For some time now, Slovenia has been struggling with lengthy procedures at administrative units – both for Slovenians and for foreigners. In order to make the work at administrative units faster and more efficient, the Act on Measures to Optimise Certain Procedures at Administrative Units (ZUOPUE) entered into force on 25 July 2025. The Act introduces two main changes:
1. It modifies or abolishes the territorial jurisdiction of administrative units in foreign affairs and in procedures for address registration,
2. It introduces a regime that will allow foreigners to work and reside in Slovenia after obtaining a temporary permit, while the procedure at the administrative unit will continue until a final decision is made.
- Territorial jurisdiction of administrative units modified or abolished
The first part of the measures is a permanent arrangement that allows applications in certain procedures to be lodged at any administrative unit in the Republic of Slovenia. These measures will relieve the burden on administrative units and their staff, and will contribute to faster resolution of the procedures and a reduction in the backlog, as procedures will be more evenly spread throughout the country.
Under the new regime, all administrative units in Slovenia are responsible for registering permanent and temporary residence, determining the address for service in Slovenia, issuing and renewing the single permit, EU Blue Card, the temporary residence permit, the permanent residence permit, the residence registration certificate, accepting an application and issuing a permanent residence permit to an EU citizen, issuing and renewing a residence permit for a family member and accepting an application and issuing a permanent residence permit for a family member. You no longer need to apply to the administrative unit where you live.
Administrative units in Slovenia are also responsible for issuing passports for foreigners in Slovenia, while diplomatic representations or Slovenian consulates abroad are responsible for issuing passports for foreigners abroad.
- New (temporary) arrangements
In addition, the law introduces new (temporary) rules on the employment of foreigners.
Under the legislation that was in force until now, a foreigner (worker) could start working only after the issue and delivery of a single residence and work permit, which involved the Employment Service’s consent and a decision on the application by the administrative unit.
However, the new regime provides for a simplification, according to which a foreigner may already be employed by an employer with whom he/she has an employment contract on the basis of the consent given by the Employment Service and the certificate of the application for or renewal of the single permit, without any assessment by the administrative unit. Once the consent has been granted, the employer will have to request the Employment Service to issue an information sheet and the foreigner will have to start work no later than on the 15th day following the day on which the information sheet is issued to the employer.
This means that foreigners will be able to work and reside legally in Slovenia much sooner. This arrangement will apply to all applications already submitted to the administrative unit or to be submitted up to and including 30 September 2024; the measure may be extended by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for a period of three months. It will be known soon whether the Government will decide to extend this measure.
Important for applicants:
For all applications for a single work and residence permit submitted before 25 July 2024, the administrative unit will issue, upon the applicant’s request, a certificate of the submitted application allowing the foreigner to reside in the Republic of Slovenia.
However, if the employer has applied for a single work and residence permit after 25 July 2024, the administrative unit will issue a certificate of the application ex officio. On the basis of the certificate of the application and the approval of the Employment Service the foreigner may be employed.
The Employment Service forwards the consent to the applicant and to the administrative unit conducting the procedure. In addition, the Employment Service issues an information sheet and delivers it to the employer, and the foreigner starts work no later than on the 15th day after the information sheet is issued.
In conclusion, at SIBIZ we welcome the new regime, as we have already seen in practice a faster processing and conclusion of proceedings involving our clients.
