Single permit

The single permit allows third-country nationals to enter, stay and work in Slovenia. Third countries are not members of the European Union or the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein). Switzerland is also not a third country.

First step to getting a job in Slovenia

If you want to work in Slovenia, the first step is to find an employer.

You can customise the job vacancy listings according to your level of education, occupation and the area where you want to work.

Once you have found an employer who is willing to employ you, you can apply for a single residence and work permit.

View advertised job vacancies ...

Submission of application for a single permit

You can apply for a single permit:

at the diplomatic and consular representation in your home country or
at an administrative unit in Slovenia.

List of administrative units ...

The procedure to obtain a single permit

The procedure for a single permit shall be conducted by the administrative unit.

In this procedure, the Employment Service grants consent to the single permit if the legal conditions for each type of consent are met. The procedure for the issue of the consent is initiated ex officio at the request of the administrative unit.

Granting consent to a single permit

Consent to a single permit can be granted for:

employment, self-employment or work,
employment, extension of employment, written approval to change jobs with the same employer, to change employers or to work for two or more employers,
EU Blue Card,
posted workers,
training or further training for foreign nationals,
individual services provided by foreign nationals,
work of a representative for more than 90 days in any calendar year, or
seasonal work in agriculture for more than 90 days.

Single permit for self-employment

No consent is required for a single permit for a self-employed foreign national.

Foreign nationals can become self-employed after one year's continuous legal residence in Slovenia. The requirement regarding residence does not apply if you are registered in the business register as a person who will pursue a professional activity in a self-employed capacity.

Issue and renewal of a single permit

Under the single permit, a domestic or a foreign employer may conclude a contract of employment or work in Slovenia with a foreign national. If a foreign national only has an employment contract and does not have a single permit, such a contract shall be null and void and subject to penalties by the labour inspectorate.

The first single permit shall be issued for the period of validity of the employment or work contract, though no longer than one year.

A single permit may be renewed after its expiry date if the foreign national or employer applies for renewal in time and the legal conditions for renewal are met. The permit may be renewed for the period of validity of the employment or work contract, but not for more than two years.

The single permit may also be withdrawn and revoked if the employer fails to register the foreign national for compulsory social insurance schemes within the prescribed time limit.

During the period of validity of the single permit, the foreign national may change jobs with the same employer, change employers, take up employment with two or more employers or conclude a new work contract.

This requires written approval in the form of a decision issued by the administrative unit. The decision may be issued at the request of the foreign national or employer, after the administrative unit has obtained the consent of our Employment Service ex officio.