Starting your own business is a step toward greater freedom, flexibility, and purpose for many. But the question we hear most often is—how do you finance it? If you’re considering a career as a virtual assistant, here’s good news: in 2025, the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) offers self-employment grants of up to €7,000—specifically for this line of work.

In this article, virtual assistant Martina Arlić provides a detailed overview of the 2025 self-employment incentive, focusing on the specifics relevant to those who want to start a virtual assistant business.

What Are Self-Employment Incentives?

Maybe you’ve heard of self-employment grants but aren’t sure if you qualify or how to apply.

Self-employment incentives are part of the active employment policy of HZZ, aimed at unemployed individuals registered with HZZ and designed to financially support them in launching their own businesses.

These grants can cover costs associated with starting and registering a business entity in one of the following forms: sole proprietorship, trading company, independent activity, or institution.

Here, we’ll focus on obtaining self-employment incentives for the virtual assistant field, outlining eligibility criteria, application steps, and tips for securing a grant in this profession.

Who Is Eligible for Self-Employment Incentives?

You must be unemployed and registered with HZZ, and you cannot have operated a business entity within the past 24 months.

If you did have a registered business more than 24 months before applying, you can still qualify only if you’ve settled all public dues (contributions, taxes, surtaxes) from those earlier activities.

At the time of application, you must not have blocked personal bank accounts, unfulfilled payment orders in FINA’s registry, or an ongoing simplified consumer bankruptcy proceeding.

Grant Amount for Virtual Assistants

The total grant is determined by the chosen legal form and the registered activity code (NKD 2025). For virtual assistants registering as a flat-tax sole proprietorship—a highly favorable start—the maximum grant is €7,000.

The grant comprises a fixed portion and a variable portion.

Fixed Portion

The fixed €5,000 covers initial setup and registration costs, including:

• Full-time salary for the applicant
• Accounting fees
• Office rental
• Mandatory memberships
• Administrative expenses
• Small equipment, materials, and consumables
• Website development and advertising

Variable Portion

The variable portion—up to €2,000—is for purchasing new equipment with a lifespan of over one year (e.g., computers, tools, machinery) and for buying or leasing licensed IT software.

Important:

• VAT shown on invoices is not eligible.
• Any costs not listed as eligible cannot be financed from the variable portion.

Eligible costs must:

• Be necessary to implement the activities in your business plan,
• Reflect realistic market prices,
• Be recorded in your accounting records with original supporting documents.

How to Secure the Grant

You must prepare and submit a business plan to HZZ demonstrating that your idea is viable and feasible. The grant is paid in fixed and variable amounts; for the variable portion, include a detailed cost estimate as part of your plan, justifying each expense.

Application Evaluation

Each application is scored against predefined criteria, up to 100 points, with a minimum threshold of 65 points to qualify.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Relevant Work Experience – up to 15 points

Documented experience in the intended activity (e.g., employment contracts, service agreements).

2. Education and Additional Training – up to 15 points

Formal qualifications and verifiable training certificates.

3. First-Time Entrepreneurship – up to 5 points

Applicants registering for the first time score higher; returning entrepreneurs score zero.

4. Participation in HZZ Pre-Application Workshops – up to 5 points

Bonus points for attending HZZ self-employment workshops in 2024–2025.

5. Business Plan Completeness with Quotes/Estimates – up to 15 points

Clear, well-documented plan with market-tested quotes for equipment, software, or services.

6. Local Development Index – up to 10 points

Higher scores for businesses based in less developed local government units per NN 3/2024.

7. Revenue and Cost Projections – up to 15 points

Realistic two-year financial forecasts showing balanced income vs. expenses and projected net profit.

8. Sustainability & Competitiveness – up to 10 points

Plans that identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, plus any additional investment sources.

9. Project Innovation – up to 5 points

Introducing new or uncommon activities, products, or processes in the local market.

10. Addressing Market Gaps – up to 5 points

Business ideas that fill clear local shortages in services or products.

Beneficiary Obligations

Grant recipients must:

• Maintain the business and its employment for at least 24 months,
• Use the variable portion as detailed in the submitted cost estimate within 12 months,
• Achieve at least 50% of the granted amount in business turnover over 24 months from registration, through activities listed in the business plan.

Fund Disbursement

Funds are paid in one lump sum to the business account within 30 days of signing the grant agreement, provided all security instruments (e.g., blank promissory notes) and official registration documents are submitted.

The grant agreement is signed by HZZ, the business entity, and the applicant (as guarantor).

Who Cannot Receive the Grant

The following are ineligible:

• Individuals with blocked personal accounts or unpaid payment orders
• Those in a simplified consumer bankruptcy process
• Former holders or family-farm members with the same activity in the past 24 months
• Those who resigned from the same or similar activity within the past year, unless unemployed over 12 months
• Anyone who has already used a self-employment grant, regardless of year
• Applicants taking over an existing business instead of starting a new one

More details on self-employment incentives:

https://mjere.hzz.hr/mjere/potpore-za-samozaposljavanje-2025

Conclusion

If you’ve ever considered starting your own virtual assistant business, now is the perfect time.

HZZ’s self-employment incentives provide concrete financial support, reducing your startup risk.

With a solid business plan, clear service offerings, and a willingness to learn, you can build a flexible, independent, and successful career in virtual assistance.

Need help writing your business plan or don’t know where to start? Seek advice from experts or experienced colleagues. Launching a business isn’t easy, but with the right preparation, it’s definitely achievable.

Martina Arlić specializes in virtual assistant services, helping companies and entrepreneurs improve organization and operational efficiency. With over 25 years in law firms, Martina combined her passion for order, precision, and organization with a love of helping others.

She also offers business-plan writing services to help future virtual assistants secure HZZ grants up to €7,000.

Learn more about her services at https://virtina.hr/