SK ISCO-08 occupation classification

What it means

The SK ISCO-08 occupation classification is the statistical list of occupations by which employers classify their staff's positions. It is based on the International Labour Organization's ISCO-08 classification, and the Slovak version adds more detailed national levels.

The classification is hierarchical. The top level consists of ten major groups, such as managers, professionals, technicians, clerical support workers and elementary occupations. Each group is divided into sub-groups and further levels down to specific occupations.

While SK NACE describes what a company does as a whole, SK ISCO-08 describes what an individual does. An accountant at a construction firm thus has construction as the industry but an accounting occupation, and the two are recorded separately.

How it works in practice

The employer reports the occupation code in statistical reports and labour cost surveys, from which wage overviews by occupation are compiled. These figures are then used to benchmark pay, design pay policies and analyse the labour market publicly.

When employing foreign nationals, the vacancy is reported to the labour office with the occupation under the classification. The classification can determine whether the job is a shortage occupation with simplified procedures or falls under the standard regime.

The code should match the actual job description, not just the job title. If an employee called an assistant in fact keeps the books independently, the right classification is among accounting associate professionals, not clerical support staff.

What to watch out for

A wrong code distorts statistics and, for foreign nationals, can cause problems in residence proceedings if the position in the application does not match the actual work. When duties change, the classification in HR and payroll records should be updated too.

The occupation classification is not the same as the job difficulty levels that determine the minimum wage claim by job level. Difficulty levels are set by the Labour Code according to the complexity and responsibility of the work, and the employer must assess them separately.