Last year, approximately 25,000 pensioners worked in Croatia, mostly in Zagreb and Split-Dalmatia counties, most often as salespeople, cleaners, deliverymen, security guards, cooks, and waiters, which provides them with additional income.

Pensioners were most in demand in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb, Split-Dalmatia, Brod-Posavina and Istria counties, mainly for administrative jobs, retail and processing, according to the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ).

Since October 2022, 417 pensioners have expressed interest in talking to advisers specialised in working with pensioners.

They are most interested in employment in administration, bookkeeping, sales, warehouse and jobs as security guards, but also as teaching assistants,” the HZZ told Hina.

The Konzum retail chain said there are more than 140 pensioners working in Konzum stores, mostly women.

Pensioners work to improve their financial situation

Pensioner Ana, working in a store in Split, says she was not feeling well in retirement. She wanted to continue to be active, but also to improve her financial situation, considering that her pension is only €350, and she cannot live on that.

Accustomed to work, she applied to constantly open advertisements in retail, where she eventually got a job. She is more than satisfied because her salary for four hours of work, which is what pensioners are allowed to work by law, is around €400. She is also paid travel expenses.

“I feel healthier and more needed by society”

Pensioners with jobs urge their fellow retirees who have the strength and are in good health to definitely get a job.

“They will feel healthier, more active and more needed by society, and that is the most important thing when you retire,” said one of the pensioners who is still working.

Most Croatian pensioners work in retail (4,686), the manufacturing industry (3,667), in professional, scientific and technical professions (3,664), administrative and service jobs (3,044), while 1,584 of them work in healthcare and social welfare.

The statistics of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) show that there are more employed male pensioners.

More than 1.6 million persons are currently registered with the HZMO, 53.85% are women and 46.15% are men. The average old-age pension for 40 and more years of pensionable service is €683, and the average pensionable service for the total number of pensioners is 31 years.

Croatia has 211,689 early-retirement pensioners, followed by 160,042 with disability pensions, and 212,553 with family pensions.