A job in Slovakia comes with fewer surprises than the paperwork around it. The labour code is clear on the written contract, the working week and the leave, and EU citizens work on exactly the same terms as Slovaks. The surprises are mostly in the details: a probation period that must be written, a minimum wage that rises with the difficulty of the job, a unemployment benefit that rewards contributions.
This guide covers working in Slovakia, from the search to the end of the contract.
Can you work in Slovakia without a permit?
If you are a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes, with no permit. You work under the same conditions as a Slovak. After three months you register your stay; see residence in Slovakia for EU citizens, and choose your health fund; see healthcare in Slovakia.
British citizens and other third-country nationals can be hired only if they hold an EU Blue Card, a temporary residence for employment granted on confirmation from the labour office, or a work permit with temporary residence (Act no. 5/2004, section 21). See moving to Slovakia from the UK. For regulated professions, you must get your qualification recognised.
Where do you find a job when working in Slovakia?
On the site of the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR, upsvr.gov.sk), on the EURES portal, where EURES advisers in the labour offices can help, and on private job sites. Private agencies may in some cases charge administrative fees (EURES). Prepare a CV in Slovak where you can, and certified Slovak translations of diplomas.
What must the contract contain when working in Slovakia?
A written employment contract (pracovná zmluva). The employer must give you a copy and inform you in advance of your rights, working conditions and pay. A probation period must be in the contract in writing, otherwise it does not exist.
An offer in Slovak can hide clauses you did not expect, from overtime to notice. Moovy can explain the clauses, tell you what the law says about them, and draft your questions to the employer in Slovak with an English translation. For a legal opinion on a dispute, consult a Slovak lawyer.
What are the rules on pay, hours and leave?
- Minimum wage 2026: 915 euros gross a month, 5.269 euros an hour (level 1). Levels 2 to 6 run from 1,031 to 1,495 euros depending on job difficulty. Pay is monthly, at the latest at the end of the following month.
- Employee contributions: 5% health, 1.4% sickness, 4% pension, 3% invalidity, 1% unemployment (EURES).
- Probation: three months at most, six for certain managers, not allowed when a fixed-term contract is renewed, extended by sick days. Either side can end it in writing without a reason.
- Notice: at least one month, longer with seniority in the cases the labour code lists. The employee need not give a reason to resign.
- Hours: 40 hours a week at most (often 37.5 to 40); a 30-minute break after six hours, not counted as work time; 12 hours' rest a day and two consecutive days off a week.
- Paid leave: four weeks a year; five weeks from age 33 or if you permanently look after a child. You need at least 60 days of work with the employer; otherwise one twelfth per full month.
- Remote work: needs the employer's written agreement.
Public holidays are covered in living in Slovakia.
What if you lose your job?
Register in person as a job seeker at the labour, social affairs and family office of your place of residence with your ID and proof of the end of the contract. Ask for the benefit at the same time, or at the social insurance fund (Sociálna poisťovňa). Bring your U1 if you worked in another country.
The unemployment benefit requires contributions to unemployment insurance for at least two of the four years before registering. It is paid for up to six months: about 50% of the last pay for the first three months, 40% for the fourth, 30% for the fifth and 20% for the sixth (European Commission guide). You can keep a small job if the income does not exceed the minimum subsistence level (284.13 euros a month at 1 July 2025) and 40 days a year.
How do you carry unemployment benefit between countries?
If you search for work in another country and want to keep your Slovak benefit, tell the labour office the date you leave and ask for form U2. If you arrive with a foreign benefit, register at least four weeks at home, request the U2, then register in Slovakia within seven days. Payment lasts three to six months depending on your country.
What are the mistakes to avoid?
- An oral probation period. It is valid only if written.
- Not reporting changes to the social insurance fund within 8 days when you receive benefits.
- Leaving to look elsewhere without telling the office.
For tax on your salary, your employer withholds it and the Finančná správa (financnasprava.sk) publishes the rules; the numbers behind it are explained in rodné číslo and DIČ.
What is it like working in Slovakia day to day?
Working hours are 40 a week at most, often 37.5 to 40 over five days, with an average of 48 hours a week including overtime as the legal ceiling. Overtime is not the norm and gives the right to compensation or time off. Remote work needs your employer's written agreement. Public holidays changed in 2025 and 2026, so check which days off apply; see living in Slovakia.
How are jobs in Slovakia for foreigners found in practice?
Besides the portals, many people find work through professional networks or recruitment agencies. Some foreign companies hire people to work remotely from Slovakia, and that is a different situation from a Slovak employer: you still register your residence and health insurance, and you may need to coordinate social security with your employer's country. Ask the employer in which country you are insured, and, if it is not Slovakia, request the A1 form.
What does the employer have to do?
Your employer declares you to the Sociálna poisťovňa and to your health fund, deducts your contributions and withholds income tax advances. If you have no personal number yet, a replacement social security number is assigned. Ask for a payslip each month and keep them: they are your proof of income for renting, banking and tax. See rodné číslo and DIČ.
Which qualifications need recognition?
For regulated professions, you must have your qualification recognised; the rules follow Act no. 422/2015 and the Ministry of Education provides information. Swiss qualifications are treated like those of the EU and EEA. For a UK qualification, recognition is still possible, but under the third-country rules.
What should you do before accepting an offer?
Read the contract carefully, check the probation clause, the notice period, the leave and the way overtime is handled. Ask for the contract in a language you understand, or a translation. Compare the net, not the gross; see cost of living in Slovakia.