Only one in ten university and high school students in Croatia work as against 73% of young people in the Netherlands, 52% in Denmark or 45% in Germany, according to Eurostat data carried by Vecernji List daily on Tuesday.

Only 1% of young Croatians try to find a job but without success. Eastern European countries have for decades kept students away from the labour market, shifting the cost of their education onto their parents.

Admittedly, during the Socialist era, Croatia developed student services which are the main student placement facilitators. Student services charge decent fees for their role, taking 12% commission from employers for student work. Also, companies pay a 6% contribution in the event of disability and professional disease, which increases students’ hourly wage by 18%.

Employers who hire students in Croatia do not pay taxes and contributions for their work, unlike Western countries, where students’ years of service are mostly credited to their pensionable age and during their education they often acquire at least two to three years of pensionable service.

For Croatian students who work frequently or occasionally during studies, student allowance does not bring additional pension rights, the daily reported.