Slovakia Working Holiday

Working holiday national visas of up to 12 months for young citizens of Canada, New Zealand, Taiwan, Australia, Japan and Argentina under bilateral agreements and memoranda; ages 18 to 30 (Australia, Japan, Argentina) or 18 to 35 (Canada, New Zealand, Taiwan). ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

What you must show and pay

• Savings of at least EUR 1,785 (≈ $1,990) · Australian and New Zealand applicants: proof of financial resources shown by cash, a credit card with the latest statement, travel cheques or a bank statement, plus a round-trip ticket or the money to buy one. No amount is published for the other partner countries. ⁴
• A fee of EUR 50 (≈ $56) · Australian and New Zealand applicants: national visa fee paid at the Slovak Consulate General in Sydney, converted to AUD. Canadians pay no fee under their agreement. ⁴

Requirements

• Canadian citizens resident in Canada are aged 18 to 35 at application. ^{2 1}
• New Zealand citizens are aged 18 to 35 inclusive at application. ^{3 4}
• Taiwan passport holders are aged 18 to 35 at application, with a passport valid 18 months from visa issue. ⁵
• Australian citizens are aged 18 to 30 inclusive and hold tertiary qualifications or two years of undergraduate study. ⁴
• Japanese citizens are aged 18 to 30. ¹
• Argentine citizens are aged 18 to 30 inclusive, with functional Slovak or English. ⁶
• The applicant has not taken part in the programme before and is not accompanied by dependants. ^{3 6 4 5}
• Funds for the start of the stay and a departure ticket, or the funds to buy one, are required. ^{2 3 6 4 5}
• Comprehensive health insurance valid for the whole stay is required. ^{2 3 6 4 5}
• Apply for a national visa at the Slovak embassy or consulate for your country; annual quotas of 100 visas apply for New Zealand, Taiwan and Argentina. ^{3 5 6 4}
• Canadians pay no fee under the agreement and may take part twice, under two different categories, in non-consecutive stays. ²
• Work for an employer is limited to 6 months (Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan); study is limited to 4 months (Australia) or 6 months (New Zealand, Taiwan). ^{4 5}
• Each participation is limited to 12 months without extension. ^{2 3 5 6}
• Australia and New Zealand: proof of EUR 1,785 (≈ $1,990) and a visa fee of EUR 50 (≈ $56). ⁴
• Australia and New Zealand: travel health insurance with cover of at least EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) for the whole stay, including repatriation. ⁴
• Australia and New Zealand: apply in person at the Consulate General in Sydney, up to one year before arrival; the usual processing time is 15 to 30 days. The visa cannot be applied for inside Slovakia. ⁴
• Register the place of residence with the Foreign Police within three working days of arrival, unless the accommodation provider does it. ⁴

Stay

• National visa valid 12 months from the start date set on the visa, not from the date of entry; no extension (Taiwan participants may not extend or switch status).
• Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
• Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
• Not renewable according to our source.

Nationality

Citizens of the partner countries named on the Ministry page. Open to: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan.

Work

Occasional or temporary employment incidental to the holiday; up to 6 months with an employer for Australian, New Zealand and Taiwanese participants.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

1. Agreements on youth mobility and working holiday (Canada, New Zealand, Taiwan, Australia, Japan, Argentina) · Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (employment.gov.sk) · checked 2026-10-12
2. Agreement between the Slovak Republic and Canada on Youth Mobility (Notice 171/2011 Coll.), Articles 2 to 4 · Slov-Lex, Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11
3. Agreement between the Slovak Republic and New Zealand on a Working Holiday Scheme (Notice 159/2012 Coll.), Articles 6 and 7 · Slov-Lex, Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11
4. Working Holiday Visa in Slovakia for Australian and New Zealand citizens (Consulate General of the Slovak Republic in Sydney) · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2024-06-10
5. Working holiday programme for participants from Taiwan in the Slovak Republic (Slovak Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, Slovak) · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2023-09-25
6. Agreement between the Government of the Argentine Republic and the Government of the Slovak Republic on a Working Holiday Programme (signed 5 May 2022, in force 8 July 2022), Articles 1 to 3 · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, Digital Treaty Library · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2022-07-08