Slovenia
Certain categories of foreign nationals have the right to free access to the Slovenian labour market. This means they are able to work, find employment and become self-employed without a permit for work. This right applies to citizens of EU member states, countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss citizens. Third-country nationals, however, experience limitations in accessing the labour market in Slovenia. With higher education or academic status, finding a job and integration is easier. In some areas, there are opportunities to find a job even before migration, as some professional fields are internationally networked, but the Slovenian bureaucracy complicates an easy transition. Entering the country with a fixed job facilitates the process for residency (different kinds) and provides social security through employment or self-employment. When the process of residency is completed, the migrant has the same rights as native workers to access state support, e.g. registering as unemployed at the Employment Service of Slovenia in case of loss of job.
Applications for the single residence and work permit must be lodged at an administrative unit (in Slovenia) or at the diplomatic or consular office in migrant’s home country. Applications are processed according to the procedures and regulations, pursuant to the Employment, Self-employment and Work of Foreigners Act. The single permit procedure, managed by administrative units, requires the Employment Service of Slovenia’s approval, which is granted – provided the legal requirements for that particular approval are met. Single permits can be granted for employment, self-employment and work; extending employment, changing employers or because of employment with two or more employers; EU Blue Card; posted workers; training or further training courses for foreign nationals; seasonal work, etc. Foreign nationals are entitled to self-employment after legally (and continuously) residing in Slovenia for one year. However, work permits, issued by the Employment Service, continue to be necessary for seasonal farming work lasting up to 90 days; the employment of citizens from Bosnia and Herzegovina; and the employment of citizens from Serbia.
The students can thus see the complex bureaucracy involved in accessing the labour market in Slovenia – despite the fact that certain rules have been relaxed. They are advised to follow Facebook pages of trade unions to learn more about developments in the field of economic integration of migrant women from non-EU countries, for example (13) Delavska svetovalnica | Facebook. For stories of entrepreneurship of migrant women, they are instructed to search the media posts in order to themselves find migrant women’s labour market inclusion success stories (e.g. https://www.spar.si/mediji/ss-hit-produkt-2021-so-testenine-batasta, https://www.zadovoljna.si/traci/oddaje/martina-wanis-batasta-startaj-slovenija.html).
To end this chapter, we make available to students the following success story starring a migrant woman in Slovenia and entitled “Overcoming the bureaucratic obstacles, poor information flow and health care issues” accessible at Welcome to VIW project (pixel-online.org) This success story illustrates the problem with getting the correct and quick information pertaining to various issues.
Students are also invited to read another story starring a migrant woman in Slovenia and entitled “Job-related opportunities, overcoming language barrier and challenges from the perspective of young migrant woman” accessible at: https://viw.pixel-online.org/case_view.php?id=NjY=
References
Bajt, Veronika (2021). Nacionalizem in prekarnost migrantskih delavk in delavcev. In: Študije o prekarnosti, 544-557
Pajnik, Mojca; Bajt, Veronika (2020). Precariousness of migrant women. In: Migration, trafficking and gender construction.
Pajnik, Mojca; Bajt, Veronika (2011). \'Third country\' migrant workers as \'third class non-citizens\' in Slovenia. In: Precarious migrant labour across Europe, 97-118
Pajnik, Mojca; Bajt, Veronika (2011). Migrant women and their labour. In: Gazing at welfare, gender and agency in post-socialist countries, 320-337
EWSI – European Website on Integration: Slovenia. Brussels: Migration Policy Group. Available at: Governance of migrant integration in Slovenia | European Website on Integration (europa.eu)
The European Website on Integration (EWSI) is an initiative of the European Commission and falls under the responsibility of the Directorate-General Home Affairs and Migration. The website is the only EU-wide source bringing up-to-date information and good practices on migrant integration for policy makers and practitioners.
Employment Service of Slovenia. Working in Slovenia. Available at: https://english.ess.gov.si/the_info_point_for_foreigners/working_in_slovenia