The IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) supports EU and non-EU nationals in their integration into the labour market in Slovakia. The MIC provides support with orientation in the labour market, the preparation of a CV and cover letter and for a job interview, communication with employers or with a job search.

The IOM Migration Information Centre provides free comprehensive services and advice to promote inclusion in Slovakia in all regional cities. Photo © International Organization for Migration (IOM).

In addition, the MIC provides financial contributions for individual training or retraining courses to increase migrants’ chances of finding a job in Slovakia.

One of the current activities of MIC labour counselling is awareness-raising among different communities of migrants about legal and safe work conditions in Slovakia.

Legal and safe work workshops

“We found organising a community information session known as ‘Welcoming Slovakia’ to be a useful tool to raise awareness about legal work and other important information about different aspects of the life of migrants in Slovakia – for instance residence, employment, business, education or different social issues,” said Yasmina Stupak, a community outreach coordinator in the IOM MIC, who co-organises these events.

Information session Welcoming Slovakia take place regularly in different Slovak towns. Sessions are interactive and people can ask specific questions about legal, social or school systems in Slovakia. Photo © International Organization for Migration (IOM).

IOM Slovakia organises such workshops online in the form of webinars and in-person in different regions of Slovakia, and they are intended for non-EU nationals. The languages of these seminars are primarily Slovak, English and Ukrainian, with the possibility of interpretation into the language of the community which a certain seminar is organised for.

“For displaced people from Ukraine, who were forced to leave their home, finding a safe and legal job is crucially important when arriving in a new country,” said Maria Guido Sásová, a MIC lawyer, explaining what interests people from Ukraine who are searching for jobs in Slovakia.

The workshops about safe employment allow people receiving aid to know their rights and responsibilities. "Knowing their rights enables them to better defend themselves against labour exploitation and to assert themselves in the new labour market,” adds Maria Guido Sásová.

Throughout the previous year, these seminars were also provided in the Ukrainian language by MIC’s Ukrainian lawyers. The participants of these information seminars on “How to find a safe job in Slovakia" can learn about the following subtopics:

• What an employment contract must contain;
• What the basic rights of an employee are;
• What to do when an employer does not pay wages, or
• How to end an employment relationship.

“I have received important information about my rights and responsibilities in Slovakia. After fleeing the war, I decided to stay in Slovakia and make it my new home. During the workshop, I found out how can I change my legal status to stay in Slovakia long-term. I also got personalised advice about my situation from IOM MIC lawyers,” said Maria from Ukraine, who attended the workshop a couple of months ago.

Over the past two years, more than 360 people have participated in in-person seminars and online webinars. Participants were able to test the theoretical information presented in practice by looking for errors and red flags in job advertisements. In addition, they have the opportunity to receive qualified legal advice after the presentation.

Support for highly qualified migrants

IOM Slovakia also organises various seminars for highly qualified EU and non-EU citizens. Since October 2022, 80 highly skilled migrants have participated in three workshops focused on social security, education support and recognition of foreign qualifications, and obtaining Slovak citizenship. Ten university staff have been trained on procedures for the admission of foreign students, and more than 60 representatives of Slovak employers have received training from MIC lawyers on the processes necessary for the employment of highly skilled foreigners.

MIC lawyers organise workshops for highly skilled migrants focused on social security, education support and recognition of foreign qualifications, and obtaining Slovak citizenship. Photo © International Organization for Migration (IOM).

All of these services are free of charge, and most of them do not require pre-registration. For more detailed information about MIC activities and upcoming seminars, please visit the MIC website and IOM Slovakia social media.

Read more about MIC's job counselling, safe work information sessions and Slovak language courses:

Information about legal residence in Slovakia and safe working conditions is crucial for the Ukrainian community 

IOM strenghtens cooperation with and supports the Mongolian Community in Slovakia 

People fleeing the war in Ukraine learn Slovak language to get a better chance for a new life 

Welcoming Slovakia is also about recognizing the importance of other cultural milestones: Independence Day of Ukraine

Safe employment is their first step in the integration in a new country. IOM provides labour counselling to people from Ukraine 

Welcoming Slovakia also means helping Ukrainian refugees looking for a job in Slovakia – at IOM/Profesia workshop 

500 people from Ukraine learn Slovak in IOM language courses 

IOM acts to help Ukrainian citizens navigate the Slovak labour market 

With the support of: 

Migration Information Centre to Support Integration of Migrants in Slovakia (phase X, Individual Project). This 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.