Work, Life, and Well-Being: A Study on Foreign Workers in Croatia

This exploratory study examines the subjective quality of life (SQoL) among foreign workers in Croatia amid increasing labour migration. Drawing on Cummins' Homeostatic Model of Subjective Well-Being, the research aimed to determine whether foreign workers' SQoL deviates from the normative benchmark and how it relates to socio-demographic, economic, and psycho-social variables. A survey involved 400 participants, mainly from the Philippines, Nepal, and India, using validated instruments, the Personal Wellbeing Index, Perceived Stress Scale, and Satisfaction with Migration Life Scale, translated into five languages. Statistical analysis showed that the average SQoL (M = 61.56) was significantly lower than the normative value (70), although the effect size was small, with stress emerging as a major negative correlate (r = -0.18, p < 0.001). While weak associations were observed for age, country of origin, and planned duration of stay, employment-related variables and language proficiency were not significantly associated with SQoL.