the curriculum.

Using Student Service in practice

The national student portal describes Student Service as a matching service administered through local Student Centres, which also manage subsidised meals and accommodation. That means the first practical step is to identify the Student Centre connected with your institution and ask what registration evidence an international student must provide. Confirm whether the service requires a student number, residence documentation, bank account details, tax identification or a locally issued contract before accepting a shift. The portal says the positions are part-time and temporary, but this does not guarantee a placement in your field or city.

Before a shift starts, make sure the written contract identifies the employer, duties, hourly rate, schedule, payment timing and any supplements. Keep a copy and compare the eventual payslip with the contracted hours. For Sunday, public-holiday and night shifts, the current portal’s 50% supplement statement is a useful reference; ask the Student Centre how its payroll applies this rule to the specific schedule. If an offer is direct employment instead of Student Service work, ask MUP which statutory category and hours limit apply rather than carrying over a Student Service contract assumption.

The published 2026 €12,000 net threshold concerns taxation of student-work income, not immigration eligibility, proof of funds or a guaranteed tax-free total across every type of income. A student with employment elsewhere, cross-border income or treaty considerations should ask the Croatian Tax Administration how the rule applies. Preserve contracts and annual income records so that you can verify the calculation and correct errors.

Is the limit still 20 hours a week?

The 2026 Aliens Act amendment took effect on 4 June and sets up to 25 weekly hours for covered students. Confirm your status and work form qualify. Keep the institution’s current written guidance alongside your application records so you can resolve any difference between broad national information and the rule that applies to your individual case.

Does the 25-hour rule cover every internship?

The statutory wording distinguishes an internship that forms an integral part of the study programme. Ask the institution and MUP how your placement is classified before scheduling paid hours. Keep the institution’s current written guidance alongside your application records so you can resolve any difference between broad national information and the rule that applies to your individual case.

What is the Student Service minimum rate?

Study in Croatia publishes a 2026 net hourly rate of €6.56 and a 50% supplement for Sunday, holiday and night work; confirm the applicable contract and current Student Centre terms. Keep the institution’s current written guidance alongside your application records so you can resolve any difference between broad national information and the rule that applies to your individual case.

Can work fund my tuition and living costs?

Even where work is lawful, shifts, hourly pay, tax treatment and study schedules vary; keep confirmed funds for essential expenses and treat earnings as supplemental. Keep the institution’s current written guidance alongside your application records so you can resolve any difference between broad national information and the rule that applies to your individual case.

• Aliens Act amendments, NN 55/2026 — amended student work categories, 25-hour ceiling, integral-internship distinction and effective date.
• MUP: Foreign nationals FAQ — current Croatian-language summary of the amended law.
• Study in Croatia: Student work — Student Centre route, 2026 rate, supplements, employer charges and tax threshold.
• MUP: Work of third-country nationals — general work/residence conditions; its English hours summary may lag the 2026 amendment.