There are many administrative obstacles, the Croatian language and the possibility of integration are also problem, and foreign students studying in Croatia have a hard time extending their stay, the report's editor, Julija Kranjec, said on Tuesday presenting the report.
She said the government last week moved amendments to the law on foreigners to fully align Croatia with EU directives but added that Croatia had literally copied the minimum standards on foreigners' rights.
Foreigners from 118 countries stayed in Croatia in 2011 - 13,628 from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 3,542 from Serbia, 2,427 from Germany, 2,317 from Slovenia, 1,879 from Kosovo, 1,876 from Macedonia, 1,209 from Italy, 1,056 from China, 778 from Russia and 538 from the United States. Most came to reunite with family or for work.
Only a small number of work permits have been approved and after joining the EU on July 1 Croatia can expect increased arrivals from former Yugoslav countries and Eastern Europe, said Kranjec.
There were 1,200 asylum applications last year, mainly for political reasons, and 88 requests have been approved since 2006. Asylum seekers stay in Kutina and Zagreb and have a different status than other foreigners, it was said.
In EU countries foreigners account for 6.6 per cent of the population on average.