Rough guide Slovenia

From ChangingRoomWiki

The Basics

Population: more than 2 million (thanks to new baby boom:)

Capital: Ljubljana

Minimum Wage Rate: €597 per month

Language: Slovenian

Other Languages: Italian, Hungarian, German, Croatian, Romany language

EU Member: Yes

Current Government politics and support for culture: See Cultural Policy, Culture Link for general objectives and principles of cultural policy

Working

Who needs a visa to work there?: EU citizens are under European law equal to domestic workers or job seekers in respect of employment and job search. Citizens of EU member states (old and new) and EEA (Norway, Lichtenstein, Iceland) do NOT need a work permit for employment and work in Slovenia. The employers, which employ workers from these countries, are only obliged to register an application for employment and work of workers from the EU and they are obligated to register you into the obligatory pension, invalidity, health and unemployment insurance within 8 days of the date of signing the employment contract. At the Employment Service of Slovenia, it is necessary to register the beginning of provision of services. The European employer who offers the service in Slovenia with his employees, should register the beginning of service at least 1 day before the service is actually being executed. If you are posted to work in Slovenia, the employer is obligated (based on working contract concluded in your country) to ensure you minimal working and employment conditions compatible with Slovenian regulations.

If you are a non EU citizen, you may gain employment in Slovenia only on the basis of a work permit, which is issued in accordance with Slovenian national legislation. A work permit is, as a rule, issued on employers` request, so you need to find the employer who is willing to employ you first. An employer will obtain the work permit only under certain conditions. The most important condition is that there are no suitable candidates registered at the Employment Service of Slovenia and that the employment is not causing any disturbances in the Slovenian labor market. For more information visit the Employment Service of Slovenia.

For full information on work permits please visit the website of the Eracareers. You will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Employment Visa applications on the web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Best places to look for / find culture jobs: Artservis, CNVOS,

Also try:

Best places to look for volunteering and internships: There is CNVOSwhich provides you with all information about voluntary sector in Slovenia. Try also Sloga Global Action which is dealing with development cooperation. Eurodesk and MVA provide information about seminars, trainings, youth exchanges, short and long term voluntary opportunities. Zavod Voluntariat is specialist for summer working camps all around the world. Try also Filantropija. Cmepius is resource for Long Life learning Programme. Karierni center helps you to find partners abroad for your internship. Last but not the least Volunteering/Exchanges in Slovenia. Aiesec, Best, Aegee are placing students on international summer schools and internships. Balkan Youth is improving the conditions, prospects, and quality of life for children and youth up to age 30 throughout the Balkan region.

Studying/Training & Mobility Grants/Bursaries

Recommended university/college culture management courses

There are some university which are dealing with cultural management/arts management: Faculty of Humanities, FUDS, FDV, FF.

Recommended vocational and short-term culture management training: Science and Research Center of Koper, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training.

National Grants or Bursaries For Mobility: Leonardo da Vinci Karierni center, EVS MVA. If you're a student, check Erasmus Programme (Study and Traineeships exchange) with your faculty's international office. Sometimes also Embassies or Ministries are offering some grants. Ad Futura provides scholarships and grants for international mobility of students and researchers including Slovenes going abroad as well as foreigners coming to Slovenia.

Living

Coolest places: Slovenia is so small that I can definitely say that there are so many cool places to visit. It takes you 1 hour to the coast, 1 hour to the Alps, 1 hour to the flat eastern parts. There are also nice places to go out like Metelkova, KMŠ, Orto bar, Rog and various festivals and cultural events all over the country specially in summer. Don't miss wine tasting in one of the wine regions in Slovenia (there are plenty), Karst caves, Triglav national park, Pliskovica and Štanjel in Karst region, Soča valley (with one of the cleanest rivers in Europe).

Places to avoid: touristic places during summer time, long bank lines, old ugly mining towns, casinos, Tivoli park by night, big shopping malls.

Weather: hot summers, cold winters. Coastal region is also called Slovenian California because of it mild climate during the winter time. There is way too much fog in Ljubljana, so Primorska region still rules with its sunny days in the winter time! I'd say the weather is just right - a bit of everything for everyone, if you're thinking of living here. If you're a tourist: spring and summer! Also autumn for hiking maybe, beautiful colors in the mountains!The best time to visit is in April, May, June, September, October.

Budget airlines?: There are Easyjet and Ryainair flying to Ljubljana airport. But you can also fly with cheap air flights to Trieste and Treviso (Italy) or to Graz (Austria) from where you can catch up a train or bus for Slovenia.

What to eat and drink: special Slovenian dishes: jota, white polenta with fried prosciutto, over Mura moving cake, čufti, žlikrofi, bograč, frika, traditional cake "potica, Bled kremšnita, salty cottage cheese from Bovec with boiled potatoes. Slovenian Coca Cola is called Cockta, red wines from Goriška Brda region, white wine from eastern Slovenia wine region, liquor made out of blueberries and Teran wine. A lot of people are making home made alcoholic drinks.

Cost of living examples:

A Beer: €0.90 (supermarket), from €1.80 - €3 (bars). When we got Euro, prices went up enormously.

A Cappuccino: from €1 - €2. There is not good cappuccino east of Postojna.

A liter of milk: €0.80

Renting a 2 bedrooms apartment in an average town: €400-€600

Personal experience/views

Slovenia is nice country to visit. It is still not so overcrowded with tourists. Slovenians are known as very closed people who are giving a big importance on materialistic things (it is better to have a good car than a flat). Slovenia was and still is mixed with Slovakia and has a shape of a chicken. Feel sLOVEnia and dare to visit it!