Educators in early and preschool education, as well as teachers in primary and secondary schools in Croatia, work under a national legal framework supported by local and regional authorities. Key regulations include the Preschool Education Act, the Primary and Secondary Education Act, the Labor Act, and collective agreements for public service employees. The system is overseen by the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, the Education and Teacher Training Agency (ETTA), local governments, and school directors.

Career conditions cover all stages of an education professional’s journey, from hiring and employment, to salaries, responsibilities, career growth, mobility, and retirement. While core rules apply across all levels, preschool and school sectors differ in work organization, funding, and professional development models.

 

Planning policy

There is currently no unified, long-term policy for systematically managing the supply and demand of educators and teachers across early childhood education and care, primary, and secondary education. Workforce planning is carried out through individual strategic documents, sectoral measures, and annual analyses, without an integrated national system.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the National Development Strategy 2030 recognize the need to:

• Strengthen professional development
• Better align initial teacher education with ongoing training
• Attract and retain qualified education professionals, particularly in shortage areas such as STEM, vocational education, and adult education

One of the main challenges identified is the lack of systematic measures to enhance the professional status and attractiveness of the teaching profession.

In early childhood education and care, specific measures are planned to ensure enough educators as the network of kindergartens expands. These include workforce modelling, the development of retraining and upskilling programs, and initiatives to attract staff to less-developed regions. 

Labor market needs are primarily monitored through annual recommendations by the Croatian Employment Service, based on employment analyses, demographic trends, and regional indicators. These recommendations consistently highlight shortages of mathematics, computer science, and physics teachers, and to a lesser extent in foreign languages and natural sciences. While these analyses inform enrolment policies and scholarship programs, they do not constitute a long-term workforce planning mechanism.

Employment trends are tracked by the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, the Croatian Employment Service, and the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, with information on estimated needs available through strategic documents and annual recommendations.

 

Entry to the profession 

Early childhood educators 

The employment of early childhood educators is carried out according to the open recruitment model and in accordance with the Preschool Education Act.

The Governing Board of the kindergarten decides on the publication of a vacancy notice. The notice is published on the website and bulletin boards of the Croatian Employment Service, as well as on the kindergarten’s website. Any candidate who meets the prescribed requirements may apply. 

An early childhood educator joining a kindergarten for the first time begins their employment as a trainee. The induction period lasts one year, after which the trainee is required to pass the professional examination within one year from the completion of the traineeship. If the trainee fails to pass the examination within the prescribed period, her/his employment in the kindergarten is terminated.

Exceptionally, an employment relationship may be established by an employment contract without a public tender:

• when the performance of work cannot be delayed, until the employment is established on the basis of a competition, but not longer than 60 days;

• when the need to perform work does not last longer than 60 days;

• up to full-time, with an employee who already has an indefinite employment contract in a preschool institution for part-time work;

• in the case of amending an indefinite employment contract for an employee working in a preschool institution, where the job title or the list/description of duties is changed.

 

Teachers at primary and secondary level

Recruitment procedures are defined in the Primary and Secondary Education Act. Employment in a school institution is based on an employment contract following a vacancy announcement published on the Croatian Employment Service and school institution websites and bulletin boards. 

The need for a worker, as well as the cessation of that need, must be reported to the competent administrative body of the county or the City Office and to the Croatian Employment Service. These authorities keep records of teachers whose employment is no longer needed and propose them for employment to schools with vacancies. 

The competent administrative body of the county or the City Office performs these duties in cooperation with the Joint State-Level Committee for Surpluses and Shortages of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and the Croatian Teachers’ Union. The procedures for establishing and maintaining employee records, the method of staff placement, and the criteria ensuring equal and transparent conditions for all candidates for employment are regulated by the Regulation on the Criteria for Determining Priority in Employment.

A school may fill the position only after being informed that no suitable person exists in the records or after submitting a written explanation of not accepting the referred candidate.

Schools adopt a regulation that sets out the procedure for recruitment and candidate evaluation, as well as the composition of a special committee for candidate assessment. The regulation must be approved by the competent county administrative body or the City Office. Schools participate in the selection of candidates through special committees, and school principal makes decisions on the establishment and termination of employment. 

Teachers are allowed to choose the positions they wish to apply for through public competitions.

The above provisions apply only to school institutions whose funds for employee salaries are provided in the state budget.

Exceptionally, an employment relationship may be established by an employment contract without a competition, under certain conditions prescribed by law. 

 

Induction 

Early childhood educators 

A person starting their first position as an early childhood educator in a kindergarten begins as a trainee. The induction period lasts one year (12 months) under the supervision of a mentor.

The traineeship program and the rules for taking the professional exam are defined by the Ordinance on the manner and conditions of taking the professional exam for early childhood educators and other professionals in preschool institutions (OG 84/2024).

The kindergarten principal appoints a three-member traineeship committee:

• principal as committee president
• trainee’s mentor
• kindergarten’s expert associate

The committee develops the traineeship program, while the mentor monitors its implementation.

Mandatory components of the traineeship program include:

• The legal framework for early childhood education, including the Constitution, international conventions on children’s rights, relevant EU and national regulations, national curriculum documents, and kindergarten rules
• specific knowledge, skills, and competencies for working with early and preschool children
• Active participation in professional development, especially programs designed for trainees and organized by the Education and Teacher Training Agency

The traineeship committee evaluates the trainee’s performance and gives a successful or unsuccessful rating. If unsuccessful, the committee provides feedback and sets an additional program.

After completing the traineeship, novice preschool teachers take the professional license exam to confirm their qualifications to work independently as early childhood educators.

Traineeship may not be required in certain cases:

• A person with a teaching qualification may work as a preschool teacher if no qualified preschool teacher applies. If they have not passed a teacher’s professional exam, they must pass the preschool teacher exam within one year.

• Individuals who have already passed a professional exam in or outside the education system are only required to take the differential part of the exam and do not have trainee status.

   

Teachers at primary and secondary level

The Primary and Secondary Education Act contains provisions related to traineeships and the requirement to take a professional exam. The conditions for traineeship and professional exam are prescribed in detail in the Ordinance on taking the first-license examination for teachers and expert associates in the primary and secondary education system (OG 88/03).

A teacher without work experience begins his/her employment as a trainee. The traineeship lasts one year and during this period the trainees are trained to successfully, professionally and independently perform their duties in primary or secondary schools. 

The trainee must pass the professional exam within one year after the end of the traineeship. The employment of a trainee who fails to pass the professional exam within that period shall be terminated upon the expiry of the last day of the period for taking the professional exam.

Traineeship committee consists of the school principal as president, the trainee's mentor and expert associate. The traineeship committee develops an operational traineeship program for each individual trainee and is responsible for implementing the program.

A mentor is a teacher of the same profession as the trainee, who has passed the professional exam or is exempt from taking the professional exam. The mentor must attend a specified number of the trainee's teaching hours, maintain records of the traineeship program implementation, and provide pedagogical, methodological, and professional assistance to the trainee. 

A mentor is entitled to a compensation. The criteria and amount of this compensation are determined by the Minister through a special decision. 

The trainee must attend a certain number of the mentor's teaching hours and independently deliver a set number of lessons under the mentor's supervision.

 

Professional status 

Early childhood educators 

The Preschool Education Act defines kindergartens as public institutions that provide early childhood education and care as a public service. Accordingly, educators working in public kindergartens are considered public servants. 

Types of employment contracts are: 

• an employment contract for an indefinite period (full- or part-time) based on a public competition announced by the governing council, and 

• fixed-term employment contract:

  • replacement for long-term absent employees, based on public competition 

  • without a competition, for a maximum of 60 days, when the performance of the work cannot be postponed or when the need to perform the work does not last longer than 60 days, 

  • If no qualified candidate who meets the requirements applies to public competition, contract may be concluded with an unqualified person until the position is filled (max. 5 months). 

     

There is no prescribed professional code of conduct for qualified staff, nor is it explicitly mentioned in the Preschool Education Act or related documents. However, kindergartens may adopt their own general acts, and many consequently adopt and implement internal codes of ethics.

 

Teachers at primary and secondary level

The Primary and Secondary Education Act defines that primary and secondary schools are public institutions that carry out education activities. Accordingly, teachers working in public schools are considered public servants. 

Types of employment contracts in schools are: 

• an employment contract for an indefinite period (full- or part-time) based on a public competition announced by the school’s governing council, and 

• fixed-term employment contract:

  • based on public competition, e.g. replacement for long-term absent employees, 

  • without a competition, for a maximum of 60 days, when the performance of the work cannot be postponed or when the need to perform the work does not last longer than 60 days, 

  • If no qualified candidate who meets the requirements applies, contract may be concluded with an unqualified person until the position is filled (max. 5 months). 

     

There is no prescribed professional code of conduct for teachers. The Primary and Secondary School Education Act contains a provision that the School Board, following consultations with the teachers’/educators’ council, the parents’ council, and the students’ council, adopts a code of ethics for the direct providers of educational activities within the school institution.

 

Replacement measures 

In the event of short-term absences, the school’s shift manager (principal or designated teacher) organizes replacements. 

Short-term replacements (up to 60 days): fixed-term contracts can be concluded without a competition if the work cannot be postponed.​

 

Supporting measures 

Professional support is provided through mentoring programs for newly appointed teachers, structured induction programs, and continuing professional development opportunities, including workshops, seminars, and courses coordinated by the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and the Education and Teacher Training Agency. 

 

Salaries 

Local and regional self-government units, the Republic of Croatia, religious communities, and other legal or natural persons, as founders, determine the salary levels in the early childhood and preschool education system.

The salary of staff in early childhood institutions whose founders are local self-government units is determined based on the provisions of the Labor Act and the Preschool Education Act, as well as the Collective Agreement (if signed, between the founder and the trade union), or based on the Ordinance on Salaries, Compensation and Other Material Rights of Workers Employed in Kindergarten. 

Depending on the financial resources and the level of development of cities or counties, salaries vary at local and regional levels. However, the base and coefficient for calculating the salary of a kindergarten worker cannot be lower than the base and coefficient for calculating the salary of workers in primary education.

Exception in this kind of system are only pre-primary teachers working in pre-school programme (program predškole – 1-year compulsory pre-primary programme prior to starting school) within public schools. Their salaries are prescribed by regulations defining salaries of all public servants.

For primary, general lower secondary and general higher secondary education the decision on the basic salary of teachers is made at the national level. 

Primary and secondary education institutions founded by the Republic of Croatia or local/regional self-government units are public services in the education system and teachers are public employees. Accordingly, the Act on Salaries in the Civil Service and Public Services (Zakon o plaćama u državnoj službi i javnim službama) (OG 155/2023) and the corresponding Regulation on Job Titles, Assignment Conditions, and Coefficients for Salary Calculation in Public Services (Uredba o nazivima radnih mjesta, uvjetima za raspored i koeficijentima za obračun plaće u javnim službama) (OG 22/2024) apply to the calculation of salaries of teachers.

The salary consists of basic salary and salary supplements. Basic salary is based on wage base (base amount for calculating salaries) and coefficients of complexity of work. 

A trainee is entitled to a salary calculation coefficient equal to 90% of the salary calculation coefficient for the position to which he/she is assigned.

An employee on sick leave for up to 42 days is entitled to 85% of either their regular salary or their average salary from the previous three months, whichever is more favourable. In cases of occupational disease or work-related injury, the employee is entitled to 100% of the average salary from the previous three months for the entire duration of the sick leave.

Job complexity coefficients for teachers differ based on their level of education and promotion to title of teacher mentor (mentor), adviser (savjetnik) or excellent adviser (izvrstan savjetnik). Regulations in place prescribing criteria and conditions for advancement are Ordinance on the promotion of teachers, expert associates and principals in primary and secondary schools and student dormitories (Pravilnik o napredovanju učitelja, nastavnika, stručnih suradnika i ravnatelja u osnovnim i srednjim školama i učeničkim domovima, OG 68/2019, 60/2020, 32/2021).

Other types of allowances are defined in detail in collective agreements between unions (public service employees' unions, teachers' unions) and the Government of the Republic of Croatia: 

Supplements to the basic salary include: 

- a supplement for length of service – basic salary is increased by 0.5% for each year of work experience

- a supplement for completed postgraduate studies - teachers will have higher salaries by 5% if they have completed university specialist studies (spec. and uni. spec.), by 8% if they have additional qualification at Master level (according to previous regulations, it corresponds to ISCED level 8.1) or 15% if they have additional qualification at Doctorate level. 

- a supplement for work in extraordinary working circumstances, 

• for working in schools with difficult working conditions basic salary is increased by 10% 

  • work in a secondary school located in ​​municipalities - cities that have the status of hilly, mountainous and island areas in the Republic of Croatia 10%

• teachers working in special conditions have the right to increased salary for: 

  • teaching students with special educational needs in mainstream classes (their salaries will be increased as it is defined in collective agreements, depending on the number of classes and type of programme for special education needs students)

  • traveling at least 50 kilometers in one direction daily (ISCED 1 and 24) or 100 kilometers in both directions daily (ISCED 34) 

  • teachers who teach in three or more schools during one day in separate locations 

- holiday allowance, Christmas and Easter bonus, a gift for St. Nicholas' day for a child up to 15 years of age, and a long-service award depending on the number of years of service

- financial help in case of birth or adoption of each child, for the death of a spouse, partner, child or parent

- Employees' basic salaries (including teachers) are increased for working overtime 50%, at night 40%, on Saturday 25%, on Sunday 50%, in shifts 10%, in two shifts 10%, and on holidays and non-working days 150%.

Teachers who have 30 or more years of service may request a reduction of 2 hours teaching or, alternatively, a salary increase of 4%.

The information on teacher's salaries is annually updated by the national units in the interactive tool‘Teachers' and school heads' salaries and allowances in Europe’. 

 

Working time and holidays 

Early childhood educators 

In accordance with the State pedagogical standard of early childhood education and care, educators are required to spend 27.5 working hours per week in direct educational work with a child or group of children, while performing other duties within the remaining working time up to full-time hours.

The other duties of educators include planning, programming and evaluating their work, preparing the environment and materials, cooperating and providing counselling to parents and others, as well as engaging in professional development activities.

 

Teachers at primary and secondary level

In accordance with the Ordinance on Weekly Duties of Teachers and Expert Associates in Primary Schools, total weekly duties of teachers and expert associates in schools are determined in the 40-hour working week by annual plan and work programme in accordance with the national and school curriculum.

Weekly working hours are generally distributed over five days, from Monday to Friday. In cases of part-time work, the weekly hours may be spread across fewer than five days. 

The lesson lasts 45 minutes.

Each teacher and expert associate receives a decision from the principal regarding their weekly and annual workload, which covers:

• tasks involving direct educational work with students,

• other duties arising from: direct educational work, the implementation of curriculum activities, the school curriculum, professional development requirements, and other regulations,

• special responsibilities resulting from the organization of the schoolwork and provisions of the Primary and Secondary Education Act.

Classroom teaching teachers (razredna nastava, 1^st – 4^th grade of primary school) are required to conduct teaching and other forms of direct educational work (additional classes, remedial classes and/or extra-curricular activities) with students in the amount prescribed by the curriculum for the 1^st, 2^nd , 3^rd , or 4^th grade, and to perform class teacher duties and other tasks within their scheduled hours up to full working time. 

Teachers in after-school care (produženi boravak) carry out direct educational work with students up to 25 hours weekly, with each hour lasting 60 minutes. Within this direct educational engagement, they perform tasks such as helping students with learning, organizing free time, and may also conduct additional work, supplementary teaching, and extracurricular activities when applicable. Remaining hours, up to the full working time, are allocated to other duties.

The weekly work obligation of subject teachers in direct educational work with students, for full-time work, is:

• teachers of the Croatian language, the language of national minorities, mathematics and subjects that are performed in all classes 1 hour a week: 22 hours

• teacher of foreign language and teacher of classical languages: 23 hours

• teacher of other subjects: 24 hours.

The weekly standard for expert-methodical preparation is 30 minutes per hour of regular instruction (20 minutes for after-school care teachers), except for two hours of homeroom class which are recognized as regular instruction.

 

Reduced teaching time

A primary school teacher with more than 30 years of work experience has the right to a reduction of two (2) hours per week in direct educational work, provided they are assigned a minimum number of hours through regular and/or elective teaching to qualify for full-time employment. The classroom teacher is entitled to an additional one-hour weekly reduction if the Music Culture class in the fourth grade is taught by a subject teacher. If the teacher does not exercise this right, they are entitled to a 4% increase in their basic salary.

Teachers in secondary schools with at least 30 years of work experience may request a reduction of their weekly teaching workload by two hours of direct educational work. If they do not exercise this right, they are entitled to a 4% increase in their basic salary. The employer cannot require overtime work from such a teacher, except in exceptional situations of justified need to ensure regular teaching.

In case of a reduction in work capacity with residual work ability or with partial loss of work ability, or an immediate risk of reduced work capacity, and if one of the following conditions applies:

• age – five (5) years before retirement age,

• occupational disease, or

• work-related injury,

 

the employer is obligated to provide the employee with a more favourable workload norm without reducing their salary earned before the occurrence of these circumstances. For teaching staff, part of the workload reduction applies to direct educational work, and the other part to other duties within a 40-hour workweek. 

The duration of annual leave is determined by the Labour Act and collective agreements. The minimum number of annual leave days is 20, with additional days granted based on specific criteria.

For teachers, additional annual leave days are granted according to the criteria set by collective agreements:

• based on working conditions (1 – 2 days)

• based on job complexity (1 – 4 days)

• based on length of service (2 – 8 days)

• based on special social circumstances (1 – 3 days)

• based on work performance (1 – 3 days)

 

The total number of annual leave days cannot exceed 30. Typically, teachers' and instructors' annual leave coincides with the students’ vacation periods.

 

Promotion, advancement 

Early childhood educators 

The Preschool Education Act defines that Early childhood educators can be promoted and acquire the position of mentors, advisors and excellent advisors. The procedure, methods and conditions for promotion are prescribed by the Ordinance on the procedure, manner and conditions for professional advancement and acquisition of professional positions of educators, expert associates and directors in kindergartens (OG 83/2024) (Pravilnik o postupku, načinu i uvjetima za napredovanje u struci i stjecanje položajnih zvanja odgojitelja, stručnih suradnika i ravnatelja u dječjem vrtiću).

The criteria taken into account for promotion are: appropriate education level and passed professional exam, years of work experience as a kindergarten teacher, regular professional development, and completion of all obligations related to the profession prescribed by the Ordinance. 

 

Teachers at primary and secondary level

The levels and corresponding titles of teachers, as well as the conditions and procedure for their advancement to higher titles, are prescribed by the Ordinance on the Advancement of Teachers, Lecturers, Professional Associates, and Principals in Primary and Secondary Schools and Student Dormitories (OG 68/2019, 60/2020, 32/2021) (Pravilnik o napredovanju učitelja, nastavnika, stručnih suradnika i ravnatelja u osnovnim i srednjim školama i učeničkim domovima). 

Teachers who possess the appropriate level and type of education, as well as the required pedagogical competences prescribed by law and other regulations, may be promoted to the following titles under the conditions set out in this Ordinance:

• teacher mentor

• teacher advisor

• excellent teacher advisor. 

The criteria taken into account for promotion are: appropriate education level and passed professional exam, years of work experience as a school teacher (at the level preceding the one to which one is advancing), continuous professional development over a prescribed period (number of hours of education), and completion of all obligations related to the profession prescribed by the Ordinance.

The categories of activities used to evaluate the professional and pedagogical aspects of an educational worker's performance in meeting the standards of excellence are:

• organisation of student competitions and mentoring of pupils, students, not fully qualified teachers (trainees); 

• lectures, workshops and educations; 

• work in expert councils, associations and similar activities; 

• professional articles, teaching materials and educational content; 

• projects;

• improving the work of the school and work on improving the education system.

These criteria contain additional sub-criteria that are worth different numbers of points. 

 

Mobility and transfers 

Teachers may be transferred between schools and other educational institutions in accordance with the Labour Act, collective agreements, and internal regulations of the institutions. 

Transfers can occur at the request of the employee, through participation in vacancies for available positions, or by decision of the employer in cases of organizational changes, the opening of new institutions, or the need to fill positions in shortage areas.

Employees generally retain their salary entitlements and other material or status-related benefits when transferring within the system. Restrictions on movement may relate to the availability of positions, the employee’s qualifications, or specific institutional requirements. Examples of transfer situations include filling positions in new schools or kindergartens in less populated areas, transferring to a school with fewer students due to organizational needs, or temporary transfers to cover for absent teachers or early childhood educators.

 

Dismissal 

Early childhood educators 

In accordance with the Preschool Education Act, employee contract is terminated in following cases:

• If a person employed in a kindergarten is finally convicted of one of the criminal or misdemeanour offenses listed in the Act, the employment contract shall be terminated without the obligation to respect the notice period;

• Educational and other workers in a kindergartenwhose psycho-physical condition significantly worsens during employment may be referred for a medical examination;

• Refusal to undergo the examination results in immediate dismissal;

• If significant reduction in work capacity is confirmed, the employment contract shall be terminated, with the possibility of offering a new contract under modified conditions for tasks that match the worker’s abilities;

• If it is determined that the educator or professional associate is not implementing the educational program in accordance with the Act;

• If they do not pass the professional exam within the prescribed period (one year from the traineeship end date);

• Other cases, specified in the Preschool Education Act and the Labour Act.

 

Teachers at primary and secondary level

In accordance with the Primary and Secondary Education Act, the employment of a teacher is terminated:

• If a person employed in a school is finally convicted of one of the criminal offenses listed in the Act, the employment contract shall be terminated without the obligation to respect the notice period

• Teachers in schoolswhose psycho-physical condition significantly worsens during employment may be referred for a medical examination

• Refusal to undergo the examination results in immediate dismissal

• If an occupational medicine specialist determines the employee is unable to properly fulfil their duties in educational work, the principal will forward this assessment to the employee's selected primary healthcare doctor to initiate the procedure for exercising rights from pension insurance based on reduced work capacity with remaining work capacity, or partial or total loss of work capacity

• If they do not pass the professional exam within the prescribed period (one year from the date his/her traineeship ended),

• and in other cases, specified in the Primary and Secondary School Education Act.

An employee of a school institution shall be immediately suspended from performing his/her duties:

- upon learning of the existence of a criminal complaint against the employee for the criminal offense of sexual abuse and exploitation of a child; 

- upon receiving evidence that criminal proceedings have been initiated and are being conducted against an employee of a school institution for any of the criminal offenses listed in the Act;

The suspension lasts until evidence of the initiation or termination of criminal proceedings is received. During the suspension, the employee is entitled to compensation of salary or part of it. In the case of a final conviction, the employee is dismissed without notice through extraordinary dismissal. 

Retirement and pensions

Early childhood educators  and teachers at primary and secondary level are entitled to regular retirement in accordance with the general conditions of the Pension Insurance Act (OG 96/2025). 

The right to a retirement pension is granted to an insured person when he/she turns 65 years of age and has 15 years of pensionable service. The right to early retirement pension is granted to an insured person when he/she turns 60 years of age and has 35 years of pensionable service.

Exceptionally, the right to an early retirement pension is acquired by an insured person – a woman – upon reaching: 

• in 2025 – 58 years and 9 months of age and 33 years and 9 months of pensionable service

• in 2026 – 59 years of age and 34 years of pensionable service

• in 2027 – 59 years and 3 months of age and 34 years and 3 months of pensionable service

• in 2028 – 59 years and 6 months of age and 34 years and 6 months of pensionable service

• in 2029 – 59 years and 9 months of age and 34 years and 9 months of pensionable service

 

The teacher's employment contract ends with the age of 65 and 15 years of pensionable service and at the end of the school year in which he/she turns 65 years of age and has 15 years of pensionable service. The requirements for the employment of teachers in a primary or secondary school are defined in the Primary and Secondary School Education Act. If no applicant meeting these requirements applies for the position of teacher, an employment relationship may be established without a public competition with a retired person who meets the requirements. This fixed-term contract may last up to one year, with the possibility of extension for an additional year, but not beyond the age of 67.