Population decline has been one of the most prominent demographic processes in Croatia in the last 30 years. Although natural decrease has long been a major driver of depopulation in Croatia, negative net migration came to prominence particularly after the Croatia’s accession to the EU in 2013. In the last intercensal period (2011–2021) Croatia lost 413,056 inhabitants (-9.6%), out of which 34.2% was due to natural decrease and 65.8% due to negative net migration._x000D_
This paper focuses on emigration from and immigration to Croatia from 2013, and provides and insight on the age structure of the migrants, major destination countries of the emigrants and countries of origin of the immigrants, and their citizenship. After the Croatian accession to the EU, the emigration from Croatia largely intensified toward the EU countries, predominantly to Germany, which provided equal opportunities and access to labor market to Croatian nationals in 2015. In comparison to the previous period, in this period particular increase of emigrants was recorded among the children and young adults, which indicates that the whole families emigrated._x000D_
Due to immense outflow of working age population, the national economy was faced with the shortage of labor force, particularly in public healthcare sector, construction, tourism and hospitality, and metal industry. Consequently, the country started to attract an increasing number of immigrants, particularly male working force, and has become dependent on migrant workers in certain sectors.

Vera Graovac Matassi
University of Zadar, Department of Geography, Zadar, Croatia

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ID Abstract: 176