Germany is increasingly losing the lustre of a "promised land" for Croatian construction workers because wages in Croatia have grown considerably after the signing of the collective agreement in this sector, while the cost of living in Germany is increasing, Croatian trade unions and employers say.

The German statistical office says in its report on cross-border migration that 20,604 Croatian nationals immigrated into Germany in 2023 and 24,241 emigrated. In 2022, 24,991 Croatians immigrated into Germany and 24,001 emigrated, while in 2021, 28,457 Croatians immigrated and 23,475 emigrated from Germany.

The figures confirm that more and more Croatians are leaving the country that was for decades a magnet for those who wanted to earn more than in Croatia.

Mladen Zemljic from the Croatian Construction Workers’ Union said that the unions and employers in this sector cooperate well and that a new collective agreement was signed in June as a result of which the wages of construction workers have further increased.

Due to the steady growth in wages in the Croatian construction sector, driven by the labour shortage, construction workers can now make good money in Croatia and are increasingly aware that they are better off staying in the country, Zemljić said and added that the cost of living in Germany has skyrocketed, and in Croatia workers can live with their families.

The average net monthly wage in Croatia currently stands at €1,300, and with various untaxed allowances it is well above the national average.