Slovakia faces acute worker shortage, turns to foreign labor to fill gaps

A new labour‑market barometer by the Alliance of Sectoral Councils (ASR) shows that Slovakia will soon be fighting for manual jobs such as cleaners, production operators and warehouse staff. The survey identified more than 21,000 vacant assembly positions, 18,000 truck‑driver openings and nearly 40,000 vacancies in total across manufacturing, logistics and other sectors.

Employers report that domestic workers are unwilling to take low‑paid, physically demanding roles, prompting firms to rely increasingly on third‑country nationals. Authorities currently record about 150,000 foreign workers in Slovakia, of which roughly 120,000 come from non‑EU countries. Even with an estimated 160,000 unemployed people, the gap between job seekers and open posts remains large.

Analysts such as Martin Szabo of Alma Career Slovakia warn that the Slovak labour market is “frozen,” while recruitment specialists like Šimon Komrska of Proplusco note that the share of third‑country workers is rising despite government calls to prioritise domestic labour. Prime Minister Robert Fico has visited highway workers enduring extreme heat, underscoring the urgency of the shortage.