Barać: Young South Americans of Croatian descent keen to work and invest in Croatia

Growing interest among young members of the Croatian diaspora in South America in finding jobs, investing and starting businesses in Croatia was one of the key takeaways from this year's gathering of the Croatian diaspora in Córdoba, Argentina.

Speaking to Glas Hrvatske, Mladen Barać, State Secretary at the Ministry of Demography and Immigration, said Croatia was continuing to develop measures to encourage people living abroad to return, while acknowledging that several obstacles still needed to be addressed, particularly the recognition of foreign qualifications.

Young people increasingly looking to Croatia

At the end of his five-day visit to Córdoba, which hosted the ninth Gathering of the Croatian Diaspora of South America, State Secretary Mladen Barać expressed great satisfaction with his discussions with Croatian expatriates and their descendants.

He said he was particularly encouraged by the interest shown by younger generations in the opportunities Croatia has to offer.

"What particularly pleasantly surprised me was the interest among young people in Croatia's labour market, employment opportunities, investment prospects and the possibility of turning their business ideas into reality in Croatia," Barać told Glas Hrvatske.

He stressed that the Ministry of Demography and Immigration wanted to provide strong support to everyone considering returning to or relocating to Croatia.

Encouraging the return of the diaspora remains a priority

This was the ministry's second visit to South America, with the meetings in Córdoba providing an opportunity to present government measures designed to encourage Croatian expatriates to return to their homeland.

"The overall impression is extremely positive. We had the opportunity to show our people what we have achieved through our return initiatives, while also hearing numerous comments and suggestions on what could be improved," Barać said.

He added that many members of the Croatian diaspora were interested in Croatia, not only as a potential destination for their return but also as a country with which they wanted to build stronger ties in other areas.

Recognition of foreign qualifications remains a major challenge

Speaking about the obstacles facing potential returnees, Barać highlighted the need to make their integration into Croatian society faster and more efficient.

One of the main challenges remains the recognition of qualifications obtained abroad, which is essential to enabling returnees to work in the professions for which they have trained.

"We need to expand measures aimed at making the integration of returnees into Croatian society faster and more efficient. This primarily means addressing the recognition of foreign university qualifications," he stressed.

The Croatian Employment Service also plays an important role in this process. It took part in the Córdoba gathering, presenting employment and self-employment opportunities in Croatia.

Croatian diaspora offers an important economic bridge

This year's gathering also focused strongly on the economic potential of the Croatian diaspora and opportunities to strengthen ties between businesses and institutions in Croatia and South America.

Barać singled out the participation of Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister David Vlajčić, who used his visit to Argentina to establish contacts with representatives of the country's agricultural sector.

Argentinians of Croatian descent working in the country's administration, particularly in agriculture, also play an important role in fostering these connections.

According to Barać, such cooperation could pave the way for new economic partnerships benefiting both countries.

The Córdoba gathering once again demonstrated the importance of maintaining direct dialogue with Croatian communities in South America, particularly younger generations interested in exploring opportunities to live, work and invest in their ancestral homeland.