Croatology, Vol. 17 No. 1, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.59323/k.17.1.3
“Work, Eat, Sleep, Repeat”. Experiences of foreign taxi drivers and delivery people in Zagreb
Ivan Perkov
orcid.org/0000-0002-4961-7007
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Croatian Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Nikola Švenda
; Lucijan Vranjanin Hing School, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Budimir
orcid.org/0000-0002-6148-9087
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Political Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The Croatian economy is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign labor,
with a significant influx of workers from geographically and culturally distant
countries following the abolition of quotas for foreign workers in 2021. These
workers differ substantially in cultural background from the local population,
representing a notable shift from previous immigration trends, which were predominantly
characterized by inflows from neighboring countries. This pronounced
increase of foreign labor poses potential regulatory, social, and integration
challenges. The study is theoretically grounded in the aspirations–capabilities
model of migration research. Given the recent emergence of this phenomenon
and the complexity introduced by linguistic, cultural, and contextual barriers,
research in this area remains limited. Based on 44 qualitative interviews with
workers from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines, the aim of this
study is to deepen understanding of the migration experiences of those who
deliver food or transport people daily, delivery workers and taxi drivers. The
research explores their navigation of traffic, leisure practices, familiarity with
local legislation, communication with families, and remittance behaviors. The
findings indicate that taxi drivers and delivery workers often face precarious
working conditions, excessive working hours, and low earnings.
Keywords
foreign labor ; taxi drivers ; delivery workers ; migration ; Nepalese ; Indians
Hrčak ID:
347071
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2026.
Visits: 949 *