HOW TO FIND A JOB IN SLOVAKIA

Slovakia is a small country in the central part of Europe. Lack of sea coast does not make the country less attractive for tourists as well as for potential immigrants. The abundance of national parks, lakes, mountain peaks and beautiful nature, create comfortable conditions for living and working in Slovakia.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, the Slovak Republic has carried out rather effective reforms. The economy is open and mainly export oriented, the income from which forms more than 90% of GDP. The country has been a member of the European Union since 2004, and joined the euro zone in 2009. Slovakia has a population of 5.7 million in 2024, about half of which is the labor force.

Despite the acceptable level of unemployment, around 5-7%, it's not easy for foreigners to find jobs in Slovakia in 2024. On the other hand, as in most Eastern and Central European countries, local specialists are leaving to more developed neighboring countries in search of high salaries, so qualified foreign personnel have an opportunity to fill gaps in the local labor market.

Work in Slovakia

The chances of finding a job in Slovakia are great for medical and construction professions, experienced programmers and engineers. There are also vacancies for unskilled work, which is popular among citizens from third countries. Further in the article we will consider the process of moving to work in Slovakia, find out what vacancies and salaries are available in 2024, talk about the ways of finding a job without intermediaries.

Employment in Slovakia

The main difficulty in labor migration to Slovakia for foreigners from third countries is the process of approval of permits. Unlike workers from the EU, who are free to carry out professional activities on Slovak territory, job seekers from other countries need to go through the following stages:

  1. Finding a Slovak employer and signing an employment contract.

  2. Obtaining a work permit in Slovakia.

  3. Applying to the Slovak Consulate for work visa and residence permit.

  4. Moving to Slovakia.

And the sequence of actions must be carried out in strict order with the above items. The main problem is to convince the local employer of its competitive advantages, because to fill the vacancy for an open job should not be applicants among EU citizens and the Slovaks themselves.

Accordingly, the level of qualifications and language skills, English and Slovak, play a decisive role. Especially when it comes to prestigious and well-paid jobs. It is even easier for applicants for unskilled jobs in Slovakia to cope with this task, many jobs are simply not accepted by Europeans.

If you manage to find a job (look below for ways to search for vacancies), it is very likely that a Slovak company will provide the necessary assistance in processing the required documents. Work permits are issued by the Slovak Labour, Social Security and Family Office.

As a rule, proof of qualification of the foreign specialist is attached to the application and for some jobs a medical certificate may be required. The processing time does not exceed one month. The process of granting a residence permit in Slovakia is the responsibility of the local police departments. A list of required documentation is agreed with the Slovak Consulate staff.

Types of work permits in Slovakia

  • Long-term. The maximum period for which a foreign national may obtain a work permit in Slovakia is 2 years. Usually a document is issued for 1 year, with the right of extension.

  • Short-term. Temporary or seasonal employment in Slovakia for up to 6 months. A second work permit may be obtained after a six-month break.

IMPORTANT. If you change your employer or your field of activity on your work permit, you have to go through the whole procedure all over again.

How to find a job in Slovakia

The ideal way for foreigners to find a job in Slovakia on their own is to visit the country as a tourist. For a few weeks you can try to find an employer, or at least talk to locals and get a more objective idea of the situation in the labor market. Do not forget that in most cases the knowledge of the Slovak language will be a prerequisite for successful employment.

Popular job seeking websites in Slovakia

profesia.sk

ponuky.sk

grafton.sk

International resources for finding employment in Slovakia

careerjet.sk

learn4good.com

monster.com

Websites of famous Slovak newspapers

spectator.sme.sk

pravda.sk

hnonline.sk

Professional social network – linkedin.com

If you want or need to seek employment through intermediaries, you should only rely on official recruitment agencies in Slovakia or reputable international companies such as adecco.sk.

Jobs and salaries in Slovakia

Compared to other EU countries the wages in Slovakia are on a low level. Nevertheless, for inhabitants of the third countries it is quite enough. So, the average salary in Slovakia in 2024 is about 1,393 euros per month. The highest salaries are in Bratislava at €1,767 and the lowest in Prešov at €1,157. The minimum wage in Slovakia since January 1, 2024 – 750 euros.

Financiers, bank workers, lawyers, architects, top managers, pilots receive the most in Slovakia, on the average about 2000-2500 euros per month. Unskilled labor is valued very low – 400-500 euros per month. Available jobs in Slovakia in 2024 can be divided into two categories.

Skilled jobs. Foreigners with sufficient experience, education and knowledge of the Slovak language, sometimes only English, can apply for jobs in IT and medical fields. Professional engineers and construction workers are also valued. There is a demand for international drivers (truckers). It is possible to earn more than 1000 euros a month.

Unskilled jobs. As a rule, temporary employment is meant, often without any special language skills or educational requirements. But by no means always. In 2024 citizens from third countries are offered jobs in Slovakia at construction sites, food warehouses, factories, and in agriculture. Nannies, caregivers, cleaners, waiters, chef assistants and other low-paying professions are traditionally needed. Salaries range from 400 to 1000 euros.

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