Employment and work of foreign nationals
Single permit
The single residence and work permit as ‘single permit’ grants third-country nationals the right to enter and reside in Slovenia, as well as the right to be employed, self-employed or work in the country. It simplifies procedures at the administrative unit for foreign nationals and employers under the ‘one-stop shop’ principle.
Foreign nationals who come to Slovenia for employment, self-employment or work purposes no longer require two different permits. The single permit combines a well as replaces the residence permit, which used to be issued by administrative units, and the work permit, which used to be issued by the Employment Service of Slovenia.
Administrative units are in charge of receiving applications for single permits. The procedures and conditions applying to the issuing of a single permit are laid down in the Foreigners Act and the Employment, Self-employment and Work of Foreigners Act.
The applicant may submit a single permit application to the competent administrative unit where the applicant is an employer or person authorised to act on the employer’s behalf, or to a diplomatic or consular office in the home country where the applicant is a foreign national or an employer. During the procedure for the issuing or renewal of a single permit by an administrative unit, the Employment Service issues approval of the single permit if the requirements set out for a specific type of approval are met. The administrative unit itself commences the procedure of obtaining the approval of the Employment Service of Slovenia on its own initiative.
A permit issued on the basis of an international agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia, in the process of issuing a single permit for residence and work, is considered to be the consent of the Employment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.
It is important to know that during a procedure for the issuing or renewal of a single permit, any new employer is required to have settled all tax liabilities by the time the Employment Service of Slovenia makes its decision on whether to approve or renew the permit.
In the case of the self-employment of foreign nationals, the Employment Service of Slovenia does not give approval to the issuing or renewal of a single residence and work permit. Foreign nationals may pursue an economic self-employment activity after residing lawfully in Slovenia for an uninterrupted period of one year. This requirement to have resided lawfully in Slovenia for one year does not need to be met by those who intend to independently pursue a regulated profession in Slovenia, such as architects, security guards or lawyers.
Working permits
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The Employment Service also issues authorisation to access the labour market in the following cases:
- the performance of seasonal work in agriculture for a period of up to 90 days in accordance with the Employment, Self-Employment and Work of Aliens Act;
- employment pursuant to an international agreement on employment with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Registration of services and short-term work by a representative
Third-country undertakings that provide short-term services relating to the supply of goods or the performance of servicing/repair work in Slovenia are required to register the commencement of provision of such services with the Employment Service of Slovenia.
The commencement of work must also be registered by foreign nationals who wish to perform short-term work as representatives in Slovenia lasting up to 90 days in a single calendar year. Foreign nationals who wish to work as representatives must be entered in the national companies register as company representatives.
Free access to the Slovenian labour market
Foreign nationals whose lawful residence in Slovenia is based on other national or international regulations have free access to the Slovenian labour market. This means that they may freely perform work on the basis of civil-law relationships, be employed by any employer or be self-employed.