Slovenia’s Labour Ministry has put forward a proposal for changes to the Employment, Self-employment and Work of Foreigners Act that transpose EU law and allow for seasonal work of foreigners to be expanded to tourism and catering, according to the Slovenian News Agency (STA).

The proposed changes, which will be in public consultation until 6 February, expand seasonal work, which has until now been limited to agriculture and forestry, to the tourism and hospitality sectors, amid staff shortages.

The proposal transposes the EU directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. It reduces the minimal required duration of contract for highly qualified employment from one year to six months. The proposal would also change the wage for a highly qualified foreign employee from 1.5 times the average gross wage to at least the average gross wage as published in the Official Gazette.

The Labour Ministry would also allow foreigners residing in Slovenia for reasons other than work to be employed on the basis of a temporary residence permit and information sheet issued by the Employment Service. The proposal also envisions a new register of employers who have been sanctioned for labour law offences.