Results and achievements of MIC in Slovakia in 2024

In 2024, the IOM Migration Information Center (MIC) provided counselling and integration services to a total of 9,455 new unique beneficiaries, of whom 5,043 were women—representing 53.34% of all clients. Read all the results in key programs and main areas of activity of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Slovakia for 2024 below:

Migrant integration – IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC)

The IOM’s key programme in the field of integration of migrants in Slovakia is the Migration Information Centre (MIC), which accompanies citizens of other countries arriving in Slovakia from their first steps in their new country. It provides them with Slovak language courses, supports them in obtaining an education and improving qualifications or retraining, provides free legal and social counselling and job counselling, including job search assistance and organises social and cultural orientation courses with information on various aspects of life in Slovakia. The MIC has been supporting the integration and community life of foreigners in Slovakia for 18 years.

Counselling for foreigners in Slovakia

In 2024, MIC provided 17,989 consultations via in-person meetings, phone, or email on residence, family, employment, business, education or citizenship in Slovakia.. Of these, 9,046 consultations were provided to women, accounting for 50.29% of the total.

Support for labour market integration

MIC supported foreigners in navigating the Slovak labour market and education system through personalised counselling and information:

• 3,326 consultations were focused on employment-related topics such as job search, CV preparation, and employer communication. Of these, 1,660 consultations (or 49.91%) were delivered to women.

• 1,571 consultations addressed education, retraining, and qualification recognition. 1,179 of these (or 75.05%) were provided to women.

In total, MIC delivered 4,897 consultations related to employment and education support in 2024—representing a 50.08% increase from 2023.

Online assistance

The MIC website continued to be a trusted online resource, offering up-to-date legal and practical information in Slovak, English, and Russian. In 2024, it recorded 423,193 unique visitors, marking a 14.07% increase compared to 2023.

Slovak language courses for foreigners in the Slovak Republic

In 2024, a total of 738 individuals participated in MIC-supported Slovak language courses:

• 578 participants under the Recovery and Resilience Plan,

• 126 participants funded through the PRM programme,

• 34 participants attended courses organized in cooperation with Dopravný podnik Bratislava.

Supporting the cultural life of foreign communities in Slovakia

With continued support from MIC, cultural mediators helped foster mutual understanding and engagement by organizing community events and information sessions throughout the year.

IOM MIC – Supporting labour mobility and talent attraction

In 2024, the MIC continued implementing activities through a project funded under the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan that specifically targeted talent, highly -qualified migrant workers and international students from EU and non-EU countries, as well as Slovak returnees.

The Migration Information Center under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (MIC RRP) also expanded its role as a pioneering actor in the field of migrant integration through its targeted support for the recognition of education and qualification pathways. These services responded to a long-standing gap in integration support for highly skilled migrants who face structural and administrative barriers when seeking employment in their professional fields.

Under this project in 2024:

• 61 individuals received financial assistance for the recognition of foreign education, helping them navigate complex bureaucratic processes required to validate diplomas and certificates in Slovakia.

• 26 clients were granted financial contributions for retraining courses, allowing them to gain skills aligned with Slovak labour market needs, especially in sectors experiencing worker shortages.

• The MIC RRP also launched two comprehensive support programmes tailored to professionals in critical public service sectors:

1. Pedagogical Professionals Support Programme
Through this initiative, 60 teachers benefitted from a package of services that included specialised Slovak language courses, informational counselling, and financial support for qualification recognition. The aim was to empower them to secure employment in Slovak schools, where they contribute to inclusive education for both Slovak and migrant children. This programme directly addressed the dual challenges of teacher shortages and the need for more culturally responsive education systems.

2. Healthcare Professionals Support Programme
Similarly, 76 medical professionals—including doctors, nurses, dentists, and other healthcare workers—received targeted support to re-enter their fields of expertise in Slovakia. This included Slovak language preparation, guidance on legal and professional requirements, and financial assistance for the recognition of their medical qualifications. Their successful integration into the Slovak healthcare system not only improved their personal and professional wellbeing but also contributed to strengthening the country’s public health capacity.

These efforts were institutionally recognised when the Migration Information Centerunder the Revovery and Resilience Plan received 2nd place in the IOM Knowledge Fair and Impact Awards, in the “Regular Pathways” category. The recognition highlighted MIC RRP’s innovative, inclusive, and results-driven approach to supporting skilled migrants and returnees through practical tools, systemic cooperation, and client-centered services.

The education recognition and professional reintegration programmes have shown that integration is not only about basic services, but also about unlocking human potential. By enabling skilled migrants to contribute fully in their areas of expertise, the MIC is helping Slovakia build a more inclusive, diverse, and resilient labour market and society.

IOM Migration Information Centre – Supporting labour mobility and integration of migrants

In 2023, the MIC started implementing activities from the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan that specifically target talent, highly skilled foreign workers and international students from EU and non-EU countries, as well as Slovak returnees.

Since July 2023, the MIC has provided consultations and services under the Recovery and Resilience Plan activities, which have contributed to supporting the attraction and retention of talent in the Slovak Republic. The MIC also extended its advisory services to employers employing highly skilled foreign workers from EU and non-EU countries, for whom it provided consultations and specialised training on the employment of foreigners.

As part of supporting integration and retraining support, MIC also provides grants for recognition of education and grants for education and retraining. In 2023 169 clients received financial support for the recognition of their education in Slovakia.

MIC also supports retraining courses, thanks to which clients can find employment in Slovakia, in 2023, 72 clients received a financial contribution for retraining courses.

Viac informácií: www.mic.iom.sk

 

With the support of: 

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

  

 

 

Migration Information Centre to Support Integration of Migrants in Slovakia (phase X, Individual Project). The project is co-funded by the European Union from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). Home Affairs Funds.

 

IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) activities supporting the labour mobility and integration of migrants under the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic are funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.