Digging deeper into the numbers, recent statistics expose a varied landscape. Roughly 25% of Croatia’s working populace, or a substantial 420,000 individuals, are taking home up to 763 euros net. In contrast, the top-tier earners, representing a mere ten percent, are luxuriating in wages exceeding 1,772 euros. However, the story isn’t as rosy for everyone: the bottom ten percent struggles with a limit of 651 euros.
An intriguing twist in the tale is the marked growth in lower wages: a rise of 13% over a single year and an impressive 22% over two years. Higher salaries, though, have been playing catch-up, with a growth of 10% since 2022 and 18% compared to September of the preceding year.
But what’s driving these wage dynamics? Croatian media analysts point to a telling factor: an acute labour deficit. With employers scrambling to retain talent by offering heftier pay packets, the nation finds itself in a conundrum. Estimates suggest that to fill this void, Croatia is in immediate need of a staggering 200,000 foreign workers.