IOM MIGRATION INFORMATION CENTRE

Free Advice and Services

 
You are here: Home Work Seasonal employment

Seasonal employment is an activity the performance of which does not exceed 180 days during 12 consecutive months and is bound to a certain time of the year with a significantly higher volume of work and is included in the list of seasonal employment fields, which are agriculture, forestry, fishing, industrial production, construction, accommodation and catering services.

More information can be found in our factsheet: SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT.

 

The foreigners from countries outside of the EU can be employed seasonally in two regimes:

1. Seasonal employment for a maximum of 90 days 

Different approach is applied depending on whether a third country national does or does not require a Schengen visa to enter the Schengen Area.


A) Third country nationals not requiring a Schengen visa

If a third country national is not subject to the visa requirement (e.g. a citizen of Ukraine with biometric passport), performing seasonal employment requires only obtaining a work permit. Whether the Schengen visa are required can be verified using our VISA CHECK application.

The work permit is granted by the territorially competent Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family for a maximum period of 90 days during 12 consecutive months. The employer must report the vacancy to the competent Labour Office at least 10 working days before submitting an application for a seasonal work permit.

The application for a seasonal work permit may be submitted by a third country national or his/her employer. 

The application must be submitted together with:

  1. Contract of employment or the employer’s promise to hire the foreign national, containing the prerequisites of a contract of employment (type of work, place of work, date of commencement of work and wage conditions);
  2. Officially authenticated (apostille or superlegalization) document proving the highest achieved education, officially translated to Slovak language in case of regulated professions;
  3. Document on accommodation at least for the duration of the employment;
  4. Document on health insurance during the residence in Slovakia;
  1. If the application is submitted by the employer: 
  • Written consent of the third country national with the application with a notarized signature;
  • Confirmation that the employer is not in bankruptcy, dissolution or under compulsory administration in form of an official affidavit;
  • Confirmation that the employer does not have any registered pending employees’ claims arising from the employment in form of the same official affidavit.

An employer wanting to hire a worker for seasonal employment must also meet other requirements specified on the website of the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.

The Labour Office will issue the seasonal work permit within 20 working days from the date of submitting a complete application. If the third country national obtained a seasonal work permit in the last five years before submitting the application, the Labour Office will grant a work permit within 10 working days from the date of submitting a complete application.

 

 

 B) Third country nationals requiring a visa to enter the Schengen Area

If a third country national is subject to the visa requirement, he/she must first obtain a work permit and then also apply for a Schengen visa for the purpose of seasonal employment. 

1. Work permit can be obtained the same way as for a third country national not requiring the Schengen visa (proof of health insurance and accommodation is not required at this stage). 

2. A third country national submits the Schengen visa application on an official form at the diplomatic mission of the Slovak Republic (embassy or consulate) accredited to the country of the applicant’s residence or citizenship. The applicant must submit the following documents:

  • Document proving the purpose of travel, i.e. contract of employment or the employer’s promise to hire the foreign national, containing the prerequisites of a contract of employment;
  • Work permit issued by the Labour Office;
  • Document on health insurance at least for the duration of residence in Slovakia;
  • Document on accommodation at least for the duration of the employment.

 The diplomatic mission of the SR will decide on the application within 15 calendar days.

 

2. Seasonal employment for a period longer than 90 days

Performing seasonal employment for a period longer than 90 days is possible only based on a temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment. However, the overall duration of seasonal employment may not exceed 180 days. A third country national may either apply for temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment, while starting the seasonal employment after obtaining the residence, or he/she may perform seasonal employment during the first ninety days based on a work permit within the visa-free regime (or based on a granted visa for the purpose of seasonal employment) and the other ninety days based on temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment.

The application for a temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment is to be submitted in person at the diplomatic mission of the SR accredited to the country of the foreign national’s citizenship or residence or at the Foreign Police competent according to the place of the foreign national’s residence, if he/she resides in Slovakia on the basis of a valid residence permit in Slovakia or another EU country or a valid national visa, if he/she does not need a visa to enter Slovakia or is the holder of the certificate of a Slovak living abroad or is the holder of tolerated residence.

If a third country national was performing seasonal employment based on a work permit during 90 days and during this period submitted an application for temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment, his/her residence is considered legal in the territory of Slovakia until the decision on the application.

The application must be submitted together with the following documents:

  1. Valid passport;
  2. Two colour photographs (3 × 3.5 cm);
  3. Contract of employment or the employer’s written promise to hire the foreign national, containing the prerequisites of a contract of employment;
  4. Criminal record statement; 
  5. Document on accommodation in Slovakia;
  6. Document on financial coverage of residence;
  7. Administrative fee EUR 33 (EUR 35 if applying at the diplomatic mission);
  8. Administrative fee EUR 4.50 (for issuing a residence document).

The authorities will issue a decision within 90 days from the date of delivery of a complete application. The period is decreased to 30 days, if the foreign national performed seasonal employment or obtained temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment in the last five years.     

 

Contact us

Tel: 0850 211 478
(reduced tariff calls only from Slovakia)

+421 2 5263 0023
(
calls from abroad)

Consultations in Ukrainian and Russian
 Telegram/Signal:

+421 908 767 853 (voice calls only)

Email:

Opening hours

MON,TUE,THU: 9,00 - 12,00 and from 13,00 - 17,00
WED: 13,00 - 17,00
FRI: 9,00 - 12,00

Until further notice the IOM Migration Information Centre  provides its services only via telephone and email. Personal consultations are provided by appointment.

 

Other Services

You are here: Home Work Seasonal employment