Many have had recent horrific experiences in terms of torture and trauma. The official language is Croatian, which uses the Roman alphabet. When translation is needed, it is important to discuss the ethnicity of the interpreter as well as the language desired by the client. The main religion of Croatia is Roman Catholicism. The church is very important in maintaining Croatian identity and community life.
Many Croatian immigrants join others belonging to the same religious and ethnic community.
However, some want to distance themselves from the official communities. Others with mixed marriages cannot join the ethnically distinct community groups. There is considerable potential for social isolation, especially if they are not confident in English. Employment Overseas qualifications and skills are often not recognised in Australia, which causes frustration and a lowering of social status to an unskilled worker. The majority of Croatians who have found work are in semi-skilled or unskilled labouring positions.