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SLOVAKIA – July 2024 changes to immigration rules take effect.
August 13, 2024
In July 2024, the authorities in Slovakia announced changes to several immigration acts including Act 404/2011 on Residence of Foreigners and Act 5/2004 on Employment Services. These changes have been implemented from July 15, 2024, and will affect any non-EU/EEA or non-Swiss national.
Updates to Labour Office approval process.
The Foreign Police in Slovakia will now only be processing pre-approved applications. Employers will now apply for Labour Office approval electronically—this step was previously completed by the Foreign Police. If the application is approved, the Labour Office will now send the decision to the employer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy, and the Foreign Police. The applicant then has 90 days to apply for a residence permit with the Foreign Police.
Updates to EU Blue Card.
The EU Blue Card in Slovakia has been updated and is now granted for five years. Additionally, the salary requirement calculation has been changed, and is now calculated by multiplying the national minimum wage for the calendar year preceding the application submission by 1.2. Previously, the multiplier was 1.5 times the national minimum wage. A bachelor’s degree can also now be accepted as proof of educational qualifications instead of a master’s degree. It is also now required to provide a certificate of registration or taxation of income proving the duration of the employment relationship.
Updates to long-term permit.
The long-term permit (also referred to as permanent residence permit) now requires foreign nationals to prove their knowledge of the language and will be required to have minimum A2 level. The Foreign Police will also review in detail where the employee has resided in the previous five years and ensure they do not remain outside the state for long periods of time.
Additional changes to Slovakia’s immigration system.
Additional changes to Slovakia’s immigration system include the following:
- Exemptions have now been defined for vacant position notifications, and the Labour Office have now confirmed when notification is required.
- There has been an update to the single permit process. Previously it was necessary for the employee to wait for approval of the application before beginning work. Now, employment can begin before the permit has been granted and finalised.
- Employers are now obliged to keep the residence card, confirmation of submission of Blue Card, ICT permit, or single permit on file for the duration of the foreign national’s employment. They are also now required to notify the Labour Office of any changes in data on filling a vacancy, employee data, residence permit or changes to job positions.
- Foreign nationals’ bank account statements covering the preceding three months before application are now required.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case or company-specific assessments.
