Vivere e lavorare in Slovacchia

Basic data
The Slovak republic is a geografical centre of Europe and is bordered by the Czech
republic, Poland, Ucraine, Hungary and Austria.
Surface area:
49 035 km2
Capital city:
Bratislava (population: 452 288)
Population:
5 395 000 (of which 51,4% women)
Economically active population:
2 665 000
Population in cities:
58%
Inflation rate:
2%
Minimum wage:
8 100 Sk monthly (cca 246 euro)
Average wage:
19 598 Sk monthly (2.q 2007) = 593 euro
Infrastructure:
roads - 43 000 km, railroads - 3 662 km
6 international airports
L&W Slovakia
◘ GENERAL CONDITIONS
Free movement of workers in the EU/EEC member states is one of the
fundamental rights, enabling nationals of a EU/EEC member state to work
in another EU/EEC member state under the same conditions as the
citizens of that member state.
By its accession to the EU Slovakia did not introduce restrictions of
access to its labour market of any other member of the European
◘ REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
Citizens of EU/EEC member states are entitled to have their permanent
residence on the territory of the Slovak republic.
When they wish to permanently reside in Slovakia, they are:
-Obliged to register as permanent residents and to present:
A valid travel document or an identification card;
A document confirming accommodation in Slovakia;
 fotographs measuring 3 x 3,5 cm
 filled registration form
Arrival in
Slovakia
L&W Slovakia
◘ ...REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
The formal administrative procedure is shortened for citizens of the EU –
decision within 14 days.
The SR police authority issues to the EU/EEC citizen permanently residing in
the SR a document in proof of such residence in the form of:
- an identification card with
- a photograph of the bearer.
Validity of the issued permanent residence document is five years.
Upon expiry and by request, the police authority issues a new permanent
residence card, the validity of which is ten years.
If you transfer your unemployment benefit:
 notify the local Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family within 7 days
and
submit a completed E303 form at the local office of Social Insurance
Agency.
Arrival in
Slovakia
L&W Slovakia
If you are unemployed and looking for a job, you may register with the
Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in the place of your residence.
Registration is not mandatory.
You can search for a job:
 By own initiative;
 By responding to the offer published within the vacant jobs system
available at the Offices of labour, social affairs and family;
 By responding to the offer published by the employer or by an agency
through the mass media, Internet, etc.
Useful
websites:
www.employment.gov.sk
www.kariera.zoznam.sk
Searching
a job in
Slovakia
L&W Slovakia
◘ LETTER OF APPLICATION / MOTIVATION
LETTER
An application is usually submitted in the form of a letter, to which a
structured curriculum vitae must be attached, along with copies of any
documents specifically required by the employer, e.g. of education,
training, special courses and/or skills and knowledge.
Some advertised offers require the submission of a motivation letter and a
photograph.
◘ CURRICULUM VITAE
The structured curriculum vitae is used in all cases, comprising personal
data, information about education, professional experience, language and
other skills, as well as about personal interests of the applicant.
The curriculum vitae should be clear and provide complete information
about experience and skills. A holographic CV should only be provided
when specifically requested by the employer.
Applying
for a job
L&W Slovakia
The minimum age of an employee is 15
Between 15 and 18 years of age such employees are considered to be
juvenile employees and their legal guardian must be present when a
contract of employment is signed.
◘ EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
The contract of employment between an employer and employee must be
written and must contain:
 Job title; a brief description of what the employee is expected to do
 Place of work
 The date when the employment begins
 The scale or rate of remuneration, unless this is specified in a collective
agreement
The employer must also include in the contract of employment other terms
and conditions, particularly:
 the intervals at which remuneration will be paid
 working hours
 entitlement to holidays and lenght of notice.
Employment
L&W Slovakia
◘ WORKING CONDITIONS
Working time
The statutory working week in Slovakia is a maximum of 40 hours.
Depending of the type of work, the working week ranges from 37,5 to 40
hours.
 A five-day week is usually worked with a 30-minute break per day which
is not included in the hours of work.
 The hours of work of an employee, overtime included, may not exceed
48 hours a week.
Remuneration
 The statutory minimun pay in SKK is 8 100 Sk = cca 246 Euro a month
 The Labour Code also guarantees separate monetary compensation for
overtime work, work on holidays and night work.
 Wages are payable in arrears, no later than the end of the following
calendar month unless a collective agreement or contract of employment
specify otherwise.
www.safework.gov.sk
Employment
L&W Slovakia
PERSONAL INCOME TAX
is not progressive and dependent upon the amount of annual earnings
Taxes
but, with effect from 1 January 2004, it is set at
 a uniform rate of 19 %, regardless of the amount of earnings,
 for both natural and legal persons.
 The income taxes are witheld from salary, monthly, by employer
 Every natural person who receives a taxable income during a taxation
period is obliged to submit a tax return at the end of each taxation period,
which is a calendar year.
www.drsr.sk
www.finance.gov.sk
Useful
websites:
L&W Slovakia
Employer may elaborate the annual accounting for taxes on behalf
of their employees
Both the payment of income taxes, health and social insurance is
provided by employer, the employee doesn´t need to obtain a
fiscal/social number 
Insurance arises by taking up employment in the Slovak Republic
with an employer who has permanent residence in the Slovak
Republic in case of foreign nationals or stateless persons !
INDIRECT TAXES
Are levied upon nearly all goods and services in the form of the value
added tax, which is collected in Slovakia at the uniform rate of 19%
Taxes
L&W Slovakia
Everyone who wishes to live or work in Slovakia must participate in the
social security (social insurance) system by paying the following
contributions:
 Health insurance contributions, payable to the health insurance
company of choice,
 Sickness insurance contributions, payable to the Social Insurance
Agency,
 Pension contributions (pension insurance), payable to the Social
Insurance Agency,
 Unemployment insurance contributions, also payable to the Social
Insurance Agency
Employer also has to pay contributions to: www.employment.gov.sk
 The Accident insurance
www.upsvar.sk
 The guarantee insurance
www.socpoist.sk
 The solidarity reserve fund
Additional
information:
www.vszp.sk
www.poistovne.sk
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ SICKNESS INSURANCE BENEFITS
Who may claim ?
Employees and self-employed persons subject to the obligatory sickness
insurance, who were recornized temporarily incapable of work due to
a sickness or an accident.
Who will pay ?
 During the first ten days of the temporary incapacity of work the
employer provides substitute income,
 From the 11th day of the temporary incapacity receives the employee
the sickness insurance benefit from the Social Insurance Agency
The amount of sickness insurance benefit is 55% of the daily assessment
base (from the 11th day of temporary incapacity for work).
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT
Who may claim ?
the person who had been covered by unemployment insurance for at
least
3 years during the last 4 years before being entered in the register of
unemployed persons seeking an employment.
When ?
from the date of entry in the register of the unemployed.
Unemployment benefit is 50% from the assesment base and is
payable for 6 months, monthly in arrears.
Additional
information:
Social Insurance Agency
www.socpoist.sk
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ ....UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT
The claim to unemployment benefit expires:
 on the date of deletion from the register of applicants for employment
 by lapse of the support period (6 months)
 on the date of granting old-age pension benefits
 on the date of death of the insured individual
New claim to unemployment benefits will arise to the insured person
only
 after lapse of at least 3 years from the date of expiry of the preceding
claim to such benefits.
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ PENSIONS
The Slovak pension system is based on 3 pillars:
 1st pillar – is mandatory for all citizens of working age and their
employers
 2nd pillar – this is a private savings pillar administered by private
pension administration companies
 3rd pillar – optional pillar consisting of the payment of an amount
at one´s own discretion to the account of a supplementary pension
company
Social Insurance Agency
www.socpoist.sk
0800 123 123
Useful
information:
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ ....PENSIONS
The following benefits are paid from the pension scheme fund:
 RETIREMENT PENSION
- 10 years of insurance
- retirement age reached (62 years of age)
 EARLY RETIREMENT PENSION- before reaching retirement age
 SURVIVOR PENSION
- to provide a widow/er with an income
following the death of a spouse
 ORPHAN´S PENSION
- to provide an orphan with an income in
case of the death of a parent or foster parent
 DISABILITY PENSION
- to provide for the insured person an income
in case of loss of income due to long-term
illness
In addition to retirement pension contributions, employers also deduct
contributions for a work injury insurance for the payment of work injury
benefits
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ CHILD BENEFIT
The child benefit is a state social benefit by which the state contributes to
the
upbringing and support of the dependent child of the qualified person.
The qualified person may claim the benefit by
 submitting a written application to the Labour, Social Affairs and
Family Office at the place of his/her permanent or temporary residence.
A dependent child is a child at compulsory education age, but also an
older child up to the maximum age of 25 years, providing he/she studies
or is unable to study or work due to an illness or injury.
Useful
websites:
www.upsvar.sk
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ HEALTH INSURANCE
Health insurance in Slovakia must by law be paid by everyone.
All employees must have health insurance with a health insurance
company, which:
 assigns them a number and
 issues a HEALTH INSURANCE CARD, which they must present when
visiting a doctor.
Health insurance covers most of the costs of health care.
Certain drugs and medical procedures have to be paid for in full.
Health insurance also covers some of the costs of dental care.
Patients pay for medical procedures in accordance with a preset tariff.
www.vszp.sk
Useful
websites:
Social
security
L&W Slovakia
◘ COST OF LIVING
Varies from region to region. The prices are highest in the SR capital
Bratislava, while smaller cities have more acceptable prices.
 Annual earnings and expenditure of households (2005):
Net earnings:
Net expenditure:
104 715 SKK
104 014 SKK from which:
Food:
22 194 SKK
Alcohol and tabac:
2 951 SKK
Clothes and footwear: 5 986 SKK
Rents + energy:
19 542 SKK
Culture and holidays: 6 540 SKK
Transport:
8 700 SKK
Life
In
Slovakia
Useful
websites:
www.reality.sk
www.topreality.sk
www.skreality.sk
L&W Slovakia
◘ USEFUL ADDRESSES / WEBSITES
www.eures.sk
www.slovensko.sk
www.employment.gov.sk
- EURES in Slovakia
- Your guide to Slovakia
- Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and
Family in Slovakia
www.upsvar.sk
- Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs
and Family in Slovakia
www.foreign.gov.sk - Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Slovakia
www.health.gov.sk
- Ministry of Public Health
www.slovakspectator.sk
- Slovak news in English
www.cp.sk
- Transport in Slovakia
◘ THE MOST IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
158 – Police
155 – Ambulance
150 – Fire brigade
112 – SOS Emergency call
1181 – Information on phone numbers in Slovakia
Life
In
Slovakia
L&W Slovakia
Thank you for your attention
Miroslava Hilovska
EURES adviser