Croatia’s registered unemployment rate rose to 4.9% in January 2026 from 4.6% in December, reaching its highest level since March 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased by 6.4% month-on-month to 87.9 thousand, the highest figure in ten months. At the same time, total employment fell by 0.8% to 1.70 million, while the labor force contracted by 0.5% to 1.79 million.
Paid employment in legal entities declined by 0.7%, driven primarily by decreases in accommodation and food service activities (-11%), wholesale and retail trade (-2.5%), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (-1%), and agriculture, forestry and fishing (-0.9%). In contrast, employment rose in financial and insurance activities (1.3%), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (1%), mining and quarrying (0.6%), and construction (0.3%).
For comparison, the unemployment rate in January of the previous year stood higher, at 5.4%.
