Foreigners who come to work in Slovenia can get a job for a short period of time. Usually, short-term work lasts up to three months. An additional visa is not required for short-term work.
Please note that EU citizens do not need to apply for a visa or work permit.
Persons who do not have the right to enter the country without a visa must apply for a Schengen visa for work purposes
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Documents required to obtain a Slovenian Schengen visa for work/business
- Application form
- One photo
- Passport, which must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure from the Schengen area. In addition, the passport must be issued within the last 10 years and contain at least two free "visa pages"
- National identity card and residence permit/visa (if the country of residence and citizenship are different)
- Medical insurance. The insurance must cover the entire duration of the visa and all planned days of stay. The insurance must cover at least 30,000 euros.
- Proof of accommodation (Letter of invitation/sponsorship from the host party if you will be staying with someone; document from the institution providing accommodation or any other relevant document indicating accommodation)
- Proof of financial resources - a bank/credit card statement covering at least the previous three months
Please note that the embassy may require additional documents
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Visa processing time
The average time for issuing a Slovenian visa for work/business is 5-15 calendar days. It depends on your country of application.
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Visa fee
When applying for a Slovenian visa for work/business, each applicant must pay a visa fee. This fee is non-refundable, regardless of the outcome of the visa application. Currently, the Schengen visa fee for citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia has been reduced to 35 euros. In other countries, this amount is 90 euros for people aged 12 and over, 45 euros for children aged 6-12, and children under 6 are exempt from visa fees.
Visa fees are waived by all Schengen states for the following categories of persons, regardless of their citizenship:
- Close relatives of persons legally residing in the Schengen area (close relatives include spouse, children (including adopted children), parents (or guardians), grandparents, grandchildren)
- Pensioners
- Members of official delegations, including permanent members of official delegations participating in official meetings, consultations, negotiations and exchange programs, as well as in events of intergovernmental organizations upon official invitation
- Schoolchildren, students, postgraduates and teaching staff traveling with them for research and educational purposes as part of an official educational program
- If necessary, disabled persons and persons accompanying them
- Participants of international sports events and persons accompanying them in connection with their professional activities
- Official visits of journalists and technical staff
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Where to apply for a visa?
You apply for a Slovenian visa for work/business at Slovenian visa application centers, embassies or consulates, depending on which ones accept visa applications in your country of residence. If there is no such center in your country, you should contact the nearest embassy or consulate at your address. The list of foreign diplomatic missions of Slovenia can be found here: https://www.gov.si/en/representations/
Types of business companies in Slovenia
- If an entrepreneur has at least 7,500 euros at his or her disposal and will run a small or medium-sized business with no more than 50 shareholders, it is advisable to open a Slovenian private limited liability company (D.O.O.), which has this name because its main characteristic is that its shareholders have limited liability for the company's debts, which is limited to their contribution to the capital.
- If Slovenian or foreign entrepreneurs can dispose of a larger amount of authorized capital (at least EUR 25,000), they can open a Slovenian joint-stock company - a Slovenian JSC. The number of shareholders, unlike private limited liability companies, may exceed 50, and their liability is also limited to their contribution to the capital.
- At least two partners can establish a Slovenian general partnership, which is fully liable for the company's obligations. This type of business does not require a minimum authorized capital, but in the event of liquidation, the partners' assets can be used to cover the liabilities.
- The other form of partnership, the Slovenian limited partnership, consists of a silent partner, who must contribute and is liable for the company's debts to the extent of his contribution, and a general partner with unlimited liability in the partnership.
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Steps to establish a company in Slovenia
Below are some of the first steps involved in the procedure of establishing a company in Slovenia:
- decide on the legal form of the company (the most common options are a limited liability company and an open joint stock company)
- obtain a tax identification number in Slovenia if the company is owned by foreigners;
- create a company name in accordance with the requirements of the Slovenian legislation;
- open a corporate bank account and deposit the minimum authorized capital required for the chosen legal entity;
- draft a company charter and sign it at a notary;
- register with the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES);
- select the types of activities to be developed through a Slovenian company in accordance with the Standard Classification of Activities (SKD).
More details can be found here: https://spot.gov.si/en/info/company-registration/
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Tax regulation in Slovenia
- VAT (value added tax) - 22% standard rate; 9.5% reduced rate
- Corporate income tax - 19%.
- Personal income tax on a progressive scale: 16%, 27%, 34%, 39% and 50%.
- Social security contributions 16.1% paid by the employer; 22.1% paid by the employee
- 100% of the amount invested in R&D
- up to 40% of the amount invested in equipment and intangible long-term assets
Value added tax (VAT)
The Slovenian equivalent of VAT is DDV (davek na dodano vrednost). There are two tax rates - 22% and 9.5%. A person becomes a VAT payer when their business turnover exceeds 50,000 euros in the previous 12-month period.
Corporate income tax
If you run a business in Slovenia, you generally have to pay corporate income tax. If your company's head office is located in another country, but you do business in Slovenia, you pay tax on the income earned in Slovenia. The general tax rate in 2017 is 19%.
Personal income tax
Personal income tax is paid only by individual entrepreneurs and individuals. Individuals are individuals who carry out certain professional activities (e.g. notaries, lawyers, journalists).
Social security contributions
Social security contributions include payments for pension and disability insurance, health insurance, unemployment and maternity benefits.
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The first step in starting a business in Slovenia is to obtain a visa, the next step is to register a company, and the third step is to obtain a work permit.
1. The procedure for obtaining a visa
To enter the Republic of Slovenia, third-country nationals must have a visa in addition to a valid travel document.
At the initial stage, a multiple-entry visa is offered. After starting a business in Slovenia, you can apply for a residence permit.
Step by step:
- Obtain a letter of guarantee for business visits
- Apply in person at a diplomatic mission or consular post.
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2. Business registration procedure
There are several forms of business in Slovenia, the most common of which are a limited liability company (LLC) or d.o.o. and an individual entrepreneur (s.p.).
In the case of a simple limited liability company (d.o.o.) (one shareholder) or an individual entrepreneur (s.p.), you can start the procedure of establishment through the Slovenian Business Point portal (a digital certificate is required), or at one of the SPOT points and a notary.
The procedure for opening a company at a SPOT and through the Slovenian Business Point portal is free of charge. The company will be registered in about a week.
The cost of the procedure: 0.00 EUR at a SPOT; approx. 300-500 EUR at a notary.
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3. Procedure for obtaining a uniform residence and work permit (hereinafter: uniform permit)
All foreigners from non-EU countries must obtain a uniform residence and work permit in Slovenia.
A single application for such a permit is submitted, i.e. there is no need to obtain a work permit beforehand. The administrative body responsible for issuing a uniform residence and work permit ex officio obtains the consent of the Employment Service of Slovenia to issue a uniform residence and work permit. More information on the uniform permit can be found on the following website: https://infotujci.si/en/third-country-nationals/employment/.
Foreigners can obtain it by registering a company in Slovenia or by finding an employer who will hire them.
Types of work permits:
- Employment permit
- Individual work permit
- Work permit
Foreigners who plan to establish and manage their own company or to be employed in it have various possibilities for obtaining a work permit in accordance with the Act on Employment and Work of Foreigners (hereinafter referred to as the Act ZZDT-1, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 26/2011).
Note: If a foreigner is the founder (owner) of a company but is not its representative, he/she does not need a work permit.
1. Work permit for foreign representatives
If a foreigner establishes or co-founds a private commercial company that he plans to manage or lead as a representative of the company (director, prosecutor, etc.), he needs to obtain a work permit for a foreign representative. Companies with ten or fewer employees can obtain no more than one work permit for a foreign representative.
A work permit for a foreign representative office may be issued for a period of up to two years and may be extended under the same conditions.
Procedure for obtaining a work permit An application for a work permit for a foreign representative office should be submitted to the Employment Service of Slovenia on the prescribed form ZRSZ-TUJ-3 together with all necessary supporting documents.
If the company has not been registered for six months, it can obtain a work permit for a foreign representative if it provides proof of investment in Slovenia in the amount of at least EUR 30,000 for the purpose of opening a company.
As for the evidence that is checked in the process of issuing a valid work permit, the information on the company's registration is important because it indicates whether the foreigner is listed as a representative of the company.
2. Work permit for majority owners
If a foreigner establishes or co-founds a d.o.o. or LLC in which he/she as an investor holds a majority share (at least 51%), he/she may be employed in such a company on the basis of a work permit without labor market control.
The procedure for issuing a work permit for a majority owner is simpler, as the permit is issued without checking the availability of suitable national candidates.
On the basis of such a permit, a foreigner may carry out the activities for which the company is registered in accordance with the vacancies and the employment contract concluded between the foreigner and the company.
Procedure for obtaining a work permit An application for a work permit for a majority owner should be submitted to the Employment Service of Slovenia on the prescribed form ZRSZ-TUJ-2 together with all necessary supporting documents.
In the process of issuing a work permit, the information on the company's registration is checked, as it indicates that the foreigner is the majority (at least 51%) owner of the company, and if he/she is a representative, he/she is not the only representative.
3. Individual work permit for self-employment of a foreigner
If a foreigner wishes to establish or co-found a private commercial company (k.d., d.n.o.) or register as an individual entrepreneur (s.p.), he/she may apply for an individual work permit for self-employment. The permit is issued for one year with the possibility of extension. A foreigner must obtain an individual work permit before registering a private commercial company or an individual entrepreneur. The foreigner must meet the following conditions:
- the foreigner has a valid residence permit and, at the time of submitting the application, has been continuously residing in the Republic of Slovenia for at least one year on the basis of a valid residence permit (the condition of continuous residence for one year is not met if the residence permit was issued for seasonal work, for the provision of cross-border services by seconded or appointed employees, or for training and advanced training)
- the foreigner submits evidence of his/her own financial resources in the amount of EUR 10,000
- the foreigner meets the conditions related to the ownership or lease of business premises for conducting activities, which is confirmed by submitting evidence of ownership of the premises or the relevant lease agreement for the premises in which he/she has a registered office.
An individual work permit for self-employment may also be obtained by foreigners who are included in the relevant and statutory register (e.g., athletes, artists, etc.). A work permit for self-employment can be renewed under the same conditions.
Procedure for obtaining a work permit: An application for an individual work permit should be submitted to the Employment Service of Slovenia on the standard form ZRSZ-TUJ-1 together with all necessary supporting documents. The issued individual work permit is the basis for the registration of a private commercial company or for registration as an individual entrepreneur.
Time: from 30 to 60 days, cost: about 90,00 euros
Slovenia