Basic data The Slovak republic is a geografical

Basic data The Slovak republic is a geografical centre of Europe and is bordered by the Czech republic, Poland, Ucraine, Hungary and Austria. Surface area: 49 035 km 2 Capital city: Bratislava (population: 452 288) Population: 5 395 000 (of which 51, 4% women) Economically active population: Population in cities: Inflation rate: Minimum wage: Average wage: Infrastructure: 2 665 000 58% 2% 8 100 Sk monthly (cca 246 euro) 19 598 Sk monthly (2. q 2007) = 593 euro roads - 43 000 km, railroads - 3 662 km 6 international airports

L&W Slovakia ◘ GENERAL CONDITIONS Free movement of workers in the EU/EEC member states is one of the fundamental rights, enabling nationals of a EU/EEC member state to work in another EU/EEC member state under the same conditions as the citizens of that member state. By its accession to the EU Slovakia did not introduce restrictions of access to its labour market of any other member of the European ◘ REGISTRATION PROCEDURES Citizens of EU/EEC member states are entitled to have their permanent residence on the territory of the Slovak republic. When they wish to permanently reside in Slovakia, they are: -Obliged to register as permanent residents and to present: ³A valid travel document or an identification card; ³A document confirming accommodation in Slovakia; ³ fotographs measuring 3 x 3, 5 cm ³ filled registration form Arrival in Slovakia

L&W Slovakia ◘. . . REGISTRATION PROCEDURES The formal administrative procedure is shortened for citizens of the EU – decision within 14 days. The SR police authority issues to the EU/EEC citizen permanently residing in the SR a document in proof of such residence in the form of: - an identification card with - a photograph of the bearer. Validity of the issued permanent residence document is five years. Upon expiry and by request, the police authority issues a new permanent residence card, the validity of which is ten years. If you transfer your unemployment benefit: notify the local Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family within 7 days and submit a completed E 303 form at the local office of Social Insurance Agency. Arrival in Slovakia

L&W Slovakia If you are unemployed and looking for a job, you may register with the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in the place of your residence. Registration is not mandatory. You can search for a job: v By own initiative; v By responding to the offer published within the vacant jobs system available at the Offices of labour, social affairs and family; v By responding to the offer published by the employer or by an agency through the mass media, Internet, etc. Useful websites: k w. ww s. s e r eu www. u p svar. s k www. employment. gov. sk www. p rofesia . sk www. trhprace. sk www. kariera. zoznam. sk Searching a job in Slovakia

L&W Slovakia ◘ LETTER OF APPLICATION / MOTIVATION LETTER An application is usually submitted in the form of a letter, to which a structured curriculum vitae must be attached, along with copies of any documents specifically required by the employer, e. g. of education, training, special courses and/or skills and knowledge. Some advertised offers require the submission of a motivation letter and a photograph. ◘ CURRICULUM VITAE The structured curriculum vitae is used in all cases, comprising personal data, information about education, professional experience, language and other skills, as well as about personal interests of the applicant. The curriculum vitae should be clear and provide complete information about experience and skills. A holographic CV should only be provided when specifically requested by the employer. Applying for a job

L&W Slovakia The minimum age of an employee is 15 Between 15 and 18 years of age such employees are considered to be juvenile employees and their legal guardian must be present when a contract of employment is signed. ◘ EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS The contract of employment between an employer and employee must be written and must contain: Job title; a brief description of what the employee is expected to do Place of work The date when the employment begins â The scale or rate of remuneration, unless this is specified in a collective agreement The employer must also include in the contract of employment other terms and conditions, particularly: the intervals at which remuneration will be paid working hours entitlement to holidays and lenght of notice. Employment

L&W Slovakia ◘ WORKING CONDITIONS Working time The statutory working week in Slovakia is a maximum of 40 hours. Depending of the type of work, the working week ranges from 37, 5 to 40 hours. A five-day week is usually worked with a 30 -minute break per day which is not included in the hours of work. The hours of work of an employee, overtime included, may not exceed 48 hours a week. Remuneration The statutory minimun pay in SKK is 8 100 Sk = cca 246 Euro a month The Labour Code also guarantees separate monetary compensation for overtime work, work on holidays and night work. Wages are payable in arrears, no later than the end of the following calendar month unless a collective agreement or contract of employment specify otherwise. www. safework. gov. sk Employment

L&W Slovakia PERSONAL INCOME TAX is not progressive and dependent upon the amount of annual earnings Taxes but, with effect from 1 January 2004, it is set at a uniform rate of 19 %, regardless of the amount of earnings, for both natural and legal persons. The income taxes are witheld from salary, monthly, by employer Every natural person who receives a taxable income during a taxation period is obliged to submit a tax return at the end of each taxation period, which is a calendar year. www. drsr. sk www. finance. gov. sk Useful websites:

L&W Slovakia Employer may elaborate the annual accounting for taxes on behalf of their employees Both the payment of income taxes, health and social insurance is provided by employer, the employee doesn´t need to obtain a fiscal/social number Insurance arises by taking up employment in the Slovak Republic with an employer who has permanent residence in the Slovak Republic in case of foreign nationals or stateless persons ! INDIRECT TAXES Are levied upon nearly all goods and services in the form of the value added tax, which is collected in Slovakia at the uniform rate of 19% Taxes

L&W Slovakia Everyone who wishes to live or work in Slovakia must participate in the social security (social insurance) system by paying the following contributions: Health insurance contributions, payable to the health insurance company of choice, Sickness insurance contributions, payable to the Social Insurance Agency, Pension contributions (pension insurance), payable to the Social Insurance Agency, Unemployment insurance contributions, also payable to the Social Insurance Agency Employer also has to pay contributions to: www. employment. gov. sk The Accident insurance www. upsvar. sk The guarantee insurance www. socpoist. sk The solidarity reserve fund Additional information: www. vszp. sk www. poistovne. sk Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘ SICKNESS INSURANCE BENEFITS Who may claim ? Employees and self-employed persons subject to the obligatory sickness insurance, who were recornized temporarily incapable of work due to a sickness or an accident. Who will pay ? During the first ten days of the temporary incapacity of work the employer provides substitute income, From the 11 th day of the temporary incapacity receives the employee the sickness insurance benefit from the Social Insurance Agency The amount of sickness insurance benefit is 55% of the daily assessment base (from the 11 th day of temporary incapacity for work). Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘ UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT Who may claim ? the person who had been covered by unemployment insurance for at least 3 years during the last 4 years before being entered in the register of unemployed persons seeking an employment. When ? from the date of entry in the register of the unemployed. Unemployment benefit is 50% from the assesment base and is payable for 6 months, monthly in arrears. Additional information: Social Insurance Agency www. socpoist. sk Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘. . UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT The claim to unemployment benefit expires: on the date of deletion from the register of applicants for employment by lapse of the support period (6 months) on the date of granting old-age pension benefits on the date of death of the insured individual New claim to unemployment benefits will arise to the insured person only after lapse of at least 3 years from the date of expiry of the preceding claim to such benefits. Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘ PENSIONS The Slovak pension system is based on 3 pillars: â 1 st pillar – is mandatory for all citizens of working age and their employers â 2 nd pillar – this is a private savings pillar administered by private pension administration companies â 3 rd pillar – optional pillar consisting of the payment of an amount at one´s own discretion to the account of a supplementary pension company Social Insurance Agency www. socpoist. sk 0800 123 Useful information: Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘. . PENSIONS The following benefits are paid from the pension scheme fund: RETIREMENT PENSION - 10 years of insurance - retirement age reached (62 years of age) EARLY RETIREMENT PENSION- before reaching retirement age SURVIVOR PENSION - to provide a widow/er with an income ORPHAN´S PENSION DISABILITY PENSION following the death of a spouse - to provide an orphan with an income in case of the death of a parent or foster parent - to provide for the insured person an income in case of loss of income due to long-term illness In addition to retirement pension contributions, employers also deduct contributions for a work injury insurance for the payment of work injury benefits Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘ CHILD BENEFIT The child benefit is a state social benefit by which the state contributes to the upbringing and support of the dependent child of the qualified person. The qualified person may claim the benefit by submitting a written application to the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Office at the place of his/her permanent or temporary residence. A dependent child is a child at compulsory education age, but also an older child up to the maximum age of 25 years, providing he/she studies or is unable to study or work due to an illness or injury. Useful websites: www. upsvar. sk Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘ HEALTH INSURANCE Health insurance in Slovakia must by law be paid by everyone. All employees must have health insurance with a health insurance company, which: assigns them a number and issues a HEALTH INSURANCE CARD, which they must present when visiting a doctor. Health insurance covers most of the costs of health care. Certain drugs and medical procedures have to be paid for in full. Health insurance also covers some of the costs of dental care. Patients pay for medical procedures in accordance with a preset tariff. www. vszp. sk Useful websites: Social security

L&W Slovakia ◘ COST OF LIVING Varies from region to region. The prices are highest in the SR capital Bratislava, while smaller cities have more acceptable prices. Annual earnings and expenditure of households (2005): Net earnings: Net expenditure: 104 715 SKK 104 014 SKK from which: Food: 22 194 SKK Alcohol and tabac: 2 951 SKK Clothes and footwear: 5 986 SKK Rents + energy: 19 542 SKK Culture and holidays: 6 540 SKK Transport: 8 700 SKK Life In Slovakia Useful websites: www. reality. sk www. topreality. sk www. skreality. sk

L&W Slovakia ◘ USEFUL ADDRESSES / WEBSITES www. eures. sk www. slovensko. sk www. employment. gov. sk www. upsvar. sk www. foreign. gov. sk www. health. gov. sk www. slovakspectator. sk www. cp. sk - EURES in Slovakia - Your guide to Slovakia - Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in Slovakia - Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in Slovakia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Slovakia - Ministry of Public Health - Slovak news in English - Transport in Slovakia ◘ THE MOST IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS 158 – Police 155 – Ambulance 150 – Fire brigade 112 – SOS Emergency call 1181 – Information on phone numbers in Slovakia Life In Slovakia

L&W Slovakia Thank you for your attention Miroslava Hilovska EURES adviser