Companies will be allowed to import 7-10,000 foreigners

Labor Minister Ján Richter (Smer) wants to allow companies fast-track employment of 7-10,000 non-EU foreigners (there are about 32,000 non-EU foreign workers in Slovakia at present). Only companies in regions with unemployment below 5% and workers from a special list of professions, to be compiled by the government, labor unions and employers, will qualify. Companies will have to provide the workers with housing and facilitate their “social integration.” Foreign workers will be capped at 30% of each company’s workforce. Getting them work permits will take three months instead of the current nine months.

Together with the automotive union ZAP, the government is also launching a €17m project for the training of high school graduates. The training will take six months directly within companies.

(sme.sk)