Slovakia faces acute shortage of skilled craftsmen and drivers

Slovakia is facing a severe shortage of qualified craftsmen and heavy goods vehicle drivers. According to data from the Central Office of Labour and the Labor Market Barometer, truck drivers are in demand across all regions of the country. Additionally, welders and metal machinists are missing in six out of eight regions.

The construction sector is experiencing rapid growth but struggles with a lack of personnel, including carpenters, masons, concrete workers, tilers, and plumbers. This shortage is particularly acute in the Bratislava region. Experts from the recruitment agency TRANSFER Slovensko note that this is a long-term structural issue, as training skilled professionals takes several years.

Wage increases have been observed in several trades; for example, plumber salaries have risen by over a third since 2020 to approximately 1,993 EUR, while carpenter wages have increased by 42.5% to 1,385 EUR. The crisis is exacerbated by an aging workforce, low interest from young people, and high living and transport costs. Projections suggest that by 2032, Slovakia will need to fill over one million positions, nearly 940,000 of which will be to replace retiring workers.