Work permit
Employment relations in Slovakia are regulated by the Labour Code (Act no. 311/2001 of Law Code) which is available at www.employment.gov.sk (under Legislation – „Legislatíva“ look for „Zákonník práce“) and can be searched for in the on-line legislation database http://jaspi.justice.gov.sk (the website is in Slovak only)
Since May, 1, 2004 the Slovak legal system has distinguished between two groups of foreigners:
- nationals of the European Economic Area Member States
- nationals of third countries (aliens)
Nationals of the European Economic Area Member States
Nationals of EEA Member States can be employed on the territory of the Slovak Republic on the same terms as Slovak nationals. An applicant has to meet an employer’s requirements, e.g., required education, language skills, required work experience etc.
Third countries nationals (aliens)
An alien can be employed by an employer with residence in the Slovak Republic only on the condition that he/she has been granted a long-term residence permit in the territory of the Slovak Republic based on visa granted for the purpose of employment, and with a work permit granted by relevant district labour office.
An alien has to submit the application for a work permit before his/her arrival in the Slovak Republic (in person or through his/her future emloyer). The application must include written confirmation of the employer’s intention to employ the alien. The work permit will be issued by the relevant district labour office, not longer than for a period of one year. The application for a work permit may be submitted repeatedly. The renewal of a work permit is conditional upon the alien’s continued employment by the same employer (the application form must include the written confirmation of the employer’s intention to employ the applicant henceforth).
Exceptions:
In the case of an alien,
- who will be employed for the purpose of further training, not longer than for a period of one year
- who carries out a constant reseach, development, scientific, university lecturer acitivities or participates in life-long education on the territory of the Slovak Republic
the relevant district labour office when granting work permit, does not have to take into consideration the current situation on the Slovak labour market.
A work permit is not required in the case of an alien working as a lecturer, scientist, reseach and development professional, or participating in a scientific event provided his or her job on the territory of the Slovak Republic does not exceed 7 subsequent days or a total of 30 calendar days in a year.
Nor is a work permit required if an alien is employed on the basis of the commitment of the Slovak Republic entailed from an international treaty defining work permit for employment of an alien under this treaty.
Average income
An employee receives a wage in return for his/her work. The amount of an employee´s wage and its constituents (basic wage + bonuses etc) must be stipulated in advance within a contract of employment with the employee.
Net wage is the wage without contributions into compulsory insurance funds and income tax.
The so cold „work cost“ includes also the contibutions to social insurance fund an employer pays on behalf of an employee.
Example: the average monthly gross wage in Slovakia in 2005 was 17 274 SKK (for the 3rd quater of 2006 18 212). After being reduced by the bellow mentioned contributions to the compulsory insurance funds* (social insurance company, health insurance company), the rest of the income minus the untaxable amount is taxed at 19%. The monthly net wage then amounts to 12 117 SKK (13 509 SKK – applying untaxable amount). The untaxable amount is set in the amount of a minimum wage.
Special status of PhD students
Internal PhD students receive a scholarship provided from the state budget. PhD scholarships are not exempt from income tax, moreover contributions to compulsory insurance funds (health, sicknesss, old-age, invalidity, and unemployment insurance) are also deducted.
Working time
The standard working week for employees in the Slovak Republic is a maximum of 40 hours.
Annual leave
The basic leave entitlement is at least four weeks (20 days) in a calendar year; it can be even longer (usu
Board
After 4 hours of work per day an employee is entitled to contribution to his or her board (in the form of meal tickets redeemable for a restaurant or canteen meal).
Business trips – travel
In the case of business trips an employee is entitled to travel
A job for your spouse
If your spouse accompanies you during your study or research stay in Slovakia and he/she wants to work in Slovakia, the process of employing is different for citizens of EU Member States and nationals from other (third) countries (hereinafter referred to as „aliens“).
Nationals of EU Member States are employed under the same conditions as Slovak nationals. They must fulfil employer’s requirements, e.g., required education, language skills or required working experience in an appropriate professional area etc.
Aliens can be employed in Slovakia only if they have been granted the permit for temporary stay for the purpose of employment and they have been granted work permit.
Information on job vacances is available on the internet, in daily newspapers, advertisment newspapers, regional and local newspapers.
Recruitment service
When seeking a job you can also use services of other legal or physical entities (e.g., agencies) which would arrange a job for a certain fee on a basis of the permit issued by the Centre for Labour, Social Affairs and Family. A list of job intermediaries is available at the website of the Centre: www.upsvar.sk.
Useful links:
www.profesia.sk - search database of job vacancies (also in English and German), contact phone numbers and addresses of personnel agencies/recruitment agencies
www.greenpages.sk – see the section „Personnel agencies“ (Personálne agentúry)
European Employment Service - EURES
EURES is a co-operation network of public employment services within the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The EURES system website provides information on job vacancies in the EEA Member States. EURES has a network of more than 500 trained advisers across Europe who provide practical information regarding working conditions in EEA Member States as well as help to facillitate mobility in Europe. Contact information for EURES advisers is available at www.eures.sk or at appropriate labour offices.
Information on the labour market, living and working conditions and freedom of movement is available at http//:europa.eu.int/eures/ in