Invitation to an international online round table: Migrant Workers in Southeast Europe – Economic Inclusion, Social Exclusion

The Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Croatian Studies invites everyone interested to an international online round table entitled ‘Migrant Workers in Southeast Europe – Economic Inclusion, Social Exclusion’ (Migrant Workers in Southeast Europe – Economic Inclusion, Social Exclusion), which will take place on Thursday, 11 June 2026, from 19:30 to 20:30 Croatian time, via Zoom.The round table will be chaired by Associate Professor Marica Marinović Golubić, PhD from the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb.

Since 2021, Croatia has seen a sharp increase in the arrival of workers from South and Southeast Asia, primarily Nepal, India, Bangladesh and the Philippines. At the same time, the departure of Croatian workers to more developed European Union member states and the growing needs of the domestic economy have increased demand for foreign labour, particularly in construction, tourism and hospitality.

The round table will discuss migrant workers' economic inclusion in the Croatian labour market and the challenges of their social integration. Particular emphasis will be placed on language barriers, access to institutions and public services, the role of recruitment agencies, and the risks of social isolation and marginalisation.

The round table is taking place as part of the institutional DIGI-HR research project and international collaboration between the Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

We invite students, teaching staff, researchers and everyone interested in migration, the labour market and social integration to join us for this international discussion.