Employment
EU&EEA (Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland)
Nationals of all EU and EEA have free access to the labour market in Slovenia. If you are a citizen of EU or EEA, work permit to enter the Slovenian labour market is not required, and you can apply for job vacancies under equal conditions. The employer is obligated to register you into the obligatory pension, invalidity, health and unemployment insurance within 8 days of the date of signing the employment contract.
As a rule, a work permit serves as the basis for obtaining a residence permit. A work permit and a residence permit are two different permits. The former is issued by the Employment Service of Slovenia, the latter by an administrative unit. You will need both permits if you wish to work and live legally in the Republic of Slovenia. An exception is made if you hold a EU Blue Card, which is both a work and residence permit and may be issued for high-skilled jobs.
You must register your residence with the competent administrative unit within three months. The administrative unit issues a confirmation of registration of residence with a validity of five years or for an intended period of residence in Slovenia, if less than five years. This confirmation is issued in the form of an identification card.
Non-EU
Slovenia has made the employment process fairly easy for foreigners who working in the field of higher education.
A research organization and a post-secondary or higher education institution can submit an application to a diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Slovenia abroad or to a competent authority in the Republic of Slovenia and it can also perform other actions in the procedure in accordance with the foreigner’s authorization, but it cannot be served with the issued permit. It can also submit amendments to the application for the issuance or extension of a residence permit.
An employer or a research organization and a post-secondary or higher education institution on behalf of a foreigner to obtain a single permit and temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work in the field of research, higher or higher education submits an application to the administrative unit (or electronically). Your permit will be issued either on the basis of application for the issuance/extension of a single permit for residence and work (Article 37 of the Aliens Act), or on the basis of application for the issuance/extension of a temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work in the field of research, higher or higher education (Article 38 of the Aliens Act).
In order to obtain a single permit, the applicant must meet certain conditions. You can read the procedure for obtaining a permit and other information on the website of the Employment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.
The single residence and work permit for foreigners is issued by the administrative unit in the form of a card. A single permit is a document on the basis of which a domestic or foreign employer can enter into a contract with a foreigner on employment or work in Slovenia. The first unified permit is issued for the period of validity of the employment or work contract, but not longer than one year. The uniform permit can be extended after the expiry date if the foreigner or the employer apply for the extension of the permit in time and the legal conditions are met. The permit can be extended for the period of validity of the employment or work contract, but for a maximum of 2 years.
Employment permits for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia
To employ as citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia on the basis of an agreement, you need a work permit, which is issued to you at the employment office. This permit is taken into account as consent to the uniform residence and work permit issued to you by the administrative unit.