Work Permit in Slovakia for Third-Country Nationals

This article is for citizens of non-EU countries coming to work in Slovakia: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, India, Vietnam, Nepal, Serbia and others. If you have temporary refuge status (odídenec), as Ukrainian citizens do, the rules are different — you do not need a work permit; see the separate article.

We explain which document you specifically need, how much it costs, how long the wait is and what the employer is obliged to do.

Updated: August 2026.

Three different documents that get confused

Before you file anything, work out what is actually being talked about. In Slovakia these are three different things, and most mistakes start right here.

There is also the informačná karta — but that is not a permit. It is a notification the employer files for people who do not need a permit at all: EU citizens, people with permanent residence, and Ukrainians with temporary refuge status.

Who does not need a work permit at all

Check yourself against this list — you may not need to arrange anything:

• permanent residence in Slovakia (5 years, indefinite or long-term);
• a family member of an EU citizen with a right of residence;
• temporary residence for family reunification — after 12 months of continuous residence;
• the status of a Slovak living abroad;
• student residence — up to 10 hours a week, and up to 20 hours for university students;
• asylum or subsidiary protection has been granted;
• an asylum applicant — 9 months after the application was submitted;
• you completed secondary school or university in Slovakia and are obtaining residence for the purpose of work.

The single permit: the main route

This is what the vast majority need. The logic is as follows: first the employer finds you and reports the vacancy, then you apply for residence, and in parallel the labour office confirms that the vacancy may be filled by a foreigner.

What the employer does before you file

The employer must report the vacancy to the labour office in writing at least 20 working days before your application is submitted. This is not a formality: if it has not been done, your application will get stuck.

For breaching its duties when hiring foreigners, an employer faces a fine of up to 100 000 €. That is your argument if the employer is dragging its feet with the paperwork.

What you submit

The application is submitted in person:

• at the Slovak embassy accredited for your country of citizenship or residence — the interview is held there as well;
• or at the foreign police department if you are already in Slovakia legally: with a valid residence permit, with a Slovak national visa, or if you come from a visa-free country.

Documents to go with the application:

1. the completed form of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic;
2. a duty stamp (kolok) — 250 € for the purpose of zamestnanie (employment);
3. a valid passport;
4. a criminal record certificate — from your country of citizenship and from every country where you spent more than 90 days within six months over the past three years;
5. proof of accommodation — for at least six months;
6. a document proving the purpose of residence is not required: the labour office sends the confirmation about the vacancy directly to the police.

The two rules people trip over most often: documents must not be older than 90 days, and every document from abroad needs an apostille or consular super-legalisation plus an official translation into Slovak.

How long you will wait

The list of shortage occupations is kept by Ústredie práce and published on its website. It includes lorry drivers, welders, fitters, production workers and others — that is, exactly the occupations people most often come for.

What to do straight after approval

This is where the second part begins, and almost nobody warns you about it. The deadlines are strict:

• 180 days — you have to arrive in Slovakia within this time;
• 3 working days from entry — report the start of your residence to the foreign police;
• 3 working days from receiving your residence card — arrange health insurance;
• 30 days from receiving the card — give the police your insurance document and a medical report confirming that you do not have a disease that threatens public health. The report is issued only by certain medical facilities and must not be older than 30 days. The deadline can be extended by a further 60 days on request.

The work permit: when you actually need this one

A separate permit from the labour office is issued only in these cases:

• seasonal work — a maximum of 90 days within 12 consecutive months, fee 50 €;
• work as a seafarer on a ship under the Slovak flag;
• you have residence for family reunification and 12 months have not yet passed;
• you have long-term resident status in another EU country and have been in Slovakia for less than 12 months;
• if an international treaty provides for it.

Important: a work permit is non-transferable — it is issued for a specific position with a specific employer. And one more thing worth knowing in advance: there is no legal entitlement to be granted one. The office can refuse.

EU Blue Card

If you have a university degree, look at this option — the conditions are noticeably better.

• a contract for at least 1 year;
• a salary of at least 1,5 times the average monthly salary in the relevant sector for the previous calendar year;
• the card is issued for 4 years, or, if the contract is shorter, for the length of the contract plus 90 days;
• the decision deadline is 30 days, the fee 250 €;
• it is easier for a family member: they can work without a separate permit.

Shortage occupations: the simplified regime

In districts where average registered unemployment is below 5 %, a simplified procedure applies to occupations on the shortage list: the labour office issues the confirmation without a labour market test. In other words, there is no need to prove that no Slovak could be found for the position.

The limitation: in this way an employer can take on no more than 30 % foreigners of its total workforce. That is why large employers have often already used up this limit — ask about it at the interview, because it affects your timescales.

Changing employer

The permit is tied to the employer, but you can change jobs. The procedure is as follows:

1. the new employer reports the vacancy to the labour office and waits out the set period;
2. you notify the foreign police of your intention to change employer and present a promise of employment or an employment contract;
3. on the basis of the labour office’s position, the police issue the additional employment details;
4. only after that can you start working for the new employer.

Do not start working before this step. Working for an employer who is not written into your permit counts as illegal work, with all the consequences that has for your residence.

Your old employer must inform the police that the employment relationship has ended within three working days.

Working through an agency: what to look at

A significant share of recruitment from third countries goes through temporary employment agencies (ADZ). This is legal, but there are details worth checking before you sign.

• the agency must have been operating for at least three years in order to supply foreigners in shortage occupations;
• if the agency’s licence is suspended or withdrawn — your confirmation about the vacancy is cancelled;
• if your temporary assignment to an employer ended early, the confirmation is cancelled too;
• if the agency’s activities have caused you harm, you have the right to submit a proposal to suspend or withdraw its licence.

Check the agency in the register of temporary employment agencies on the Ústredie práce website before you pay for anything. And remember: a legitimate agency earns from your work, not from a placement fee.

What you are owed and what you are entitled to

Once everything is arranged, you are an employee with all the rights under the Slovak Labour Code — the same conditions as Slovaks have: minimum wage, supplements for overtime, night work and public holidays, annual leave, sick leave.

Get clear on two things in advance: what types of employment contract exist and how gross becomes net — 14,4 % in contributions plus tax are withheld from your salary, and the final figure differs noticeably from the one quoted at the interview.

Exactly how much is withheld and how to reclaim an overpayment is covered in the article on taxation of employees. Minimum rates are in the article on the minimum wage.

Frequently asked questions

Can I come on a tourist visa and find a job once I am here?

No. The application for residence for the purpose of work is submitted at an embassy unless you are in Slovakia on a legal basis that entitles you to apply on the spot. A Schengen tourist visa does not give that right.

How much does the whole process cost?

A fee of 250 € for residence for the purpose of work, plus 10 € for issuing the residence card (or 39 € if you need it within two working days). Count apostilles, translations, the criminal record certificate and the medical report separately — in practice that is another few hundred euros.

What happens if I lose my job?

The employer must inform the police that the employment relationship has ended within three working days. Your residence is tied to the purpose “work”, so you need to find a new employer and go through the change procedure as quickly as possible. Do not delay — the police can start proceedings to withdraw your residence.

Can my wife or husband come with me?

Yes, through residence for the purpose of family reunification, fee 200 €. But your spouse will only be able to work after 12 months — or earlier, but then a separate work permit is needed. Exception: for Blue Card holders, a family member can work straight away.

Do I need to know Slovak?

For the permit itself — no, no language exam is required. But without the language you depend on intermediaries, and that is exactly what people most often exploit. The IOM Migration Information Centre runs free courses for foreigners.

Where can I get free advice?

The IOM Migration Information Centre (mic.iom.sk) advises foreigners free of charge, including in Russian and Ukrainian. Phone 0850 211 478, from abroad +421 2 5263 0023.

Important. The information has been gathered from public sources — the Ministry of Labour of the Slovak Republic, Ústredie práce and the IOM Migration Information Centre — and is up to date at the time of publication. Fees, deadlines and rules change, and every situation is individual. Before submitting your documents, check against the official sources and, if necessary, get free advice from MIC IOM.