SLOVAKIA: Slovakia imports foreign workers due to labour shortage

Bulgarians and Serbians are among the many foreign workers travelling to Slovakia to work, due to labour shortages in key Slovakian industries. Slovakia is importing foreign workers into its industrial sector despite having one of Europe's highest unemployment rates. Lacking both specialists and general workers in its mechanical, electronic and chemical industries, Sloavkia has opted to offer work to people from abroad. The boom in employment came after large car manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Peugeot and Kia invested in building factories in Slovakia. Their need for qualified workers has led to busy times for labour agencies. Trenkwalder, originally an Austrian personnel agency, is active in eighteen European countries. The agency saw that there would be a demand for workers in Slovakia and started importing workers a few years ago. Director of Trenkwalder Slovakia, Lubos Sirota says the contradiction of high unemployment and a lack of certain types of workers is because domestic workers are reluctant to move. "The unemployment rate is 8.16 per cent, which may look like it is too much. But the unemployment structure is specific: many of the unemployed are people who are less adaptable and those who are not willing to travel to find work," Sirota said. "For example in the western part of Slovakia there is a lack of workers," he added. Qualified Slovak workers tend to move westwards, mostly to the Czech Republic, Austria or Germany where salaries are higher. Workers with lower qualifications often remain in Slovakia and are sometimes reluctant to work because the high financial unemployment support is more advantageous for them. "It turns out that it is cheaper, easier, more efficient and also faster to bring workers from abroad who are willing to travel to find a job. These workers are now concentrated from one area, I speak mainly about Serbia, Bulgaria and maybe also Kosovo," Sirota said. Workers from abroad are in demand in factories and towns all over Slovakia. Alexandra Valerieva Takova from Vratza in Bulgaria came to work in Slovakia three months ago. There she met a countryman, Velichko Ivanov Jelev, whom she is now living with in the village of Zavar. They are both pleased with their new lives in Slovakia because the money they earn at an electronic factory in nearby Galanta supports a better lifestyle than in Bulgaria. Takova went to Slovakia to earn some extra money for her studies, and is pleased the better lifestyle opens up more opportunities for her. "I am also supporting my family at home," she said. Takova and Jelev feel they have a comfortable life in Slovakia and have no intention to return home in the near future. "The working conditions in Slovakia are excellent. That's why I don't plan to return to Bulgaria anytime soon," Jelev said. "I don't know, how long I will stay here, but I wish to stay as long as possible," Takova added. "The labour market in Europe has started to move. With the start of migration, the old borders don't really exist, and there will be a lot more movement. We will all feel it, in Slovakia as well," Sirota said about the changing trends in the European labour market. He believes that in the near future, there will be a need for five million extra workers in Europe.

ITN Source | October 23, 2007

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