Legislative Changes to the Employment of Foreign Nationals from 15 July 2026: What You Need to Know
From 15 July 2026, new rules concerning the residence and employment of third-country nationals apply in Slovakia. The changes were introduced by Act No. 128/2026 Coll., which amended both the Act on Residence of Foreigners and the Employment Services Act.
The changes concern several situations, but they are particularly important for people from Ukraine who have been granted temporary refuge in Slovakia. The new rules also address the conditions under which they will be able to continue working in Slovakia after temporary refuge ends and transition to another type of residence.
What is changing for third-country nationals?
The amendment introduces several changes concerning the employment of nationals of countries outside the European Union.
One of the changes concerns the certificate confirming the possibility of filling a vacancy. In the case of a third-country national who has been granted a national visa and subsequently applies for temporary residence for the purpose of employment, a new condition applies: the person must be employed in the same job position.
The rules have also been amended for third-country nationals who have completed secondary school or university studies in Slovakia. The amendment specifies which types of temporary residence are considered eligible for the purposes of their employment.
If you belong to one of these groups and are planning to change your residence status or employment, it is therefore a good idea to check the current requirements before submitting an application.
More information about temporary residence for the purpose of employment, including the required documents and the application procedure, is available on the website of the IOM Migration Information Centre.
What is changing for people from Ukraine with temporary refuge?
One of the most significant changes concerns people who have been granted temporary refuge in Slovakia in connection with the war in Ukraine.
The new transitional provision is intended to allow people who were already employed in Slovakia before the end of temporary refuge to continue working under certain conditions after their temporary refuge status ends.
The main condition is that the person must have been employed in Slovakia for at least six months immediately before the end of temporary refuge and must continue to be employed. If these conditions are met, they may retain free access to the Slovak labour market for a certain period.
The law also provides that, if the required conditions are met, such a person may continue working for up to one year after the end of temporary refuge.
Possibility of switching to temporary residence for the purpose of employment
People with temporary refuge who are working in Slovakia may also, under certain conditions, apply for temporary residence for the purpose of employment.
The condition is that they must have been employed for at least six months immediately before submitting the application or before the end of temporary refuge and must still be employed on the date the application is submitted.
When assessing this six-month period, it is not decisive whether the person worked for the same employer or performed exactly the same occupation throughout the entire period. According to the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR), what matters is the total length of employment. The employer’s company registration number (IČO) or the specific SK ISCO occupational code is not taken into account.
This may be particularly important for people who have changed employers or job positions during the previous months.
What documents will you need?
When applying for a temporary residence document for the purpose of employment under these rules, you will need to submit:
- a valid travel document,
- a document proving the purpose of residence,
- confirmation from the Social Insurance Agency that you are registered as an employee,
- proof of a clean criminal record – an extract from the Ukrainian criminal register,
- proof of accommodation.
The confirmation from the Social Insurance Agency must not be more than 30 days old, and the extract from the Ukrainian criminal register must not be more than 90 days old.
If all required documents are not submitted with the application, the Foreign Police will not accept the application. In such a case, the applicant should receive written information specifying which documents still need to be provided.
How long does the process take?
Once a complete application has been accepted, the relevant Foreign Police department should, according to the published information, send a notification confirming that the conditions have been met within 60 days.
The residence document should then be issued within 30 days of this notification.
The validity of temporary residence will be determined according to the validity of the document proving the purpose of residence. If this document does not have a limited period of validity, temporary residence may be granted for two years.
Do I have to wait until temporary refuge ends?
Not necessarily.
The new rules allow people who meet the requirement of at least six months of employment to apply for a residence document already during the period from 15 July 2026 until the end of temporary refuge.
Therefore, if you have temporary refuge, have already been working in Slovakia for a longer period and are considering switching to temporary residence for the purpose of employment, you do not necessarily have to wait until temporary refuge officially ends.
When will temporary refuge end?
The exact date has not yet been determined.
ÚPSVaR explicitly states in its information that the date on which temporary refuge will end has not yet been set.
The new rules therefore mainly establish a legal framework for the period when temporary refuge ends in the future.
What is changing for employers?
The new rules also introduce certain obligations for employers.
If an employer continues to employ a person who previously had temporary refuge and who, after 15 July 2026, was issued a temporary residence document under the new rules, the employer must notify the relevant Labour, Social Affairs and Family Office of this change.
The notification can be submitted either in paper form or electronically. An electronic identity card (eID) and a qualified electronic signature are required for electronic submission. A copy of the employee’s residence card must also be attached.
If you are therefore switching from temporary refuge to temporary residence while remaining with the same employer, it is advisable to inform your employer about the change in your residence status.
The validity of certain employment documents has been extended
The amendment also addresses employment-related documents that would otherwise have expired during the extraordinary situation declared in connection with the war in Ukraine.
The validity of certain certificates confirming the possibility of filling a vacancy and employment permits has been extended until two months after the end of the extraordinary situation, but no later than 15 July 2027.
Under certain conditions, an employer may also continue employing a third-country national in the same job position during this period while their application for renewal of temporary residence for the purpose of employment is being processed.
What should you take away from these changes?
If you are a third-country national working in Slovakia, it is important to pay closer attention to the rules that apply to your particular type of residence and employment from 15 July 2026.
For people from Ukraine with temporary refuge, the most important change is the possibility, under certain conditions, to maintain access to the Slovak labour market after temporary refuge ends and to switch to temporary residence for the purpose of employment.
If these changes apply to you, it is a good idea to prepare the necessary documents in advance and check the procedure applicable to your individual situation with the relevant Foreign Police department or Labour, Social Affairs and Family Office. Your specific circumstances may be particularly important when dealing with residence-related matters.
As the exact date on which temporary refuge will end has not yet been determined, we recommend following the latest information published by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, the Foreign Police and the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.
