If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen looking for work in Slovakia, your work permit application process is quite different from the rest. As a citizen of the EU it is the easiest to find a job and get employed in Slovakia – you only need a valid ID (passport), employment contract, proof that you can cover your living expenses and proof that your salary would not undermine the local labor market.
How Can I Get Work Permit In Slovakia
There is a great opportunity for young people all over the world to get a job in Slovakia. An increasing number of international companies are coming to Slovakia and an increasing number of Slovak companies are starting to operate abroad. This process creates job opportunities for foreign executives and managers, but you need a work permit, if you want to live and work in Slovakia.Working in Slovakia for foreigners imposes some difficulties and limitations. To obtain a work permit, the individual needs an official invitation to come to Slovakia, or the person should first find a job for which the employer prepares an offer of employment signed by the employer.Getting a job in Slovakia is not very easy for foreigners. The employers are not obliged to hire a foreigner over a local person. And the work permit you get once you have found a job is not easily extended.
Slovakia, which is officially known as the Slovak Republic, is a desirable location for expatriates due to its high-income economy, rising living standards, and resilience in the face of a relatively recent financial crisis. If your company is planning to expand or outsource operations in this European nation, you’ll need to make sure any foreign employees who plan to relocate have the appropriate permits and visas to live and work there legally.
Types of Work Visas in the Slovak Republic
The Slovak Republic is part of the Schengen Area. This means that foreign nationals from nonvisa-exempt countries will need a Schengen visa to enter Slovakia. Several categories of Schengen visas are available, but the three most common types are the:
- Airport transit visa: This visa allows foreign nationals to travel through Slovakia on their way to another destination.
- Entry visa: An entry visa allows foreign nationals to enter the Slovak Republic for short-term purposes.
- Long-stay visa: A long-stay visa allows foreign nationals to remain in the Slovak Republic for an extended period of time.
Foreign nationals who intend to work in Slovakia will need to obtain a Slovak work permit as well as a residence permit.
Requirements to Obtain Slovakia Work Visas
Foreign nationals will need the following documents to apply for a Slovakian Schengen visa:
- A completed application form
- A valid passport containing at least two blank pages
- Two recent passport photographs
- Proof of sufficient financial means
- Proof that the applicant has travel medical insurance coverage for their stay in Slovakia
- An employment contract with a company based in the Slovak Republic
To apply for a permit to work in the Slovak Republic, foreign nationals should be prepared to submit the following documents:
- A valid passport
- A signed application form completed in the Slovak language
- An employment contract or official job offer from an employer based in Slovakia
- Officially translated documents that support the applicant’s professional and educational qualifications for the position
The Slovakian Labour Office may require additional documents on a case-by-case basis.
Application Process
Before a foreign employee can apply for a Slovakian work permit, the employer must report the job opening to the Labour Office. Their doing so provides an opportunity for the Labour Office to find an eligible Slovakian citizen to fill the position. After 15 business days, the employee can move forward with the work permit application process.
Foreign nationals can begin the application process at the Slovakian embassy or consulate in their country of residence. However, it’s more common for the employer to initiate the application on behalf of the employee. Employers can submit the work permit application directly to the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family in the Slovak Republic.
In addition to a work permit, foreign nationals will require a residence permit. The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is responsible for the issuance of residence permits for foreign nationals who intend to live and work in Slovakia. Like with the work permit, foreign employees should lodge this application before leaving their country of residence for Slovakia.
Once the appropriate officials have issued a work permit and a residence permit, foreign nationals will be free to travel to the Slovak Republic and begin working for your company.
Other Important Considerations
Slovakia is a full member of the European Union (EU). Therefore, citizens of other EU member states or countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) are exempt from work permit and visa requirements. However, the employer will still need to register their arrival with the appropriate authorities within a week of the start of employment. EU and EEA nationals will also need to provide a confirmed address in Slovakia for tax purposes.
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At this moment, Globalization Partners does not offer support processing work visas or permits in this particular location.
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