Living and Working in Slovenia

Zavod Republike Slovenijeza zaposlovanje

About SloveniaSurface: 20,273 km2

Population: 2,080,908 Capital: LjubljanaCurrency: EUR

CROATIA

ITALY

AUSTRIAHUNGARY

Ljubljana

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What to know before departure

In Slovenia, the Alps meet the Mediterranean

• EU/EEC citizens and Swiss citizens and their family members have free access to the labour market and do not require a work permit in Slovenia. If you would like to stay in Slovenia for more than three months, you will need a residence permit, which you can obtain at an Administrative Unit.

• Living and Working in Slovenia will be made easier if you have basic knowledge of the Slovenian language.

• If you have a European Health Insurance Card, you will be eligible for emergency medical assistance during your temporary stay in Slovenia.

• If you receive unemployment benefits in your country, you can transfer the benefits to Slovenia by means of the U2 form.

• Check whether your profession might be a regulated profession for which special employment conditions apply.

• If you would like to stay in Slovenia for more than three months, you will need to register your residency at an Administrative Unit.

You can go skiing in the morning and swimming in the Adriatic Sea or exploring underground caves in the afternoon.After just a few hours of driving, you can reach Vienna, Salzburg, Venice, Florence, Budapest, or Zagreb.

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The EURES network

The European Job Mobility Portal offers:

EURES is a cooperation network designed to facilitate the free movement of workers. EURES provides its services through the European Job Mobility portal and through a human network of around 1,000 EURES advisers who are in daily contact with jobseekers and employers across Europe.

• job vacancies,

• option to create a CV,

• useful information on living and working abroad,

• contact information for EURES advisers,

• information on available financial support,

• a calendar of recruitment events, and

• a lot of practical advice and useful links!

Don’t forget to look through Living & Working / Slovenia before you leave.

Upon arriving in Slovenia – WELCOME!

• Report your arrival at a police station at the latest within three days after arrival (if you are staying in tourist accommodation, this will be done for you).

• You will need a certificate on the registration of your residence in Slovenia that is longer than three months. You can obtain this at the Administrative Unit.

• You will be issued an ‘EMŠO’ number (unique personal identification number) by an official authority upon first contact (e.g. Employment Service of Slovenia, Administrative Unit, or the Health

Insurance Institute of the Republic of Slovenia).

• You will receive a tax number at the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.

• To open a bank account, you will need a personal document, a Slovenian tax number, and a foreign tax number.

• Upon employment, your employer will register you into the statutory social security system. It is recommended that you also obtain supplementary health insurance.

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Slovenia is a social welfare stateGlobally, Slovenia is ranked at number seven with regard to social justice1.Public healthcare and education are accessible to all. Slovenia enables one of the longest paid parental leave provisions in the world, lasting 12 months.The balance between work and private life ensures a high quality of life. Source: 1OECD

Labour legislation Where are the

available jobs?The employment relationship between an employer and an employee begins by signing an employment agreement. The employer is obliged to register you into the statutory social security system as of the day when you begin work and to provide you payment by the 18th day of the month for the work performed.

The payment consists of a fixed basic wage and various bonuses (job performance bonus, bonus for work under special conditions, seniority bonus, etc.). Furthermore, you are entitled to the reimbursement of subsistence and commuting expenses. Workers are entitled to receive holiday pay once a year.

Full-time employment may not exceed 40 hours per week.

Industry-level collective bargaining agreements can govern the rights and obligations of workers and employers in greater detail.

• mechanical engineers• electrical engineers, electricians and

electromechanics• medical practitioners and nursing

professionals• physiotherapists, audiologists and

speech therapists• software developers• cooks and waiters• dry construction service providers• welders• machine tool operators• heavy truck and trailer drivers

Finding and applying for a job

Vacancies are published on the website of the Employment Service of Slovenia. You can also find them in various media, on employment websites, and websites of agencies and companies.

Employment can also be successfully found on the hidden job market. Information on potential vacancies can be obtained by networking, establishing direct contact with employers, at job fairs, in professional magazines, on social media, etc.

You can usually apply for a job vacancy by sending a cover letter and a CV. Adjust the content to the employer’s expectations and the job requirements.

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Slovenia offers opportunitiesThe economy is highly export-oriented.Slovenia is also known for a high proportion of family-owned small and medium-sized companies. A good business environment for opening a company and excellent human resources attract foreign start-ups to Slovenia. Annually, foreign investments into Slovenian start-ups amount to 160 million1.

Social securityIn Slovenia, all persons subject to the payment of contributions (workers, employers, the self-employed, and others) pay monthly contributions for compulsory pension and disability insurance, compulsory health insurance, parental protection insurance, and unemployment insurance.In the event of regular employment, the employer registers their employees into the statutory social security system and pays for all of the employees’ contributions from their salary, which is evident from the monthly payroll accounting.If work is performed on the basis of other agreements governed by civil law (agreement on copyrighted work, work agreement) which do not constitute regular employment, the scope of insurance coverage is narrower.

The largest number of employees by activities:

• manufacturing• trade• education• health and social work • construction• professional, scientific and technical

activities• transportation and storage• public administration, defence, social

security• other business activities• catering• information and communication • agriculture and forestry

Source: 1ABC Accelerator

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Leaving Slovenia• It is recommended that, prior to leaving

Slovenia, the U1 form be obtained at the Employment Service of Slovenia, which will confirm the periods in which you paid insurance in Slovenia. This will make it easier for you to enforce your social security rights in your country or other EU country.

Slovenia is greenEnvironmentally conscious Slovenia is ranked among the top five greenest countries in the world1.

More than a third of its territory is protected and included in the European Natura network.

Almost 60% of the country is covered by forests.

Coordination of social security systemThe fields of labour law and social security are governed by member states through national rules.

At the same time, the EU provides common rules to protect your social security rights when moving within Europe. European provisions on coordinating social security systems therefore provide suitable protection of the rights obtained by working in various member states.

• Also, make sure to carry out all other formalities at competent institutions (e.g. the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, Administrative Unit).

Source: 1OECD

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12 most useful Slovenian phrases

Learn more

Good afternoon. Dober dan.Hi! Živijo. / Zdravo.Goodbye. Nasvidenje.Thank you. Hvala. My name is … Ime mi je …How are you? Kako si? / Kako ste?What’s your name? Kako ti je ime? / Kako vam je ime?I do not understand. Ne razumem.Coffee with milk, please. Kavo z mlekom, prosim.Two beers, please. Dve pivi, prosim. How much is it? Koliko stane?I love you. Rad/a te imam.

• Employment Service of Slovenia: http://english.ess.gov.si/• European Job Mobility Portal: http://eures.europa.eu • Public Administration Portal: https://e-uprava.gov.si/en• Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities: https://www.gov.si/en/

state-authorities/ministries/ministry-of-labour-family-social-affairs-and-equal-opportunities/• Administrative Units: https://www.gov.si/drzavni-organi/upravne-enote/• The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia: www.zzzs.si• Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia: http://www.fu.gov.si/en/• Learning Slovene Online: www.slovene.si/en • A list of regulated professions in Slovenia: http://evem.gov.si/info/poklici-in-strokovni-kadri/• ENIC-NARIC: https://www.enic-naric.net/slovenia.aspx• Starting your own business - Slovenia Business Point: http://eugo.gov.si/• Accommodation: https://www.realestate-slovenia.info• Your Europe: www.ec.europa.eu/youreurope• SOLVIT: www.ec.europa.eu/solvit

Slovenians• are hospitable.• are known for being very good at

foreign languages1, for being hard-working and loyal.

• like to go cycling, skiing, and hiking in the mountains, but also know how to enjoy excellent cuisine and wine.

• are great lovers of culture. According to Eurostat studies, Slovenians attend the most cultural events per year among EU citizens.

Source: 1 The English Proficiency Index

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It’s always about a story.The decision to move to a different country for employment is a process in which individuals encounter many formal procedures, but there is also a psychological element. Sometimes, people just need the right, legitimate piece of information, while others face completely different personal dilemmas.

I see my mission in that I provide support to jobseekers in their mobility – from planning their departure to their potential return home.

Nastja Raj EURES adviser

Slovenia is safe

The annual Peace Index1 puts Slovenia in eleventh place out of 163 nations. Slovenia is also one of the top three safest countries in the world for children to grow up in2. Source: 1Global Peace Index 2018, 2Save the Children.

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Photography by: Dean Dubokovič, Jošt Gantar, Tomo Jeseničnik, Vid Ponikvar, Jacob Riglin, Shutterstock, Klavdija Žitnik.

Source: www.slovenia.info, www.korporativna-fotografija.si

Notes:

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The “Development of Services for Accelerating Transnational Labour Mobility” – EURES project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union under the European Social Fund. October 2019

Employment Service of SloveniaRožna dolina, Cesta IX/6, 1000 Ljubljana

www.ess.gov.si/eureseures.europa.eueures@ess.gov.si

Zavod Republike Slovenijeza zaposlovanje