Dear Employer,

On July 15, 2024, an amendment to Act No. 5/2004 Coll. on Employment Services (Act No. 160/2024 Coll.) will come into effect, which primarily regulates the employment of third-country nationals in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

In this context, and particularly regarding the transitional provisions for changes effective from July 15, 2024 (§ 131l of Act No. 404/2011 Coll., § 72ay (1) of Act No. 5/2004 Coll.), we inform you that a third-country national who is employed for training purposes under § 23a (1) (u) of Act No. 5/2004 Coll. as effective until July 14, 2024, or who is an employee temporarily assigned to a user employer for training purposes according to § 23a (1) (u) of Act No. 5/2004 Coll. as effective until July 14, 2024, may continue to perform this training at the same workplace even after July 15, 2024, for a maximum of eight consecutive weeks. This eight-week time limit does not apply to a third-country national who has submitted an application for temporary residence for employment and has received positive confirmation from the Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family regarding the possibility of filling a vacant position and is not temporarily assigned to a user employer. Such a third-country national may be employed according to § 21 (1) (h) of Act No. 5/2004 Coll. effective from July 15, 2024 (even without temporary residence for employment) from the day the confirmation regarding the possibility of filling the vacant position is valid until the legal conclusion of the temporary residence application process for employment.

We would also like to draw attention to the fact that until the end of 2024, it is possible to employ third-country nationals based on a national visa granted under the conditions established by Government Regulation No. 383/2023 Coll. regarding the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant national visas to selected groups of third-country nationals in specific occupations in the industry.

The application for temporary residence for employment of this employee—a third-country national—will be assessed according to the regulations effective until July 14, 2024.

Further information about the changes related to this amendment will be published on the website of the Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family from July 15, 2024.