Slovenia's work permit quota reached for 2007

05 June 2007

For the first time in a decade, Slovenia has reached its yearly work permit quota for non-European Union citizens in 2007.

The quota was set at approximately 54,000 permits, according to Marko Strovs, state secretary for the Ministry of Labour, Family, and Social Affairs.

Strovs said it was time to discuss whether Slovenia should raise the number of work permits issued each year - something employers are hoping for.

According to Strovs, having too few work permits issued each year was problematic. Not enough people in the local workforce are available to fill lower level jobs, due to Slovenia's well-developed educational system.

Unlike Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Strovs stated that Slovenia is not facing a huge influx of workers from other EU member states.

Slovenia is the economic star of the eight former communist countries that joined the EU in 2004. The small Central European alpine country was the first of the so-called "A8" nations to adopt the Euro and its per-capita GDP is the highest of the A8 nations.

Slovenia generally grants work permits to employers who want to sponsor a foreign worker. However, in special circumstances, the government will allow a migrant to apply autonomously.