Rising foreign labor in Balkans brings increased racism and exploitation, particularly against Asian workers.
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As populations decline and an aging demographic increases the need for foreign labor in the Balkans, incidents of racism and exploitation are rising, particularly affecting workers from Asian countries. Croatia has significantly increased its permits for third-country workers to meet labor demands, yet these workers face increasing violence; attacks against Asian and African citizens have risen sharply between 2022 and 2023. While Croatian authorities condemn the incidents, some commentators suggest underlying societal intolerance. Neighboring Bulgaria is also seeing a surge in foreign labor imports, though severe incidents are less documented there, alongside rising nationalist sentiment. Serbia and Bosnia Erzegovina are also increasing their permits for foreign workers, who often use these countries as transit points to the EU. Beyond racism, investigations across the Western Balkans warn of a pervasive issue of worker exploitation involving various nationalities.
