The standard of living in Slovakia is slightly below the EU average. The country is small, with a population of only 5.5 million people, but it is famous for its resorts, plains, and mountainous areas with beautiful nature. Forests cover 40% of the country’s territory. You can apply for a visa to travel to Slovakia within a week. The satisfaction with life in Slovakia of immigrants is very individual and relative. Slovakia is friendly towards Slavic immigrants, it is very easy to adapt to the environment. Low level of drunkenness, drug addiction and crime.
Population income in Slovakia
Economic growth in Slovakia is higher than the average for the EU countries and amounts to 1.6% per year. The economy is based on the automotive industry as well as the service sector. However, the unemployment rate in the republic remains high for the EU countries, at 12%. Nevertheless, the number of those wishing to emigrate to Slovakia is not decreasing.
Slovakia has one of the lowest wages in Europe. The minimum wage is 335 euros. But the level of income is uneven across the country. In the Bratislava region, the highest wages are about 1176 euros, the lowest in the Presov region – 714 euros. The average salary in the regions of Slovakia: in the Bansko Bystrica region, the salary is 780 euros. The best salary in the Nitrian region is 806 euros. In the Trnava region the salary is 843 euros, in the Kosice region – 834, in the Zhilinsky and Trenciansky – 808 euros per month.
Moving to Slovakia
Moreover, the sequence of actions should be carried out in strict order with the above points. The main problem lies in convincing the local employer of their competitive advantages because there should be no applicants among EU citizens and Slovaks themselves to fill a vacancy for an open workplace.
Accordingly, the level of qualifications and language skills, English and Slovak, play a decisive role. Especially when it comes to a prestigious and highly paid job. It is even easier for applicants for unskilled vacancies in Slovakia to cope with this task, Europeans simply do not agree to many types of work.
If it is possible to find a job (see below for ways of finding a vacancy), then with a high degree of probability the Slovak company will provide the necessary assistance in preparing the required documents. Work permits are issued by the Office of Labor, Social Security, and Family Affairs of Slovakia.
As a rule, confirmation of the qualifications of a foreign specialist is attached to the application, and for some vacancies, a medical certificate may be required. The term of consideration does not exceed one month. The process of granting a residence permit in Slovakia is within the competence of local police departments. The list of required documentation is agreed with the staff of the Slovak Consulate.
Types of work permits in Slovakia
Long term. The maximum period for which a foreigner can obtain a work permit in Slovakia is no more than 2 years. Usually, the document is issued for 1 year, with the right to renew.
Short term. Temporary or seasonal employment in Slovakia for up to 6 months. A new work permit can be obtained after a half-year break.
IMPORTANT. If you change the employer or the field of activity specified in the work permit, you will need to go through the entire procedure again.
How to find a job in Slovakia
The ideal option for an independent search for a job in Slovakia for foreigners is to visit the country as a tourist. Within a few weeks, you can try to contact the employer or, in extreme cases, talk to residents and form a more objective picture of the situation on the labor market. Don’t forget that in most cases, knowledge of the Slovak language will be a prerequisite for successful employment.
You can work in Slovakia in the following areas:
- tourism;
- catering;
- Agriculture;
- healthcare;
- IT technologies;
- construction;
- cargo transportation;
- the service sector, etc.
Finding a job in Slovakia is not difficult. Here, handymen, locksmiths, builders, doctors, dentists, hairdressers, and other specialists are always in demand.