HGK launches the first integration program for foreign workers - Welcome to Croatia

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Edward Bernays Polytechnic, is launching an education program Welcome to Croatia in order to integrate foreign workers into society and the business community, the first of its kind in Croatia.

The cycle of workshops starts in Pula, where from March 25 to 29, foreign workers from the tourism sector will learn about the specifics of Croatia as a host country in the context of national identity, social and cultural norms and values, but they will also learn the basics of the Croatian language, get to know with the legislative framework, the basics of safety at work and will improve business norms in the context of working with clients, handling client complaints, emergency safety procedures and business etiquette in general.

Welcome to Croatia is an interdisciplinary educational program that meets the challenges of integration and basic training of citizens of third countries in Croatia, as an aid for easier inclusion in social flows and work in the tertiary sector.

"Listening to the needs of the economy, but also calls from various social spheres that it is necessary to start implementing integration programs for the increasing number of foreign workers coming to our country, we are starting to implement programs that will familiarize foreign workers with the basics of Croatian society and business norms. Given that over 170.000 new work permits are expected to be issued this year, I believe that in synergy with the CES voucher measure for learning Croatian for foreigners, we can contribute to their integration into our society. The above measures are the first steps towards a systematic and more comprehensive integration and immigration policy, in order for Croatia to attract and retain a quality workforce.", said the president of HGK Luka Burilović.

The program is intended for all foreign workers, and modules specially adapted to the sector are also offered tourism, construction, logistics and trade, in which most foreign citizens work in Croatia today.

In the first step, maintenance is foreseen 10 cycles of education in larger cities in Croatia. The program is performed live, in English, at the headquarters of the HGK county chambers or at the employer's premises, if there is interest for the entire group.

Welcome to Croatia program it lasts five days, a total of 30 school hours, and will be conducted in groups of up to 30 participants. The largest number of hours, 12, refers to the subject Excellence in Business Relations, which, among other things, will cover topics such as understanding the needs of clients and colleagues, and to the subject Basics of the Croatian Language, which includes 9 hours of classes on everyday expressions and simple phrases , as well as basic professional terms and conversational situations.

In addition, through the 6 hours of Croatian history, society and culture, the program will ensure that foreign workers more easily understand the social and business environment in which they have come to live and work, while through the course Legal security and compliance with the law, they will be ensured easier navigation among legal norms in Croatia.

The program ensures the acquisition of the necessary levels of communication, legal and professional skills, basic language competences and business knowledge and competences necessary for the inclusion of foreign workers in the labor market and work with guests, clients and colleagues in the Croatian speaking area.

After listening to all the modules and fulfilling all obligations on the program, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Edward Bernays Polytechnic issue a certificate to the participant as proof of the successful completion of the program. Along with the certificate, the participant is issued an additional document, the so-called attachment to the certificate, the purpose of which is to provide independent information about the program in order to facilitate transparency before the employer in Croatia.

More information about the Welcome to Croatia program is available at subpages HGK.

Photo: HGK