Work permit

What it means

A work permit entitles a third-country national to work for a specific employer in a specific position. With residence it forms the pair without which the employment is illegal.

Several regimes exist: the single permit for residence and work, the Blue Card for highly qualified staff, seasonal employment and exemptions for defined categories.

A work permit concerns only third-country nationals. A citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland works in Slovakia without one, and the employer only has a duty to inform the labour office, as with any employment of a foreign national. Some foreigners holding certain types of residence, such as permanent residence, do not need a permit either.

How it works in practice

The employer assembles the file: an employment contract or a job promise, proof of accommodation, notification of the vacancy to the labour office and education documents, often with an apostille.

The procedure takes weeks to months. Starting work before the permit is issued is illegal employment, with fines many times any benefit from the early start.

When a foreign employee with a permit starts, we register them with the Social Insurance Agency and a health insurer like any other employee and assess whether they are Slovak tax resident. Entitlement to the tax-free allowance and the child tax bonus depends on it, so we ask for residence and family details on day one.

What to watch out for

The permit ties to the position and the employer. Changing the role or moving to another company in the group needs a new procedure, not an amendment to the contract.

The permit is valid for a limited time, and renewal is applied for well before it expires. If the date is missed, the employee is working illegally from the next day even though the employment contract continues. Expiry dates are therefore tracked in the personnel file with a reminder several months ahead.