Legislative Changes to the Employment of Foreign Nationals from 15 July 2026: What You Should Know

New rules concerning the residence and employment of third-country nationals in Slovakia have been in effect since 15 July 2026. The changes were introduced by Act No. 128/2026 Coll., which amended both the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals and the Employment Services Act.

The changes apply to several situations, but they are particularly important for people from Ukraine who have been granted temporary protection in Slovakia. The new rules also address the conditions under which they will be able to continue working after temporary protection ends and switch to another type of residence.

What is changing for third-country nationals?

The amendment changes several rules concerning the employment of nationals of countries outside the European Union.

One change concerns the confirmation of the possibility of filling a vacant position. A third-country national who has been granted a national visa and subsequently applies for temporary residence for employment purposes must be employed in the same position.

The rules for third-country nationals who have successfully completed secondary school or higher education in Slovakia are also changing. 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 advisable to check the current requirements for employing third-country nationals before submitting your application.

What is changing for people from Ukraine with temporary protection?

The most significant change concerns people who have been granted temporary protection in Slovakia in connection with the war in Ukraine.

A new transitional provision is intended to allow people who were already employed in Slovakia before temporary protection ended to continue working after it ends, provided that they meet certain conditions.

In particular, the person must have been employed in Slovakia for at least six months immediately before the end of temporary protection, and their employment must continue. If these conditions are met, they may retain free access to the Slovak labour market for a limited period.

The law also provides that such a person may continue working for no longer than one year after temporary protection ends, provided that they meet the specified conditions. Further details are available in the official information published by the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.

Switching to temporary residence for employment purposes

People with temporary protection who work in Slovakia may also apply for temporary residence for employment purposes under certain conditions.

They must have performed the employment in question for at least six months immediately before submitting the application or before temporary protection ends, and they must still be employed at the time of application.

When assessing this six-month requirement, 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, the assessment takes into account the total duration of employment rather than the employer’s company identification number or the specific SK ISCO occupational code.

This may be important, for example, for people who have changed their employer or job position in recent months.

Which documents will you need?

Under the current rules, an application for a temporary residence document for employment purposes must include:

• a valid travel document;
• a document confirming 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 records register;
• proof of accommodation.

The confirmation from the Social Insurance Agency must not be more than 30 days old, while the extract from the Ukrainian criminal records register must not be more than 90 days old.

If all the required documents are not submitted with the application, the Foreign Police will not accept it. 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 Foreign Police Department should send a notification confirming that the conditions have been met within 60 days, according to the published information.

It should then issue the residence document within 30 days of sending this notification.

The validity of temporary residence will be determined by the validity of the document confirming the purpose of residence. If this document has no limited period of validity, temporary residence may be granted for two years.

Information about residence applications and the relevant procedures is available in the Ministry of the Interior’s section on residence of foreign nationals.

Do I have to wait until temporary protection 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 between 15 July 2026 and the date on which temporary protection ends.

If you have temporary protection, have already been working in Slovakia for some time and are considering switching to temporary residence for employment purposes, you therefore do not necessarily have to wait until temporary protection ends.

When will temporary protection end?

The exact date on which the provision of temporary protection will ultimately end has not yet been determined.

In its published information on the legislative changes, the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family explicitly states that this date has not yet been set.

Temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine is currently extended until 4 March 2027. This does not necessarily mean that 4 March 2027 is the final date on which temporary protection will ultimately end.

The new rules therefore primarily establish a legal framework for the period following the eventual end of temporary protection.

What is changing for employers?

The new rules also introduce obligations for employers.

If an employer continues to employ a person who previously had temporary protection and who was issued a temporary residence document under the new rules after 15 July 2026, the employer must notify the relevant Labour Office of this change.

The notification may be submitted either in paper form or electronically. Electronic submission requires an electronic identity card and a qualified electronic signature. A copy of the employee’s residence card must also be attached to the notification. More information about employers’ reporting obligations is available on the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family website.

If you are switching from temporary protection to temporary residence while remaining with the same employer, it is therefore advisable to inform your employer of the change.

The validity of certain documents has been extended

The amendment also addresses employment-related documents that would otherwise expire during the state of emergency declared in connection with the war in Ukraine.

The validity of certain confirmations of the possibility of filling a vacant position and employment permits has been extended until two months after the end of the state of emergency, but no later than 15 July 2027.

Under certain conditions, an employer may continue employing a third-country national in the same position during this period while the renewal of their temporary residence for employment purposes is being processed.

The full wording of these transitional provisions can be found in Act No. 128/2026 Coll..

What are the main points to remember?

If you are a third-country national working in Slovakia, you should pay particular attention from 15 July 2026 to the rules that apply to your specific type of residence and employment.

For people from Ukraine with temporary protection, the most important changes are the possibility of retaining access to the labour market under certain conditions after temporary protection ends and the option of switching to temporary residence for employment purposes.

If these changes apply to you, we recommend preparing the required documents in advance and checking the procedure that applies to your individual situation with the Foreign Police or the relevant Labour Office. Your individual circumstances may be particularly important in residence-related matters.

As the exact date on which temporary protection will ultimately end has not yet been determined, it is advisable to follow the latest information published by the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, the Foreign Police and the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.