In her presentation, Marinović Golubić shared the latest findings on the growing arrival of workers from South and Southeast Asia in Southeast European countries, with a particular focus on Croatia. She highlighted that, in recent years, Croatia has faced a pronounced labour shortage caused by population ageing and the emigration of domestic workers to more developed European Union member states. In these circumstances, migrant workers from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Philippines have become an important part of Croatia's labour market.
Particular attention was paid to the role of recruitment agencies that act as intermediaries between foreign workers and Croatian employers. It was emphasised that many migrant workers incur substantial financial costs and debts when coming to Croatia, often placing them in a vulnerable position and increasing their dependence on employers and intermediary agencies.
Participants also discussed the social aspects of migrant workers' integration. Although they are generally successfully integrated into the labour market and fill critical labour shortages in sectors such as construction, tourism, hospitality, transport and delivery services, their social integration remains a challenge. The most significant obstacles identified included language barriers, limited access to information and institutions, social isolation and a lack of contact with local people outside the workplace.
The presentation also featured findings from recent research by the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Croatian Studies into migrant workers' everyday experiences, digital inclusion and exclusion, the experiences of foreign drivers and delivery workers, and representations of migrant workers on social media.
The presentation was followed by a highly substantive and constructive discussion in which participants from Croatia and abroad exchanged experiences and views on current migration trends, integration challenges and potential directions for future research.