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Slovakia Work Visa

How to Get a Slovakia Work Visa: Requirements & Procedure

  • By Charlotte Evans
  • Updated April 30, 2023
  • Fact checked by Travis Kliever

Summary
How to Get a Slovakia Work Visa: Requirements & Procedure
What are the different types of Slovakia work visa?
How do I apply for a Slovakia work visa?
Slovakia work visas — speed up the process
FAQs

Key points

  • Slovakia, an economic powerhouse in central Europe, offers a variety of different work visas to non-EU/common market applicants.
  • The key work visas in Slovakia are the Single Permit, the Work Permit, the EU Blue Card and a special visa category for “highly qualified” applicants.
  • With varied and complex work visa categories, many international companies benefit from the support of a global mobility/PEO company to help speed up the visa approval process. 

Building on its historical background in heavy industry, Slovakia’s economy specializes in automotive engineering, electronics, and a range of tech products. 

Since its origin in 1993 (after splitting with the Czech Republic), Slovakia has followed a consistent growth trajectory, sometimes referred to as the ‘Tatra Tiger’ (referencing Slovakia’s most famous mountain range). This is confirmed by the prediction for consistent growth in 2023. 

It is no surprise, then, that many Slovakia-based companies seek to hire skilled foreigners through the work visa process. 

Here we set out the key requirements and application procedure for Slovakia work visas. 

What are the different types of Slovakia work visa?

There are several types of work visas available in Slovakia, each with their own requirements. Like all other EU nations, Slovakia applies a different approach to work visas for EU/common market citizens compared to ‘third country nationals‘. The key work visas are the:

  • Single Permit, a temporary residence visa issued where the applicant and sponsoring employer can confirm the possibility of filling a vacancy. The sponsoring employer must provide details of the job vacancy to the Slovakia employment authorities 20 days before application. These can last for anywhere from 6 months to six years and are renewable. 
  • Work Permit, which is a longer-term visa available in some special cases, such as for spouses on family unification visas. 
  • “Highly Qualified Individuals” permit, which is available to third-country nationals in certain exceptional cases where there is no relevant vacancy.
  • Intra-Company Transfer Visa, for employees of a multinational company who are being transferred to Slovakia for work.
  • EU Blue Card, for highly skilled workers from outside the EU who have a job offer with a minimum salary of €1,543/month. It allows the holder to live and work in Slovakia for a maximum of 4 years, with the possibility of renewal.

How do I apply for a Slovakia work visa?

Generally, a Slovakia work visa requires the  following steps:

  • Select the appropriate visa, bearing in mind that EU/common market citizens do not require a visa. The most common options will be the EU Blue Card or the Single Permit
  • Prepare vacancy/advertise the relevant job, an obligation for employers where this is a requirement for the visa. 
  • Prepare documentation, including applying for criminal records information, health checks, passports and apostilled evidence of qualifications (especially for applicants in the “highly qualified” category).
  • Pay the visa fee,and submit the application. This can usually be done from overseas via a Slovakia embassy or consulate. 

Slovakia work visas — speed up the process

Slovakia has a relatively efficient work visa processing system, and a variety of different visas to support different applicants. Nevertheless, language issues and working out the requirements for each visa can delay the process. For this reason, many foreign applicants/companies benefit from the support of international PEO companies which offer visa support services. For more information, see our guide to the top global PEOs in 2023. 

FAQs

Officially, it can take from 3-6 months. In our experience, the visa is often processed in as little as a month, especially where you have support from an agency. 

Yes, in order to apply for a work visa in Slovakia, applicants need to have a job offer from a Slovak employer, who can advertise the relevant job, liaise with the authorities, and sponsor the visa application. Usually, the employer will need to demonstrate that the position cannot be filled by a Slovak or EU/common market citizen. The employer will also need to pay a fee for the sponsorship.