Slovakia simplified the conditions for national visas
28.03.2024 11:24
Carriers in bus and truck transport are facing such a significant shortage of drivers that it is not only the subject of their business that is at risk, but also the public interest. In the interest of improving the situation, APZD decided to push through a simplification of the conditions of legal migration through so-called national visas.
National visas are a type of permit that entitles foreigners to work and stay on the territory of Slovakia. Their main aim is to speed up the process of involving foreign labour in production and thus to meet the urgent needs of Slovak industry. Until now, however, the conditions for obtaining them were rather administratively demanding, and the range of countries from which applicants could come was limited, as was their number. The Association of Industrial Unions and Transport (APZD) managed to push through some changes that, with effect from 6 February, will bring relief in transport as well as in industry.
In the area of national visas for drivers of heavy goods vehicles and buses, the range of countries was expanded whose citizens may apply for the issuance of national visas. They were joined by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Nepal. The numbers of visas to be issued saw a significant change. The number of bus drivers increased even tenfold to 2000 annually. The number of drivers of heavy goods vehicles will be able to be up to 5000 under the new rules.
Increase also in industry
The employment of foreigners was also simplified in the area of industry, which has long called for a solution to the shortage of domestic workers. To the countries from which applicants may come, only India was added, but the number of years of the employer's establishment in Slovakia was reduced from four to three. Temporary employment agencies may also apply for national visas, whereby the user employer must meet several conditions. It must be established in Slovakia for at least three years, must not have received a fine for illegal employment in the last two years and, of course, has fulfilled its tax and contribution obligations.
The number of national visas in industry is also changing, from 2000 annually up to 10,000. In the case of temporary assignment, the consent of the user employer is also attached to the list of employees submitted to the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family. At the same time the decision-making period of the ÚPSVR is extended from 5 to 10 working days.
In the question of national visas for drivers there is still great room for positive changes. It is, among other things, the shortening of the ten-year period of the employer's mandatory establishment on the territory of the SR and the linking of the employer with a foreign person. The issue of drivers without issued tachograph cards also remains unresolved, which directly prevents the employment of new foreign labour.
Source: APZD
