The Slovak government approved legislative changes related to the residence and employment of foreign nationals.

Key Points: 

• The government approved legislation that will impact several processes for foreign nationals, including:
• Employers will need to electronically submit a “Request for Confirmation on the Possibility to Fill a Vacancy” signed by a qualified electronic signature (QES) for processes requiring vacancy confirmation and labor market test attestation. The change applies to temporary residence permits for employment purposes, including single permits and intra-corporate transferee permits.
  • The new process shifts responsibility from authorities to employers, who must appoint a designated individual to manage the QES process as an authorized representative.
  • The processing time for temporary residence permits for employment purposes will be reduced to 60 days, down from 90 days, with a 30-day expedited processing option available.
• The EU Blue Card process will be simplified as part of the 2021 EU Blue Card Directive. The validity period will be increased to five years instead of four, and the salary requirement will be lowered from 1.5 times to 1.2 times the average monthly wage (approximately €1,403, or about US$1,513).
• Finally, a new program within the national D visa will be created for foreign nationals from select countries who work in certain roles experiencing labor shortages to be granted a one-year visa.
  • Applications can be submitted at the Slovak Embassy in the country of residence or the Foreign Police in Slovakia, but only for visa-exempt nationals or those with residence permits in another Schengen area country. Further requirements can be found  here .

Additional Information:  The government is also updating the language requirements for a long-term residence permit. Applicants will need to prove Slovak language knowledge at level A2 to apply.

BAL Analysis:  The government is making legislative changes to the labor market process for foreign nationals and specifically increasing responsibilities for employers intending to employ non-EU nationals with new processes and obligations. The government is also undertaking digitalization efforts and shortening processing times so nationals can begin employment sooner in a more streamlined process.