Slovenia does not expect Bulgarian and Romanian nationals to flood the country in search for jobs after it opened its labour market to the pair of new EU entrants on 1 January. Slovenia has so far attracted only a few Bulgarian and Romanian workers; last year their numbers stood at 109 and 466, respectively.
The national Employment Service data shows that while only 80 Bulgarian nationals and 116 Romanian citizens worked in Slovenia in 2002, their numbers increased to 109 and 466, respectively, in 2006.
In the meantime, their numbers fluctuated. While 142 Bulgarian and 112 Romanian workers were registered in Slovenia in 2003, their number dropped to 74 and 104, respectively in 2004, but rose to 91 and 143, respectively, in 2005.
Most of Bulgarian and Romanian workers stay in Slovenia for less then a year, working mainly in construction, metal industry and farming, according to officials at the Employment Service.
The Ministry of Labour, the Family and Social Affairs does not think the liberalisation of the labour market for Bulgarian and Romanian workers will cause any major disturbance on the market, but it has nevertheless agreed with trade unions and employers to step up control and to regularly monitor their employment.
Data show foreign workers had a total of 50,700 different work permits last year. Slovenian employers still seek mainly workers from the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
These held a total of nearly 47,000 work permits last year. The majority of them, 26,000, were from Bosnia-Herzegovina, followed by citizens of Montenegro (about 8,000 permits), Croatia (about 7,200) and Macedonia (around 4,700).
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