The number of Indian citizens working in Slovakia has surpassed the number of Serbian workers, making Indians the country’s second-largest group of foreign employees after Ukrainians. According to data from the Labour Office, more than 9,200 Indians were employed in Slovakia at the end of October – slightly more than the current number of Serbian workers.
The increase comes as the government prepares a significant expansion of national visas for workers from non-EU states. A regulation adopted in spring 2024 raises the annual cap for national visas issued to citizens of selected third countries from 2,000 to 10,000. The list includes India as well as several post-Soviet states, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nepal and countries in the Balkans.
Indian workers in Slovakia are concentrated in IT services, development centres and technical sectors, according to the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia. The organisation also reports notable growth in lower-skilled roles, including kitchen staff, massage therapists and production-line operators. Manufacturers using Indian labour through external agencies say they have not observed operational problems.
Economists describe the visa expansion as a response to a long-standing labour shortage. Analyst Tomas Bohacek of 365.bank notes that Slovakia has 40,000 to 50,000 unfilled jobs, and says companies have seen stable demand for workers from India. He identifies India’s young population and English proficiency as factors driving recruitment.
Foreign workers now play a significant role in the Slovak labour market. In total, about 139,000 foreign nationals are employed in the country, a record figure. Ukrainians remain the largest group, with almost 52,000 workers. Following them are Indians and Serbs, each with around 9,100 workers, and then Czechs (approx. 7,300) and Romanians (just over 7,000).
Labour-market analysts expect the foreign workforce to continue growing as Slovakia’s working-age population declines by 15,000 to 20,000 people annually. Projections suggest the number of foreign workers could reach around 160,000 in the coming years. (The Slovak Spectator)