Most of the foreigners who have taken up residence on the three islands have bought properties there, acquiring the right of residence in Croatia. The number of applications for a residence permit in Split-Dalmatia County has been increasing, and last year alone 234 applications for permanent residence were granted, county police official Diana Jaksic told Hina.
By comparison, last year the police station in Sinj, about 30 kilometres inland from Split, received 22 applications from foreign nationals for temporary residence permits. The police in Imotski, about 70km east of Split, received 12 such applications, while the police on the islands of Hvar and Brac received 78 and 85 applications respectively.
"These two islands are extremely interesting to foreigners, which is not unusual because they are beautiful places. Who wouldn't want to live there?" Jaksic said.
Of the 3,979 registered foreigners living in Split-Dalmatia County, 1,181 are citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 399 are from Germany, 378 from Serbia, 175 from Kosovo, 168 from Macedonia, 150 from Russia, 148 from Slovenia, 116 from Italy, 106 from Great Britain, 96 from Poland, 79 from the Czech Republic, 64 from the United States, 63 from Slovakia, 63 from Austria, 60 from France and some other countries.
Foreigners are finding employment mostly in tourism and medical services.
Lately the trend of employment is giving way to family reunions. Employment of foreigners is strictly controlled and the government sets quotas each year, which has not been increased lately. Foreign nationals can also register companies in Croatia and can alternatively be employed by a Croatian company, Jaksic said.