Starting a business in Slovenia - what to do and what not to do to create a company. Pros and cons of immigration and life in Slovenia What kind of activity is little developed in Slovenia

On our website you can always find information about business in Slovenia, as well as how to start the procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Slovenia, what type of business to do without fear of investment risks, and to understand the intricacies of doing it in the country. Below you will find information about our new project - Turnkey Business in Slovenia.

A small country is a small sales market, just like a relatively small supply market. But this is a frightening circumstance only for those who dream of millions of ambitions. We are not one of them. And therefore, we live in Slovenia.

Besides our services for business immigration to Slovenia, we started our new direction - assistance in opening, developing, and doing business in this wonderful country - Slovenia.

We provide this service for those who:

has no real business experience
has his own business, but does not know the rules, the algorithm for starting a business in one direction or another in Slovenia, or does not want to do it himself
is located remotely, and also wants to remotely open or start his own direction in Slovenia.

The package also includes monitoring of the Slovenian market by business areas.

In order to understand whether your direction in Slovenia has a future, whether there are competitors in your industry, who they are, their prices, specialization, localization, etc., for all of the above, you need to monitor the market.

This is a rule for starting ANY business (unless, of course, you got it from your dad, who did everything a long time ago before you).

Our package consists of two parts:

Slovenia market analysis
Opening start-up project in Slovenia

For those who are absolutely confident in their future strengths, confident in the prospects and profitability of their direction, you can do without market analysis.

We also provide accounting services for maintaining your company in Slovenia.

If necessary and your desire, we can provide services for obtaining a work permit for your employee, as a key specialist for starting the production and technical process of your company in Slovenia and consulting the working personnel recruited by us here in Slovenia.

\u003d WHAT YOU GET \u003d

At the exit for you:

analysis of the Slovenian market industry in the planned business direction, the presence of competitors, pricing policy, addresses, geography, specialization, prospects of your direction in our opinion and based on the results of the market monitoring;
recruitment (including through the Slovenian Labor Exchange) with formalized employment contracts
selection of premises (office or production) with the conclusion of a lease agreement
monitoring prices for the required fixed assets
assistance in the selection and purchase of the necessary equipment
obtaining licenses and permits (if necessary)
provision of accounting support
marketing communications and positioning in the Slovenian market
organization of possible participation in exhibitions and presentations in neighboring countries
participation in project management, in the absence of the owner in Slovenia (additional option, discussed separately, depending on the project)

\u003d AT PRICES \u003d

Base Cost startup package - from 2500 euros ... What is included in the price is indicated above.

Of course, each project is individual and it is impossible to guess the cost "fork", someone needs to open a business in beekeeping, for example, become a beekeeper and know everything about this type of activity, someone to start a hotel business or open a construction company. Labor costs, responsibility, total workload in terms of time and analysis are different, respectively, and the final cost may be different.

That's why each project is calculated by us individually.

You can also use our additional services:

advice on setting up a business in Slovenia via skype - 30 € / 30min.
advice on starting a business in Slovenia at a personal meeting in Ljubljana - 60 € / 30min.
Analysis of the Slovenian market by planned activity (as a separate, independent part) - from 120 euros
providing a competent and inexpensive accountant for running your company in Slovenia - individually, depending on the volume of your company's document flow
assistance in doing business in Slovenia (subject to your location outside Slovenia) - the cost is calculated individually, based on the amount of work

Moving to Slovenia to open a business is becoming more and more popular among the residents of the CIS. This can be explained by the high standard of living in the country, and the prospect of becoming a full-fledged citizen of the EU, and, of course, by the loyalty of local authorities to investors. The ZagraNitsa portal will tell you why Slovenia is a profitable rate for business immigration, as well as the procedure for opening a business for foreigners

The law, as elsewhere, dictates that emigration to Slovenia needs justification. This is usually business, work, family reunion, or training. Slovenia attracts foreigners because it is a developed European republic with a stable economy. In addition, there is a low level of unemployment and crime, high-quality modern infrastructure. It is not surprising that millions of foreign citizens come to the country every year, and first of all, the residents of the CIS.

Photo: Shutterstock

When planning to open a business in Slovenia and business immigration with family members, consider the key point: the cost of living.

Data:

Immigration to Slovenia, a Central European country, is a responsible decision. You must be prepared that your household costs will be higher, since the standard of living, and, accordingly, prices differ from the countries of the former Soviet Union. According to Eurostat, the price level in Slovenia is average compared to the rest of Europe: for example, prices for consumer goods and services reach 82% of the European average. For comparison, in the most expensive country in Europe - Switzerland - this figure is 149%, and in the cheapest - Macedonia - 47%

Having decided to open your own business in Slovenia, you will be pleasantly surprised by the lack of bureaucratic red tape. It will take 2 working days to complete the preliminary documentation. According to the law, there is no clearly prescribed deadline for when the company will appear in the court register of Ajpes.si, however, in most cases, 3-5 days after registration with the One Stop Shop.

In general, the process of starting a business in Slovenia can be divided into 5 stages:

Registration of primary documentation.
Registration of the company name.
Company registration in the One Stop Shop.
Opening a bank account with authorized capital.
Accounting start-up.

But before filling out the primary documentation, decide what kind of business you want to open in Slovenia. It only depends on you and your capabilities. Please note: to open a company, you must be in the country during the final stage.

At the first stage, starting a business involves preparing a package of Slovenian documents on the basis of which you register a company. Foreign founders and directors must obtain a Slovenian TIN (identification code). And please note right away: each founder must submit a certificate of no criminal record in Slovenia.

Photo: Shutterstock

If the founder is a natural person, to obtain a Slovenian TIN you will need:

a copy of the passport (page with name and surname), information about the address, date and place of birth;
the name of the company that will be registered.

Daria Golob-Koritnik, Head of Legal Department, Data:

The founder can be a legal entity. In this case, registration of a representative office of a foreign company or a new Slovenian company is required, the founder of which may be a legal entity. The parent company must obtain a Slovenian tax number. Registration of a representative office of a foreign company involves the following documents:

1) the original of the court extract (received no later than 3 months ago) or an extract from another official register on the registration of the parent company - with translation into Slovenian by an official court translator;

2) a copy of the passport and the address of the permanent residence of the person recorded by the owner of the parent company;

3) legal address, as well as a notarized permission to use the address from the owner of the real estate;

4) the name of the company to be registered in Slovenia;

5) some other papers

Now decide on the name of your business. Attention: if the name of the company matches the name of any other company in the register or strongly resembles it, the registering authority has the right to reject the application.

Daria Golob-Koritnik, Head of Legal Department, Data:

To book a company name, you must meet the following requirements:

1) the name must not contain the names and symbols of foreign states or international organizations;

2) the use of foreign letters is allowed;

3) the name of the country "Slovenia" and its derivatives (SLO, si), as well as abbreviations, names of the flag and coat of arms of the Republic of Slovenia are allowed only on the basis of the written permission of the government. This rule applies to the use of all words related to the country or local government (national, republican, municipal, etc.);

4) the given name, surname or pseudonym of a historical or famous person can only be used with his written consent. And if a person has already died, then with the permission of his close relatives up to the third generation or with the permission of the minister, whose competence includes the issuance of such documents

It goes without saying that the name of the company may not contain words and symbols that are contrary to law and morality, well-known trademarks or simply signs used by other owners, as well as elements of official marks.

Photo: Shutterstock

This is followed directly by registration. If earlier representatives by proxy could do everything for you, then at this stage the personal presence of all founders and directors is required. According to experts, the registration of an LLC (limited liability company, d.o.o. in Slovenian) will finally be completed within one week: when you receive a decision from the court register.

After the data appears in the court register, the opening of the company took place. The founder / director can now hire staff, sign contracts, pay bills, etc.

You will also need to open a temporary bank account and put on it a deposit of 7500 euros - the authorized capital of your company. At the bank, you will receive a certificate of deposit in your hands. It should be noted that the presence of the authorized capital is a prerequisite for registration. The capital is deposited on the day of registration, but this does not mean that the registration is complete: without the authorized capital, documents will not be considered in court.

Photo: Shutterstock

Opening a business in Slovenia is not so difficult, the main thing is to strictly adhere to the simple requirements of local legislation. Moreover, most of the stages can be completed remotely if you get qualified help. Remember that successfully registering your business in Slovenia is just the beginning. After it, you move on to the most important stage - obtaining a single work and residence permit in Slovenia, which is necessary for full-fledged immigration. After all, it is this document that opens the way to the cherished Slovenian residence permit!

You can get advice on business immigration to Slovenia from specialists

It is difficult to open your own business in Slovenia, but if you have a good idea, entrepreneurial ability and small start-up capital, you can try. You will be rewarded not only with an operating business, but also with a residence permit in a European state.

Slovenia cannot be called the most attractive country in the European Union from an economic point of view. Meanwhile, the idea of \u200b\u200bopening your own business here has its advantages, which attract foreign investors to Slovenia.

First of all, one can name the favorable geographical position of Slovenia - in fact, own business here opens an outlet to the entire southern Europe.

In addition, it is important that the tourism sector, as well as mechanical engineering and manufacturing, are at a fairly high level in Slovenia. Not reaching the level of Germany or the UK, Slovenia nevertheless shows better indicators of well-being than in the same Czech Republic or Slovakia, with which Slovenia is often confused.

We can also mention the fact that Slovenian legislation supports dual citizenship - but this may be interesting for novice businessmen only in the future. But a fairly simple procedure for registering a business, the flexibility of tax legislation - this is relevant from the very beginning.

On the other hand, there are two main disadvantages that a foreign businessman in Slovenia will inevitably have to face: firstly, relatively high prices for real estate, which BusinessTimes will write about in more detail in one of our upcoming materials, and secondly, a very small market of potential buyers if you focus only on residents of Slovenia itself. Therefore, it is better to think over the options for buying or renting real estate in advance, carefully study the market, look for possible exits to neighboring countries with Slovenia.

If everything is ready, and you want to start taking action, then you need to decide on the type of your enterprise. In Slovenia, the following options are most popular:

- Druzba z ormejeno odgovornostjo - d.o.o. - Limited Liability Company; The minimum authorized capital is 7.5 thousand euros.
- Delniska druzba - d.d. - Public corporation; Minimum share capital: 17 thousand euros;
- Druzba z neomejeno odgovornostjo - d.n.o. - Company with unlimited liability;
- Komanditna delniska druzba k.d.d. - Limited Liability Company for Shares;
- Branch of a foreign company;

As for what kind of business to open in Slovenia, here, as elsewhere, there are a lot of options - however, today foreigners in Slovenia prefer either to deal with real estate - i.e. buy and rent real estate, for example, by the sea. On the one hand, this is a good way to invest, on the other, it is a real business. Developed infrastructure, good roads only contribute to tourism in Slovenia - and this is the second direction popular with foreign businessmen in this country. In the field of tourism, foreigners open recreation centers, ski resorts, SPA salons. Organize group tourist tours, provide translators for tourists from their countries.

Finally, the third area in which foreign businessmen actively operate in Slovenia is transport services. Private carrier companies provide a variety of services here, and this is connected, of course, with the geographic location of the country.

As for registering your own business in Slovenia, this procedure consists of the following steps.

First, in the presence of a notary, you draw up the charter, determine the founders. The next step is to open an account with a Slovenian bank and deposit the authorized capital. Further - the paperwork for obtaining a TIN and VAT certificate, however, this, most often, can be done easier and faster with the help of intermediary companies. Finally, the final stage of registering your own business in Slovenia is entering the company into the register of Slovenian firms The whole procedure for registering a business in Slovenia takes from 20 days to 2 months.

Why has business in Slovenia been so attractive to Russians lately? There are several reasons for this phenomenon. Firstly, there is a chance to enter the European market at minimal cost. Secondly, there are no significant legislative obstacles.

And, finally, thirdly, entrepreneurial activity in this country has a wide range of directions.

Types and directions of business in Slovenia

So the main benefits are clear. But still, what types of businesses in this country bring their owners the maximum profit? Let's consider the main ones.

Purchase of real estate for the purpose of subsequent rental
business from scratch: purchase of a land plot for the further construction of real estate for business

Business areas in Slovenia are also abundant. For example:

tourism
farm
catering establishments
restaurants, bars
the shops
and much more.

As you can see, there are a lot of options. But what should you choose in the end, which investments in Slovenia will be the most profitable? It is worth dwelling on this issue in more detail.

Buy or rent a business?

The question is complex and has many nuances. Of course, owning real estate is good, but not every novice entrepreneur can financially afford such a purchase. So, it is better to postpone such a huge waste. But you can rent, for example, a prestigious hotel with a restaurant, located in a convenient location not far from the city center and close to the highway and a shopping center.

Or another option - an office located in a prestigious area on the sixth floor of the building. There is parking, a shared kitchen, a toilet and a meeting room. Suitable for advertising and design agencies, as well as companies focused on multimedia and information technology, programming. But if you have enough funds, it is better to buy a business. There are at least two reasons for this:

do not have to depend on the mood of the landlord, who can suddenly raise the lease or arrange another, no less unpleasant surprise
own real estate can increase the attractiveness of a business in the eyes of lenders and investors.

What ready-made business to choose for purchase? It depends on many factors, ranging from financial capabilities and ending with the degree of understanding of various types of business. It is worth considering a few specific examples here before making the final choice.

A good option would be an alpine chalet-style guest house. Location - Vogel ski resort. The last major overhaul of the building took place in 2016, at the moment the object is in excellent condition. This ski house has 3 floors and an attic. The room is designed for a maximum of 40 guests, rooms with a capacity from doubles to rooms for 14 people.

Or another option is a farm tourism facility, a tavern or a small hotel. On the first floor there is a dining room, a kitchen and a bar counter, on the second there is another dining room, toilets and a bathroom, a staff room, an office and a few more rooms that can be converted into anything. From the outside, the building also looks great: there are benches and wooden tables for guests, a playground for children. All infrastructure is nearby.

In addition, buying a catering establishment would be a good option. A restaurant near the Ljubljanica river is perfect for this purpose. The city's main attractions are close to this stylish and sophisticated establishment. The last renovation was carried out quite recently - in 2016. Indeed, this object is a good purchase for both an experienced and a novice businessman.

So, the options for buying or renting a ready-made business have been considered. But what if you start from scratch?

Buying land for business

Land is a resource from which you can extract resources in a variety of ways. Which of these methods can be used for business in Slovenia?

Leasing a land plot
use of the site as a place for the purchase, storage and resale of goods
creation of a place for recreation and ecotourism
trade on site
organization of own production
breeding animals or growing crops.

Take creating a vacation spot for example. A good option for this would be a building plot with a beautiful view of Savudrija and the sea. The surface is perfectly flat, the shape of the site is in the form of a rectangle. The entrance is covered with asphalt, there are all the necessary communications.

For the construction of sports and tourism facilities, as well as recreation, another place is suitable. At the moment, a detailed municipal territorial planning is being developed, which will cover such facilities as gyms and lecture halls, catering, cosmetic and medical centers, and much more.

With regard to agriculture, you can purchase a plot with already planted agricultural crops. For example, land with a fertile olive grove (250 liters of oil per year) and a vineyard (200 liters of wine per year). The plot has a basement with an outbuilding above it. The city of Koper is located a few kilometers from the site, the highway is 1 km away.

Where to stop in the end?

Slovenia is a fertile place, both for starting a business and for continuing an existing business. It's hard to say which is better and which is worse. It all depends only on your wishes and financial capabilities.

We have been living in Slovenia for over three years. And every year the impressions of the country changed. In the first year of life (I don't even take a couple of months spent here as an example) you look at everything through the prism of a tourist. It's like a long vacation - new impressions, acquaintances, living conditions. As a rule, this inspires everyone and makes it possible not to notice any everyday inconveniences. On this wave, I wrote the post “”. It is still relevant today, but only as one of the sides of the medal - solid pluses, which at that time clearly prevailed over minuses. And the disadvantages, of course, are present in each country, it is another matter how significant they are specifically for you.

Let me remind you that we got to the country without spending a large amount of money. This factor allows us to more objectively judge the pros and cons of living in Slovenia, in contrast to business immigrants, who are often in no hurry to take off those same tourist glasses for at least the first three years. It's like buying an expensive car, a person tends to convince others and himself that it was the best choice possible. :) Let's just say that we got this “car” for nothing, so we can openly say what we like about it and what we don't.

Recently, for obvious reasons, the topic of immigration has gained another round of development in society. Many people write to me, they ask a lot of questions. And since now the Internet is replete with advertising-glossy articles about Slovenia, often with distorted, and sometimes really inaccurate facts. That prompted me to take up my pen again and leave my essay on the pros and cons of life in Slovenia.

As Russia cannot be judged by Moscow, so Slovenia by Ljubljana.Considering the difference in scale alone, it is generally incorrect to compare Russia with Slovenia. :) For comparison, any Russian region is well suited. For example, I will take my own - Volgograd.
Area: Slovenia - 20 thousand km², Volg. Region. - 113 thousand km²
Population: Slovenia - 2.04 million people, Volg. Region. - 2, 57 million people
Population: Ljubljana -274.8 thousand people , Volgograd. - 1,019 thousand people

1. So, in Ljubljana life is in full swing, just like in Volgograd. People from the provinces come here to work, and if they have enough education and experience, they are looking for a good job in Moscow in Germany, Austria and other Western European countries. Salaries in many areas are similar to those in Volgograd, approaching the level of St. Petersburg, but not catching up with Moscow. The unemployment rate in Slovenia in 2014 is 9.7%, in Russia - 5.4% (I did not find adequate indicators for the Volga region - perhaps they are slightly higher than the average for Russia). Finding a job without knowing the local language is extremely problematic. If you are moving to the country on a business visa, then for the first two years you have the right to work only in your “company”.Many people ask me a question about the average monthly costs in Slovenia. Costs depend on your requests, needs and capabilities. I can only say that they are higher than those in Volgograd, but lower on average in Europe. Estimated monthly costs can be estimated based on average prices.

Do not forget about economiccrisis in the country. Of course, it will not affect your income if your business is outside the borders of Slovenia, but in general it affects society. Especially for the public sector, over the past years, funding has been severely cut in the fields of education, health care, police, etc. But every cloud has a silver lining! Slovenia is pleased to welcome investors into its land. Moreover, relative to other European countries, they are quite accessible to ordinary citizens. As a foreigner, you can easily open a legal entity and, on this basis, obtain a residence permit. Just do not confuse a residence permit with an EU blue card, these are completely different things.

2. Education... Of course, you will not find schools in foreign languages \u200b\u200bin Volgograd. :) Slovenia has the following choice: English (paid) - only in Ljubljana, in the northern part of the country - German (state), in the east - Hungarian (state), in Primorye - Italian (state) The advantage of foreign schools over Slovenian questionable, since immigrants often give their children in them - and these are not always wealthy business immigrants from Russia, but also immigrants from the former Yugoslavia and Albania. Nevertheless, living in Primorye, we tend to the Italian school, so that the child knows Italian like a native. IMHO, learning the language spoken by people less than the entire population of the Volga. region - extremely unpromising.There are three state universities and a couple of institutes throughout Slovenia. In the Volga region. there are more higher educational institutions. The rating of Slovenian educational institutions in Europe is correlated with the rating of Volgograd universities in Moscow. But with a local education, your chances of getting scholarships at various universities in Europe increase.

3. There is only one international airport in Slovenia, the nearest major airports - in Venice, Munich, Vienna - help out. As a resident of the Slovenian republic, the Schengen borders are open for you as a tourist. There is a possibility travelin Europe by car, the roads allow you to drive with comfort, but the prices for gasoline, toll roads and hotels bite. By this I want to say that local immigrants do not travel around Europe every day, they also go on vacations, spending about the same money as Muscovites. Volgograd residents, and other regions of Russia, of course, are more difficult and expensive in this regard.

But you don't have to go far to get some rest! Slovenia itself -. Despite the fact that its dimensions are smaller than the Volga region, here you will find the sea, mountains, castles, and baths. Undoubtedly, there are picturesque corners in Volgograd, but often they are so abandoned, littered, without any infrastructure, that sometimes it is simply dangerous to rest there. Slovenes, on the other hand, cherish and cherish every piece of their land. And given their passion for outdoor activities, here you can find amenities for almost all sports.

4. Cultural life - it is difficult to give an objective assessment, everyone has their own needs. For me, she also approaches the Volgograd, especially in Primorye. There are very few museums, various concerts are periodically held, but world stars do not reach here. In Primorye, especially during the tourist season, they like to organize various festivals from farmers' to informal ones. Everything is very cultural - perhaps this is the most important difference from the city holidays in the Volga. region :) In big cities (do not forget that for Slovenia this is a city with a population of 20 thousand people) there are municipal communities for different segments of the population, here they take care of the leisure of disabled people and pensioners. But there are few circles for preschool children, apparently children's leisure is almost completely shifted to the shoulders of the kindergarten. The average cost of which is 400 euros per month. per person, excluding social help. In Primorye, you will not find, for example, a drawing mug for a child of 4-6 years old. Although in a certain city of Kalach-on-Don, similar in number to the city of Koper (about 25 thousand people), there may also not be such a circle, but I am afraid that this is the only thing that will unite these two cities.

5. Blurred boundaries between social classes... Here, too, everyone decides for himself whether it is a minus or a plus. Here are some examples.You hire a cleaning company to clean your home weekly. The cleaning lady comes to your audi. Many former compatriots ask themselves: how is it possible to wash the floors and drive the same car as mine? Someone is jarred, someone is surprised. In fact, the cleaning lady is the owner of the very cleaning company in which she herself works and earns good money. In local restaurants, you will often find the owner of the establishment personally serving the guests. In general, such examples are common. Houses with a sea view are not only owned by wealthy businessmen, mostly ordinary citizens live in these houses, who inherit these houses from generation to generation.

Paid clinics, as a separate class, are practically absent. That is, even if you do not intend to wait a month in line to see some specialist and are willing to pay for an appointment, you will get to the same doctor as ordinary mortals. The same applies to the wards in the hospital - they are distributed on general terms. Fashion, brands, luxury are so ephemeral here. In Ljubljana, you may still be able to show off clothes and a bag from a couturier, but in Primorye, most likely you will go unnoticed. And, of course, in Slovenia, the laws are the same for all citizens, and this fact is unlikely to be changed by rustling bills. In general, if the label of the elite is important to you, then you better go to Volga Oblast. :)

6. Market real estatein Slovenia is. It is very difficult to sell something. In Primorye, there have been completed, but empty whole residential complexes for several years. Prices are overpriced, but no one plans to lower them. Someone explains this by the low level of debt of the population, someone from the state support of construction companies. I will not say anything, but the fact remains that people have been selling their apartments and houses for years.

Another important point - not having Slovenian citizenship, you can purchase real estate only for a legal entity. You can ask the price at nepremicnine.net and bolha.com/nepremicnine, a google translator will help you.

Renting a home is a widespread phenomenon, while in Slovenia, no one will demand proof of solvency, recommendations from previous landlords, a guarantor, etc., which is found in the United States and major European cities. It's easy to rent an apartment by yourself, without intermediaries.

7. The main difference between the Russian medicinefrom the European, in my opinion, this is the initial approach to the patient: in Russia, by default, each of us is sick with something, we just need to find and prescribe as many different medicines as possible. In Europe, by default, everyone is healthy, and for all your "and here I am, and yesterday I, but ..." there is always an answer - this is normal, and in most cases you will be prescribed only paracetamol. How long we live here we constantly come across conflicting reviews about local medicine. Someone extremely praises and recommends, and someone,say childbirth or he goes to his homeland to do serious operations - to Russia or Kazakhstan.

From my experience, comparing it not with Moscow, but, as you might guess, with the Volgograd region, I can say that hospitals and clinics are not close in terms of equipment and comfort, even with paid clinics or separate wards in Volgograd. There are probably queues for an appointment in Africa as well, apparently without them the doctors can do nothing, as well as without their signature handwriting. :) The qualification of doctors, IMHO, is a purely human factor. But in general, in Slovenia it is difficult to face rudeness, inadequacy, not to mention the expectation of cognac as a token of gratitude for fulfilling their duties.

But not without a fly in the ointment. The healthcare system is set up in such a way that if you do not have an emergency, then you will have to expect from a month to a year to see most specialists, even if you have additional insurance (32 Euro per month per person). For a separate fee (the first appointment is on average 50 Euro) you can get there much faster, but even here you often have to wait a week or two.

8. Very often, the advantage of immigration to Slovenia is the common slavic roots, similar language, mentality and lack of Arab immigrants. I will dispel some myths.Slovenian is possibly the most distant from Russian of the Slavic group. Therefore, do not expect that upon arrival you will in any way understand the locals. You will come across familiar words, mostly in written form, since they sound by ear with unusual intonation, stress, ending, and often have a completely different meaning than you expected. But having a two-year residence permit, you can go to free Slovenian language courses. Until then, you can use English, here it is quite widespread.

To the account immigrants, then where is without them. There are more and more Russians every year. :) Yes, there are practically no refugees from Arab countries here, they usually tend to richer EU countries. Therefore, the main flow of immigrants to Slovenia comes from the countries of the former Yugoslavia and Albania. There are also Muslims among them, which you will certainly notice when meeting women with their heads covered. Also, after some time, you yourself will begin to distinguish, say, the Bosnians from the crowd. When communicating with the locals, you will learn that the residents of Primorye and Ljubljans do not burn with love for each other. In general, the attitude towards Russians is normal: without much sympathy as in Serbia, without hostility as in Germany. But for the locals you will always be non-local, and at school your children will remain “Russian”. Slovenia is a rather conservative country, on the other hand, people here are not angry. And if in the Volga region, where a neighbor sharpens a grudge against a neighbor, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Caucasians are second-class people and everyone is ready to drive them in the neck, forgetting that most of these non-Russians have long been citizens of Russia. Then, in Slovenia, tolerance awaits you, which will also be expected of you.

9. Safety- this is one of the main reasons why we value life in Slovenia. In my opinion, it is not the police and the military who stand behind security in society, but such an important tool as freedom of speech in the state. Without this freedom, there is no need to be held accountable for what you have done. This in turn leads to impunity andlawlessness ... And if Russia takes 148th place inworld ranking among 180 countries, then Slovenia - 34. And even if this whole small country is comparable in area to only one Russian region, but here is a relative order.

Freedom of speech is reflected not only in the media, but also in everyday things. For example, everyone can talk about what they think is wrong and at the same time not be afraid to get a hat. To do this, you do not need to prove something to someone, you can simply tell about your suspicions to the relevant authorities - by calling, writing a letter or anonymously filling out a form on the state website. The necessary ministries themselves will check and, if necessary, prove. Remember this if you are in a hurry to receive financial assistance from the state while buying a house, or if you want to “thank” someone for a service somewhere. Do not forget that in Slovenia, almost every city is a village. Everyone knows each other, every second is a brother or matchmaker to the first. Perhaps that's why you find safety here.

10. Many intermediary firms, attracting customers, promise you with design slovenian residence permitget and the opportunity to live and work in other EU countries. From my experience I can assure you that it is extremely difficult. Firstly, if social benefits in the form of public health care, kindergartens and schools are not alien to you, then you will have to use these benefits in the country of which you are a resident - i.e. in Slovenia. Secondly, to obtain a permanent residence permit, you need to live in the last five years most of the year in Slovenia. And thirdly, to work in other EU countries, you will also need a work permit for a specific country. But there is a clear advantage of the Slovenian permanent residence, over the permanent residence, say in Germany or the Netherlands - while receiving permanent residence in Slovenia, you have no restrictions on living or working in a particular country.

11. Moderate climate Slovenia can be divided into maritime and continental. In Primorye, winters are warmer, sunnier andwindy than in other regions of the country. On the other hand, in Ljubljana and other northern regions it is not so hot in summer and the surroundings are buried in greenery. High air humidity is the cause of mold in houses, not excluding the Primorsky Territory. This should be borne in mind when choosing a home. Natural disasters in Slovenia are met: floods, hail, freezing rain, forest fires and earthquakes. I have a special relationship with the latter. When we considered the possibility of immigration to New Zealand, for me the main disadvantage of this country was the high seismicity. And when we moved to Slovenia, we did not know about a similar minus. Earthquakes have destroyed Ljubljana several times. The last strong earthquake (9 points) occurred in the capital of Slovenia in 1895. Personally, we ourselves, having lived in Primorye for more than three years, have experienced tremors twice. But natural disasters are inevitable anywhere in the world. Another thing is how the state is ready to help its citizens in difficult times. So far we have not heard negative reviews about local rescue operations, and ordinary people are proactive in helping fellow citizens.

This is where I, perhaps, will end my review of the pros and cons of living in Slovenia. It is clear that how many people - so many opinions. In any case, I hope that people who are thinking about immigration to Slovenia will find it interesting and useful to learn not only about the advantages, but also the difficulties that they may have to face.

UPD From January 1, 2015, a new law regarding family reunification of foreigners on a work visa comes into force, as well as business immigration. Those. now the holder of a work permit in Slovenia will be able to reunite with his family only after a year. But the tightening of immigration policy in Slovenia does not end there either. Have national governmentsat the last stage of approval there is still another draft law, which provides for the compulsory employment of three Slovenes in a company and has a positive balance. The estimated date of its entry into force is also 1 January 2015, but given the current political crisis in Slovenia, the dates may be shifted.

I do not provide services for obtaining a residence permit, permanent residence and obtaining citizenship in Slovenia. However, I can tell my friends what you can save on and what you should pay attention to when applying for a business immigration. Write to [email protected]

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