Living and Working in Croatia: Wellbeing Guide for Immigrants

Living and working in a new country is a brave and life-changing step. It can open doors to safety, new experiences and financial stability. But it can also bring stress, isolation and emotional pain. If you are a migrant worker, your journey likely includes long hours, financial pressure, cultural shock and the challenge of building a life far from home. 

These experiences are real, and they deserve care, understanding, and support.

This guide is here to help you understand what you may be feeling, why it makes sense, and what you can do to take care of your mental health while building a life abroad in a new community.

1. The Emotional Journey of Migration

Migration is not just a physical move. It is a big emotional process, and it can take up to two years. Many migrant workers describe their experience as a mix of hope, fear, strength, and exhaustion. You might feel proud one day and overwhelmed the next. This doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. You are working hard to keep your heritage and learn a new culture, even while dealing with unfair treatment and starting over.

These are common emotional losses that almost every immigrant feels:

• Family and friends: Missing the people who know you best.
• Language: Struggling to express yourself or understand others.
• Culture: Losing familiar routines, humor, food, and traditions.
• Homeland: Feeling far from the place that shaped you.
• Status: Working jobs below your skills or education level.
• Community: Having fewer people who share your background.
• Safety: Potentially facing unfair treatment or living in unstable conditions.

These losses are not total. Your family and home are still there, and you can talk to them, but you are separated. The feelings return often: during video calls, holidays you can’t join, or memories that remind you of home.

Feeling sadness, confusion, or stress in this process is normal. It is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you care deeply about your life and the people in it.

2. Migratory Grief & Cultural Stress 

Some migrant workers experience a level of stress that becomes too heavy to carry alone. This type of stress is sometimes called the Ulysses Syndrome, named after the long and difficult journey of the mythical hero. It is not a mental illness. It is a reaction to hard living conditions.

Many migrant workers face:

• Long work hours, negotiations with employers and job insecurity
• Discrimination, fear of losing legal status and navigating new bureaucracy
• Separation from family, poor housing, feeling isolated and struggling with language

When these pressures pile up, the body often reacts before the mind does. The Ulysses Syndrome often shows up through physical symptoms such as trouble sleeping, constant tiredness, headaches or migraines

These symptoms are your body’s way of saying: “I need support.” You are not imagining it. You are not “too sensitive.” You are responding to real stress, especially if you do not have strong social support.

3. Mental Health Risks for Migrant Workers

Research across Europe shows that migrant workers face higher risks for mental health challenges, not because of who they are, but because of the conditions they face. Many migrant workers are employed in sectors with high emotional and physical demands, such as caregiving, cleaning, construction or hospitality.

These jobs are intensive and common stressors include:

• Work overload: Too much work, too little time.
• Difficult customers or supervisors: Emotional labor, disrespect, or conflict.
• Job insecurity: Fear of losing work or not getting enough hours.
• Low control: Little say in schedules, tasks, or conditions.

These pressures can lead to anxiety, depression, burnout, and physical exhaustion. On top of that, many migrant workers live with constant uncertainty around their contract, visa and status. This fear can stop people from accessing healthcare, reporting abuse, or asking for support. Experiences of exclusion or unfair treatment can deeply affect mental health too. Feeling “othered” or unsafe in public spaces adds another layer of stress.

4. What Helps: How to Protect Your Mental Health

Even in difficult conditions, there are things you can do to support your mental health and help you stay grounded. Try and do these things regularly and keep daily routines.

1. Social Support

Having even one trusted person, someone you can talk to honestly, can protect against depression and isolation. This could be a friend, a coworker, a community leader or someone from your home country. Good relationships are a strong shield against stress.

2. Cultural Anchors

Staying connected to your culture can bring comfort and stability. Please do keep cooking familiar foods, practicing traditions, speaking your language and join cultural or religious groups if you practice faith. These activities help you feel like yourself again.

3. Mental Health Literacy

Understanding your own emotional needs helps you notice early signs of stress. Recognizing symptoms like insomnia, fatigue, or headaches as stress signals, not just physical problems, can help you seek support sooner.

4. Community “Key People”

Many communities have trusted individuals who help newcomers navigate life abroad. They might help with paperwork, access to healthcare, translation or job information. Reaching out to them can make a big difference. Try to stay connected by joining online communities and groups.

5. Safe Spaces

Finding places where you feel respected and welcomed, community centers, cultural associations, supportive workplaces, can reduce stress and build emotional strength. Try not to get discouraged if things don’t work right away. There are people who care.

5. Practical Tools for Thriving Abroad as an Immigrant

Here are simple, concrete steps you can use to support your mental health while living and working abroad.

1. Check in with yourself regularly

Ask yourself: How am I feeling today? What is stressing me out? Can I manage this alone or should I ask for help? What do I need? What helped before? 

Even 5 minutes of reflection can help you stay grounded. Try to note or remember what worked for you and save it for the tough days. You will need it then. You can use your phone calendar, notes, or voice messages, anything that helps you stay centered and keep hope.

2. Create small routines

Routines bring stability when life feels unpredictable and helps you to keep your balance: morning stretches, evening walks, weekly calls with family, a regular sleep schedule or sport activity. Small habits build emotional strength.

3. Stay connected

You don’t need a big group. One or two supportive relationships can make a huge difference. Try joining a sport or culture group, attending some of the community events, connecting with people from your home country or talking to coworkers you trust.

4. Use your cultural strengths

Your traditions, values, and identity give you strength. Stay connected to them and let them support you. They add richness and balance to your life. Immigrants who hold on to their identity and join the new culture tend to do better socially, emotionally, and overall.

5. Seek help when needed

If you notice ongoing sadness, anxiety, sleep problems, or physical symptoms, reaching out for support is a sign of strength. Look for community organizations, migrant support centers, helplines or trusted community leaders. You deserve care, safety, and support.

Migration is one of the most demanding experiences a person can go through. If you are struggling, it does not mean you are failing. It means you are carrying a heavy load, often with limited support. Your courage, resilience, and determination brought you this far. With the right tools, relationships, and support, you can continue building a life that feels meaningful, safe, and connected.

You have a right to thrive, not just survive, wherever you are.