A new study on the experiences of foreigners from African countries shows that Slovakia attracts people with its safety and quality of life, but barriers related to language, bureaucracy, and access to services remain significant.
Slovakia is no longer just a transit country. An increasing number of people from third countries are coming to Slovakia with the intention to stay, study and work. This was shown by research conducted by the Institute for Forecasting of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), in cooperation with the civic association Mareena. The research was presented at a joint event Experiences of Migrants from Third Countries in Access to Social Rights: Challenges of Intersectoral Cooperation in Integration, which took place on 13 November 2025 at the Old Lyceum in Bratislava.
“Slovakia is experiencing a migration transition, becoming a country with a rapidly growing rate of immigration. Within this, migrants from third countries already play a dominant role,” stated Lucia Mýtna Kureková from the Institute for Forecasting of SAS. “Social rights are a key aspect of integration policy, whether it concerns access to healthcare, the education system, housing or services,” she added.
The research provides a detailed insight into the experiences of Africans living in Slovakia. Most of them have higher education and came for studies or work. They perceive Slovakia as a safe country with good opportunities for education and employment. They also appreciate the quality of life and a safe environment. At the same time, however, they point to significant barriers to integration — especially the lack of Slovak language courses, complicated administrative procedures and limited access to healthcare. The research showed that the quality and availability of integration services are an important factor in migrants’ decisions to remain in the country.
“People who have decided to live in Slovakia want to contribute to its development and be part of it. But without systemic support, it won’t work,” says Marta Králiková, Project Development Manager at Mareena. “In Slovakia, we are gradually moving towards considering a long-term vision of integration, in which foreigners will feel accepted and involved in society.”
The event organized by Mareena and the Institute for Forecasting of SAS connected experts from public institutions, local governments, the academic, non-profit and private sectors, as well as representatives of African communities. The discussions brought forward proposals on how to improve and more effectively interlink policies that affect the lives of people from third countries — from language education to employment opportunities. “This research is very important for us. It is also a way to communicate our challenges towards the government and to point out what works in integration and what does not,” said one of the event participants, originally from Nigeria.
The research is part of the international project PACES – Shaping Migration Decisions and Migration Policies in Times of Transformative Societal Change, which is implemented within the Horizon Europe programme and examines decision-making processes related to migration and their relationship to migration policies in Europe.
Selected research findings:
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More than two thirds of foreign nationals from African countries have a university degree,
with most coming to Slovakia for studies or work.
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They perceive Slovakia as safe and economically stable,
with a good quality of life and relatively good opportunities to obtain education.
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Among the biggest barriers to integration are
the lack of language courses and comprehensive integration services, insufficient access to healthcare and housing, as well as a high level of bureaucracy when obtaining permits for residence, studies, entrepreneurship and employment.
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Potential:
people coming from Africa represent a well-educated group that could contribute to social and economic development if provided with suitable conditions, particularly better access to social rights.
This project has received funding under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, grant agreement N 101094279. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
