Ethics and Standards in the Employment of Foreign Workers: “We Bring Labor, Not Slavery”

In the last few years, Croatia has entered a phase of profound changes in the labor market.
Demographic decline, emigration of the domestic workforce, and an increased need for seasonal and operational workers have led to the opening of doors to numerous workers from third countries, most often from Asia and Africa.

In 2023 alone, more than 130,000 residence and work permits were issued, and that number continues to rise. What was once an exception has today become the rule, which is that without foreign labor, Croatian tourism, construction, logistics, and production simply would not function.

But parallel to the growth in demand, space for abuse has also opened up. Numerous agencies and intermediaries, both legal and illegal, have recognized this situation as an opportunity for quick profit, often placing profit before the well-being of the workers and the long-term sustainability of the system.

The appearance of fake job advertisements, charging “commissions” to workers, sending them to non-existent addresses, lack of health protection, and unpaid overtime are all realities that numerous workers face. They come from distant regions, often in debt and with minimal information, and frequently end up in circumstances that are far below what was promised to them.

In such a context, the question of ethics becomes crucial. Companies engaged in mediating the employment of foreign workers today bear a far greater responsibility than before, not only towards their clients but also towards the workers themselves and society as a whole.

In an industry that operates “with people,” everything starts from a fundamental premise:
Is the worker a cost or a partner?

The ethics of employing foreign workers begin before the first application:

• In the way working conditions are communicated
• In verifying the linguistic and professional competence of the candidates
• In the transparent presentation of salary, working hours, and accommodation
• In refusing cooperation with employers who do not respect collective agreements or offer inadequate conditions

In serious agencies, the selection process involves multiple rounds of checks, not only on the side of the candidates but also on the side of the clients. It is not uncommon for cooperation to be refused if it is determined that the employer does not meet the basic standards of worker protection.

One of the key ethical principles in such a business model is not charging commissions to workers. This means that workers do not pay for the “job opportunity,” but all costs are borne by the employer, and the agency receives its fee only when the cooperation is realized to mutual satisfaction.

Such a model is long-term and more demanding, but it enables the creation of trust – the key currency in this business.

Agencies guided by this approach often employ people with experience from the sector they now mediate in, for example, former workers on cruise ships, in hospitality, or in industry. That is why they better understand both sides and the challenges a worker faces when coming from the Philippines or Nepal, as well as the demands an employer has when they need to assemble an efficient team during the high season.

But the most important component remains humanity. Ethics in employment is not a mere formality or a label for good marketing; rather, it becomes the foundation of sustainable business in a country that increasingly depends on foreign labor.

If Croatia wants to remain an attractive and fair labor market, then ethical employment can no longer be a matter of choice, but a standard.