Slovakia · Work
Slovakia Work permit (single permit)
First stay: 5 yrs
Temporary residence for employment: single permit on confirmation of a vacancy (Act 404/2011, §23(1))
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Work permit (single permit) is a work route for Slovakia. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €250 ≈ $280
- Processing
- Up to 60 days
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €250 ≈ $280; decision: up to 60 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€250 ≈ $280
- EUR 250 (≈ $280)Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for employment (Act 145/1995, item 24).
RenewalRenewable
Granted for the expected length of employment, up to five years.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term (indefinite) stay after 5 years of lawful, continuous residence before applying; study time counts at half, while seasonal work and some special-activity permits do not count.
CitizenshipConditions
Citizenship needs 8 years of continuous permanent residence immediately before applying.
ProcessingUp to 60 days
A single-permit employment application is decided within 60 days of a complete file, and within 30 days for listed shortage occupations.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
Absences of up to six consecutive months and ten months in total do not break the 5 years for long-term stay.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Slovakia
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
What you must show and pay1
- A fee of EUR 250 (≈ $280) · Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for employment (Act 145/1995, item 24).
Documents5
- An employment contract is submitted.
- A Labour Office confirmation of the possibility of filling the vacancy (valid 180 days) is submitted.
- Alternatively, a work permit under the Employment Services Act, or exemption from both, applies.
- Accommodation for at least six months is shown.
- A clean criminal record certificate, health insurance and a medical certificate are handed in after the permit is issued.
What happens at day 183
How Slovakia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a calendar yearStaying in Slovakia at least 183 days in the calendar year, continuous or in several periods, makes the person habitually resident (unlimited liability).
- Foreign-source income
Individuals with permanent residence, a home or habitual abode in Slovakia are taxed on worldwide income; employment-type income is taxed at 19%, 25%, 30% and 35% on bands tied to the subsistence minimum.
All tax rules for Slovakia Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
A clean criminal record certificate, health insurance and a medical certificate are handed in after the permit is issued
- Accommodation
Accommodation for at least six months is shown
- Police certificate and civil documents
A clean criminal record certificate, health insurance and a medical certificate are handed in after the permit is issued
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
The third-country national applies for a single permit; the Police Department obtains the Labour Office confirmation that the vacancy can be filled by a third-country national. Granted for the expected length of employment, up to five years. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 250 (≈ $280) · Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for employment (Act 145/1995, item 24). 3
Requirements
- An employment contract is submitted. 1 2
- A Labour Office confirmation of the possibility of filling the vacancy (valid 180 days) is submitted. 1 2
- Alternatively, a work permit under the Employment Services Act, or exemption from both, applies. 1 2
- Accommodation for at least six months is shown. 1
- A clean criminal record certificate, health insurance and a medical certificate are handed in after the permit is issued. 1
Stay
- Granted for the expected length of employment, up to five years.
- First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals (citizens of states outside the EU/EEA). Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Employment with the employer in the permit.
Family
Family members can apply for temporary residence for family reunification.
Official sources
- Act No. · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-10-01
- Employment of a third-country national (EU Blue Card, single permit, work permit) · Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (employment.gov.sk) · checked 2026-10-10
- Act 145/1995 on administrative fees (fee schedule, in force 1 January 2026) · Slov-Lex, Government of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11
- Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship, Section 7 (granting of citizenship) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-11
Work permit (single permit) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit (single permit) | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Blue Card | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Major investor staff permit | – | – | – |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 3 yr | – |
| Researcher permit | – | 2 yr | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Work permit (single permit)?
A fee of EUR 250 (≈ $280). Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for employment (Act 145/1995, item 24).
How long can I stay on the Work permit (single permit)?
Granted for the expected length of employment, up to five years.
How long does the Work permit (single permit) take to process?
A single-permit employment application is decided within 60 days of a complete file, and within 30 days for listed shortage occupations.
Can I work on the Work permit (single permit)?
Employment with the employer in the permit.
Can I bring my family on the Work permit (single permit)?
Family members can apply for temporary residence for family reunification.
Who can apply for the Work permit (single permit)?
Third-country nationals (citizens of states outside the EU/EEA). Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Work permit (single permit) lead to permanent residence in Slovakia?
Time on the Work permit (single permit) counts toward permanent residence in Slovakia, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Work permit (single permit) holders taxed in Slovakia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Work permit (single permit). The standard rules apply: Individuals with permanent residence, a home or habitual abode in Slovakia are taxed on worldwide income; employment-type income is taxed at 19%, 25%, 30% and 35% on bands tied to the subsistence minimum.
More in Slovakia
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Act No. · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-10
- Employment of a third-country national (EU Blue Card, single permit, work permit) · Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (employment.gov.sk) · checked 2026-10-10
- Act 145/1995 on administrative fees (fee schedule, in force 1 January 2026) · Slov-Lex, Government of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11
- Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship, Section 7 (granting of citizenship) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.