Jobseekers in Slovakia are entitled to apply for a contribution towards running a self-employed business.

The allowance for self-employment may be provided by the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family for partial reimbursement of costs related to the operation of self-employment to a jobseeker registered at the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, who:

1.) has been registered in the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family´s register of jobseekers for at least three months;

2.) is registered in the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family´s register for jobseekers for at least 12 months if, in the period of 6 months before inclusion in the registration, the jobseeker suspended or ceased to operate self-employment;

3.) will be a self-employed person who will operate a trade according to the Trade Business Act or will carry out agricultural production, including forest management;

4.) will apply for the contribution in writing and

5.) will operate the self-employment continuously for at least two years.

The maximum contribution is €7,534.48 in less developed regions and €5,650.86 in developed regions. The Office grants a maximum of 60 % of the amount of the allowance within 30 calendar days from the date of conclusion of the agreement on the grant of the allowance and the remaining part of the allowance, i.e. a maximum of 40 % of the amount of the allowance, is granted by the Office to the recipient of the allowance after the submission of the first report on the operation of the self-employment and the use of the allowance granted after 12 months of the operation of the Self-employment.

For each year of self-employment during the two years of continuous self-employment, the recipient of the allowance must submit a report on the operation of the self-employment and the use of the allowance provided. The allowance may be re-granted at the earliest after the expiry of eight years from the commencement of the operation of the self-employment for which the citizen has been granted an allowance.