Toolkit
Practical things that save you money and trouble.
Emergency numbers
Free to call from any phone, even with no credit.
What you should really pay
Many workers arrive already in debt because of illegal fees. Here is what is fair versus what scammers charge.
Your first weeks in Croatia
Sort these out early and everything gets easier.
- Get your OIB numberYour personal ID for work, bank, doctor — everything.
- Open a bank accountYour wage must be paid into an account, not only cash.
- Register your addressTell the police where you live (prijava boravišta).
- Choose a family doctorWith HZZO you can see a doctor when you need one.
- Copy all your documentsPhotograph your passport, permit, contract and payslips.
- Save important numbers112 for emergencies, and one person you trust.
Words you will hear
Croatian words from work and offices, in plain language.
- OIB
- Your personal ID number in Croatia — needed for almost everything.
- Ugovor o radu
- Your written employment contract.
- Platna lista
- Your payslip — shows hours, wage and what was deducted.
- Dozvola za boravak i rad
- Your combined residence-and-work permit.
- HZZO
- State health insurance — it gives you a doctor.
- HZZ
- The employment service — permits and changing employer.
- Porez i doprinosi
- Tax and social contributions taken from your wage.
- Prekovremeni
- Overtime — it must be paid at a higher rate.
- Godišnji odmor
- Your paid annual holiday.
- Otkaz
- Termination — being let go from a job.
- Inspektorat rada
- The labour inspectorate — where you report a bad employer.
Survival Croatian (A1)
You now need A1 Croatian within a year to extend your permit. Start here.
Emergency
Trebam pomoć.
TREH-bam PAW-moch
I need help.
Zovite policiju!
ZAW-vee-teh poh-LEE-tsee-yoo
Call the police!
Trebam liječnika.
TREH-bam lee-YECH-nee-ka
I need a doctor.
Ovo je hitno.
AW-vaw yeh HEET-naw
This is an emergency.
At work
Nisam dobio plaću.
NEE-sam DAW-bee-aw PLAH-choo
I did not get my wage.
Trebam svoju putovnicu.
TREH-bam SVAW-yoo poo-TOV-nee-tsoo
I need my passport.
Gdje je moj ugovor?
g-dyeh yeh moy OO-gaw-vor
Where is my contract?
Ovo nije sigurno.
AW-vaw NEE-yeh SEE-goor-naw
This is not safe.
Everyday
Ne razumijem.
neh rah-ZOO-mee-yem
I don't understand.
Govorite li engleski?
GAW-vaw-ree-teh lee EN-gleh-skee
Do you speak English?
Koliko košta?
KAW-lee-kaw KOSH-ta
How much is it?
Hvala.
HVAH-la
Thank you.
Say it slowly to yourself.