Slovenia Tightens Language Requirements for Foreign Workers

Slovenia’s Ministry of the Interior is preparing amendments to the Aliens Act that would make Slovene language courses for third‑country nationals 70 % co‑financed and end the free one‑off language proficiency test. Under current law, foreigners who wish to live and work in Slovenia must demonstrate knowledge of Slovene. The proposed changes are expected to make integration more difficult, according to critics. Franci Zlatar, director of the non‑profit Slovenska filantropija, warned that “if we want immigrants who are well integrated and also know the language, this is certainly not a good measure,” adding that the measure is unlikely to reduce migrant inflows and could leave low‑paid workers vulnerable. Slovenia has become increasingly dependent on foreign labour to fill gaps in sectors where domestic workers are scarce, so the policy shift could have direct effects on the labour market and migrant communities.