Background information

Subsidized employment can be a form of equalization of opportunities for employment of vulnerable groups so that they become more attractive to employers, although they are at a disadvantageous position in the labor market. It is hoped that the productivity of such workers will increase with time so that their jobs when subsidies stop, but there is no a guarantee. If the job is permanently linked to lower productivity, it usually turns off when stimulus stops. They have been applied in Croatia for a longer time, but since 7 March 2022 they are also used for green and digital jobs.

Content of measure

The goal of the measure is to train unemployed persons for independent work by encouraging their employment through co-financing employers’ expenses in the amount of gross wages and other costs. Eligible for the green and digital training subsidies are unemployed persons registered at the Croatian Employment Service (CES) who are employed for the first time in the profession for which they were educated. Traineeship lasts, as a rule, no longer than one year, if the special law does not stipulate otherwise, in order to obtain the conditions for passing the training exam in that profession. If the law stipulates otherwise, the training cannot be co-financed for a longer period than 24 months. The CES awards a monthly flat-rate subsidy of HRH 3,430 (€456) for persons with secondary education and HRK 4.290 (€570) for persons with tertiary education.

Use of measure

According to the Statistical Bulletin No. 7 (Mjesecni statisticki bilten) by the Croatian Employment Service (Table 25, page 52) in the first seven months of 2022, 41 persons got the Green and digital traineeship subsidies, of which 13 obtained it in July 2022. It could be expected that the interest for the Subsidy will increase with time.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Unemployed	Applies to all businesses	Other groups of citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Public employment service	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Although social partners were not directly included in the design of the measure, indirectly they participated because representatives of social partners are members of the Croatian Employment Service Governing Board which concludes on the characteristics of the active labor market measures.

Views and reactions

Social partners in Croatia fully support all measures directed towards the transition to green and/or digital economy as well as successful inclusion of vulnerable groups into the labor market.

Sources

• 07 March 2022: Potpore za pripravništvo - zeleno/digitalno (Traineeship subsidies - green/digital) (mjere.hr)
• 13 June 2022: Obrazac zeleno radno mjesto (Documentation on green jobs) (mjere.hr)
• 20 July 2022: Prirucnik-za-dodjelu-potpora-za-zelena-i-digitalna-radna-mjesta (Booklet for allotment green/digital subsidies) (mjere.hr)
• 01 January 2023: Potpora za pripravništva - zeleno/digitalno (Employment Subsidies for Traineeship Green/Digital) January 2023 (mjere.hr)