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Immigration

Enrollment of a Foreigner with a Health Insurance Company

October 24

QUESTION
We have hired a non-EU foreigner who has recently been granted a residence permit in Slovakia and has received his residence card. We now need to provide him with an employment contract. However, our accountant informed us that we cannot register him with the health insurance company until he registers himself first. How does this process work? His wife, who is in Slovakia for family reunification, came with him. How does her insurance work?

THE ANSWER
Indeed, the foreign employee needs to visit the health insurance company of choice to register. This registration can also be done via mail, but it’s generally quicker in person. When applying for public health insurance, it’s essential to submit an employment contract. Even if the employment contract has already been signed, we recommend setting the employment start date approximately 10 days after the contract signing date. This buffer accounts for the time it takes for the insurance company to process the foreigner’s registration in their system. Only after this registration is complete can the employer proceed to register the foreign employee for health insurance, similar to the process for a Slovak employee.

A foreign employee can enroll in the public health insurance system just like a Slovak employee. As per Act no. 580/2004 Coll., § 3 par. 3 letter a: “A natural person without permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic is also publicly health insured if they are not health insured in another EU member state or in a contracting state of the Agreement on the European Economic Area and in Switzerland, and they are employed with an employer registered in the Slovak Republic or with a permanent establishment in the Slovak Republic, or are part of a foreign company’s organizational unit in the Slovak Republic. The monthly income from this activity must meet the minimum amount established by special regulations for monthly wage-earning employees. This does not apply if they are employed in the Slovak Republic by an employer enjoying diplomatic privileges and immunities under international law.”

To register, the employee must submit:

  • An identification document, such as a passport.
  • A copy of the employment contract.
  • A copy of the information card issued by ÚPSVaR (Úrad práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny, meaning the Office of Labor, Social Affairs, and Family).

If the employee doesn’t have an information card issued by ÚPSVaR, they should submit:

  • An identification document, such as a passport.
  • A copy of the employment contract.
  • A document for a residence permit in Slovakia (specifically, a permit for the purpose of employment) or a confirmed application for residence in Slovakia.

Regarding the wife, who has a residence permit for family reunification, she must purchase commercial health insurance within three days from receiving the residence permit. As she is not entitled to public health insurance, she must obtain commercial insurance. Several insurance packages for foreigners are available in the market. Notably, public insurance in the public health system is possible for minor children.