ZAGREB, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Croatia will almost double the quota for foreign workers in 2019, daily Vecernji list reported on Monday.

According to the government plan that should be finalized by the end of the month, the state will issue 63,600 work permits for foreign nationals next year. The overall annual quota for foreign workers in Croatia for 2018 is 38,769.

For the first time, the daily reported, Croatia will import 200 foreign nurses and medical technicians. Since Croatia joined the European Union in 2013, around 1,000 nurses have left the country for a better working opportunity in the western and northern Europe.

Croatia is facing a labor shortage in many sectors. Workers are most wanted in the construction industry, tourism, and hospitality. Croatian Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli announced last week that the quota for foreign workers in tourism will be increased by several thousand next year.

The worker's unions in Croatia are not happy with the government's plan. "The competitiveness of the Croatian economy cannot be built on a low paid labor," Kresimir Sever, president of the Independent Croatian Unions told Vecernji list.

The Croatian government decided in November to raise the minimum monthly net wage in the country from 2,751 kuna (about 420 U.S. dollars) to 3,000 kuna (about 460 U.S. dollars). It is one of the government's measures to prevent people from leaving the country. It is estimated that at least 250,000 Croatians have left the southeastern European country within the last five years. Enditem

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