A small country in the heart of Europe, Slovenia is where the Alps, the Dinaric area, the Pannonian plain and the Mediterranean meet.
Officially declared independent in 1991, Slovenia is today a young country of approximately 2 million inhabitants bordering with Austria, Croatia, Italy and Hungary. Its independence from the former Yugoslavia was considered relatively bloodless compared to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The history of this small country dates back to as far as 623 AD when a kingdom was established between Lake Balaton (now Hungary) and the Mediterranean Sea. In the 8th century, the territory fell under the Frankish Empire before it became the independent duchy of Carantania under Holy Roman Emperor Otto I.
From 1335 until 1918, the Slovenes were mostly governed by the Habsburg Empire. After World War I, Slovenia, along with Serb and Croatia became unified under what was then called the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.
12 years later, during World War II, Germany, Hungary, and Italy divided the Slovene territory among themselves. In spite of forced transfers of populations during the war, since 1945 most Slovenes have lived in the Slovenian republic.
In April 1990, the country held its first multiparty elections in Yugoslavia since World War II, a result that ultimately lead to the call for independency in June 1991. In May 2004, Slovenia joined the European Union, a couple of months after it had joined Nato.
Slovenia is geographically located in the centre of Europe. Its beautiful and varied landscape attracts tourists to the country both during the winter and the summer.
Only half the size of Switzerland, Slovenia has some 46 km of seacoast, and majestic mountains perfect for all sorts of winter activities. Slovenia is also known for its increasingly popular wine production and delicious traditional food.
Traditionally considered the most liberal republic and most prosperous region within the former Yugoslavian Federation, Slovenia has managed to make a smooth transition towards democracy and market economy.
Joining the European Union in 2004, Slovenia was the first and only state of the former Yugoslavian republics to be in the first wave of candidates for membership. The country’s economic growth has been stable over the last eight years and its GDP is substantially higher than the other Central-European transitioning countries.
Its strategic location between the eastern and western part of Europe, Slovenia plays an increasingly important role in the Balkan region. The country enjoys strong trade and cooperation links with Germany, Italy, France and Austria.
Tourism is one of the country’s major industries with fascinating natural attractions such as the Postojna Caves and the beautiful Bled and Bohinj lakes located by the foot of the Alps.
Main exports include machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, footwear, furniture and other household goods. It has a high level of trade integration with the EU, whith approximately 59% of the export going to other EU countries and 68% of the imports coming from the EU.
Slovenia’s recent admission to both the European Union and Nato, will only contribute to strengthen the country’s important role between east and west. Its pictoresque capital, Ljubljana, is one of of Europe’s smallest capitals, but nevertheless an important cultural and historic point of reference in the Balkan region.
Among the sites of interest are the Ljubljana Castle, built over a thousand years ago, the Philharmonic dating from 1701 and the hundred year old opera house. Slovenia’s oldest festival, The Ljubljana Festival, takes place in the summer every year and attracts thousands of visitors from Slovenia and abroad.
To meet the needs of the growing international community this city has invested in good educational facilities for the expat community which is expected to grow in the near future.
Prepare and Plan Visit
In this initial contact the Relocation Coordinator will brief the Transferee, introducing destination services commissioned, and provide access codes to HTLC Network on-line City-Specific Resource Guides. In addition, the Relocation Coordinator will help the Transferee assess personal and family’s housing needs, as well as their hopes and plans for the sojourn in your new destination. The Transferee will be asked to fill out a Personal Needs Analysis Form, which will enable customized service delivery. After gaining a sense of the Transferee’s needs, the Relocation Coordinator will arrange appointments with schools and real estate agents, an appointment will be set up with one of the Local Counsellors for a city briefing and a programme will be finalised for accompanied property and school viewings.
Airport Pickup and Greeting The Transferee and family will be met at the airport by a Local Counsellor and accompanied to designated hotel.
Destination Country and City Information
The Transferee will be given a briefing on the local city and life in your new destination in general, and will be encouraged to ask any questions. An Information Pack on the destination city will be provided. This Pack includes an information sheet with the HTLC Network office and Local Counsellor contact information and emergency telephone numbers. Further, it includes a city and transport map as well as a hard copy of HTLC Network own City-Specific Resource Guide, which contains a wealth of information such as telephone access codes, English-speaking doctors and expatriate clubs. When available, a copy of the English Yellow Pages, local English language periodicals and other relevant information will also be included in the Information Pack.
City by Zone Tour
The purpose of this tour is to familiarise the Transferee with selected areas of the city and type of housing and amenities available, in order to be better prepared to select the neighbourhood most suitable for personal and family needs. The City By Zone Tour is often delivered in conjunction with a house hunting programme.
International Schooling The Transferee will be briefed on educational opportunities in the area. The Relocation Coordinator will schedule appointments at the selected schools, and the Local Counsellor will accompany the Transferee to pre-arranged appointments although the appointments will be privately held between the Transferee and school administrators. Where possible, the Relocation Coordinator will organise enrolment procedure and arrange for company invoicing.
Full-Day Househunting Programme Following an in-depth briefing by the Relocation Coordinator a programme of property viewings will be arranged. The Local Counsellor will accompany the Transferee to pre-arranged viewings of up to eight properties.
Two-Day Househunting Programme Following an in-depth briefing by the Relocation Coordinator a programme of property viewings will be arranged. The Local Counsellor will accompany the Transferee to pre-arranged viewings of up to fifteen properties.
Lease Negotiation After the Transferee has selected a property, the Relocation Coordinator will negotiate lease conditions with the real estate agency or landlord according to The national destination law. HTLC Network coordinator will prepare a contract that ensures legal protection for the client. Particular attention is given to include a break clause, as international assignments often change in duration and the aim is to give maximum flexibility within the limits of the national destination law.
Property Inspection and Inventory Once the lease has been signed, a thorough property inspection is taken in the presence of the Transferee. This includes an inventory of any furnishings, general condition of the property, and meter readings for utility contracts.
Utility Connections, Phone Line and Bank Account The Relocation Coordinator will arrange all utility and telephone connections, and a Local Counsellor will accompany the Transferee to open a bank account in the selected area.
Settling-In Assistance The Local Counsellor will spend time with the Transferee and family, assisting with requested elements of the relocation process, such as arranging language training, obtaining a satellite decoder or internet service provider, shopping for furniture or securing house contents insurance. Duration of this service depends on various company authorizations.
Car Purchase or Lease The Relocation Coordinator will brief the Transferee on the logistics of making an automobile purchase and will research reputable dealers in the area. The Local Counsellor will accompany the Transferee to dealers and act as a translator. Once the Transferee has made the selection, HTLC Network will take care of necessary documentation including insurance cover. For long-term rental HTLC Network will advise local availability of this service.
If the Transferee requests, and is eligible, the Local Counsellor will assist with National Health Registration. City hall registration is a separate service and if authorizied, HTLC Network will assist with the whole bureaucratic procedure at the relative cityhall.
Ongoing Phone Support The HTLC Network support Helpline is available to all Transferees for 90 days from date of property contract signing. Extensions to this Helpline can be added in periods of three months.
Car Importation Importation of car to your new destination, including full document assistance and re-registration with Vehicle registry.
Full Assignment Tracking Full tracking of all deadlines throughout duration of the Transferees international assignment, notification given of all scheduled renewal dates, such as housing contracts, Permit of Stay and Work Permits. Ad Hoc Services Service rendered both from back and front office is available on an hourly and daily basis.
Immigration procedures and requirements vary greatly from country to country. Documents requested from applicants depend on the citizenship of the individual applying and the status he wishes to obtain in the destination country, be it authorisation to work, authorisation for accompanying family members, tourist or study visas, temporary or permanent residency status.
• HTLC Network has been selected by many International Law and Immigration Firms as well as Global Relocation Companies to represent them exclusively for immigration
• We work closely with the relevant governmental and police authorities in each country
• Our Immigration Team are experts in immigration laws and keep abreast of changing requirements and procedures
• We prepare all documentation for HR, all you have to do is print out and sign
• We inform the Transferee which specific documents are required , which translations must be obtained and if these must be legalised
• We provide HR and Transferees with information on the process flow, timing and specific legal requirements of each destination
• We update all parties involved regularly as to the status of the application
• Whenever possible, we act with a Power of Attorney on behalf of the company and the Transferee; when the Transferee’s presence is required, he will be accompanied to the relevant office in the destination city
• Our Local Counsellors, residents and locals of the destination city, are able to present the all prepared documentation to the relevant offices in person; thus speeding up the process and ensuring an efficient service
For more info about our immigration services in Slovenia please contact our marketing department at: firstname.lastname@example.org
Ljubljana became the capital of Slovenia after the second World War, and quickly established itself as the cultural, educational and economic centre of the country. Located between castle hill and the Ljubljanica river, Ljubljana is a combination of Italian baroque and Art Noveau architecture that came about after a devastating earthquake in 1895. Today, Ljubljana is a romantic city with bridges adorning the river and small streets with sidewalk cafes and streets filled with performers during the summer months.
Due to its pleasant climate, Slovenia and Ljubljana in particular, are one of the few places in Europe where you can actually go skiing and swimming in the same day! However, Ljubljana is first and foremost known for its culture. It is home to one of the world’s oldest philharmonic orchestras and hosts over ten international festivals every year.
Unfurnished properties usually only come with a furnished kitchen and a bathroom. A semi-furnished property comes with a furnished kitchen, a bathroom with a bathtub, a furnished bedroom, as well as some basic furniture in the rest of the house. A fully furnished property, which is the most common property available in Slovenia, comes with all the standard furniture one would expect to find in a fully furnished property. Appliances such as dish washers and tumble dryers may also be included, however, these are not standard appliances.
Note that in Slovenia the bathroom and the toilet are usually located in two small, separate, adjacent rooms.
Normally, rents are usually negotiable, especially in the case where the rent is paid six months to a year in advance. With regards to furniture, landlords are normally quite flexible, adding or removing items of furniture according to the tenant’s requirements.
A property can normally only be secured by signing the actual property contract and paying a deposit (normally the equivalent of one month’s rent). Payment of a few months’ rent in advance can also secure the property in some cases.
This depends on the Relocation Package you have; Our Basic Package includes 8 properties and our Extended Package includes 15 properties. You will be told at the outset how many properties you will be shown or how much time you have available to do the house hunting. The properties provided will be as close to your ‘Needs Analysis’ description as possible according to what is available on the market at the time.
Besides the rent and the deposit, the real estate agency usually takes one month’s rent as their fee – the tenant pays this. The property contract must also be registered at the appropriate office, although this should be done by the landlord and at his expense. For tax evasion purposes, this registration tends to be ‘forgotten’ by the landlord. However, tenants who are not Slovenian citizens should insist on having it registered and stamped, as it is required in order to obtain a Permit of Stay.
All the expenses related to consumption (heating, electricity, water, telephone etc.) are separate from the rent, as well as any condominium expenses (cleaning and lighting of the shared areas, elevator etc.).
Once the property is selected, HTLC Network will negotiate on your behalf. Once an agreement has been reached, a legally valid contract is prepared. An appointment is arranged for the tenant (or company representative) and landlord to sign the contract. The contract is read through and HTLC Network’ Local Counsellor will translate as necessary.
All the copies of the contract should then be signed. As soon as you enter the apartment, we will arrange a thorough inventory/property inspection together with the landlord and your Local Counsellor.
Provided that the property and any furnishings are returned in the state in which they were initially rented, or the tenant leaves the property before the initial agreement, Emc Network will be able to negotiate the return of the deposit for you.
The landlord is always responsible for the major upkeep of the property. It is however, the tenant’s duty to inform the landlord immediately about any repairs that need to be carried out. In the case of misuse, or deliberate damage of the property, unless otherwise stated in the contract, the tenant will be held responsible for the expenses incurred.
Yes, provided that the landlord agrees to the work.
HTLC Network will ensure a diplomatic break clause is inserted into the contract for the protection of the tenant. In the contract it is often possible to include a notice period even as short as 1 month. In cases where the tenant has paid the rent for several months in advance, there is no guarantee that rent that has been paid will be reimbursed.
This depends on the property and on the real estate agency. Normally, expenses besides the actual property price incurred include VAT (20 %) and real estate commissions, which are usually between 2-4 %. The real estate commission is usually split between the seller and the buyer.
There is also a 2% transaction tax for the selling of any property and additional costs for lawyers and paper work. An additional tax is added to new properties or properties resold within a few years.
– Electricity, water and gas according to consumption (for electricity, you have two different rates – these are determined by the time of the day in which you use the electricity).
– Condominium (based on the number of people living in the apartment and/or the size of the apartment) including the garbage tax, cleaning of the stairs, etc.
– There is also a monthly tax due on owning a TV, in addition to any telephone and Cable TV/Satellite TV expenses.
Yes. Most city areas, especially in the bigger cities of Slovenia, are linked to cable or satellite tv.
Telephone lines are already available in most properties (analogue or digital). In cases where there is no line, an installation fee has to be paid. Apart from a copy of the rental contract, no particular document is required when applying for the installation.
Your Relocation Coordinator will arrange this for you.
Normally it will be installed within 10 days.
Bills will arrive monthly and include a subscription fee in addition to consumption.
There are a number of possibilities: you can have the connection through the normal phone line (56Kb), with the ADSL line or through a cable TV connection (broadband).
A foreign driving licence is valid in Slovenia for up to one year, after which, it has to be converted to a Slovenian one.
A foreign registered car can be driven for one year after which it has to be registered in Slovenia.
Yes, and procedures are now getting even easier since Slovenia is now member of the EU.
With Slovenia’s entrance into the European Union, citizens from the other EU member states do not need a Work Permit. Non-EU workers require a Work Permit. Once the Work Permit is approved, Non-EU workers can apply for a residence permit at a Slovenian Embassy abroad.
Once the application is filed, it takes approximately 8-10 days to issue the Work Permit.
In cases where the worker brings along his or her family, a statement and documentation for the other family members must be submitted when applying for the permit. Family members will require a Residence Permit.
– Extensive rapidly growing client list.
– Exclusive partner/representative of many Global Relocation Service Providers.
– Exclusive representative of many International Law and Immigration Firms.
– Quality control guarantee: Head Office directs all relocations and immigrations in every destination.
– All staff required to attend on-going training sessions and workshops to keep updated as to global mobility needs.
– No language barriers – Assistance provided in all major European languages and many others.
– Corporate consultation with EMC Network’s’ Representatives at location of choice.
– HTLC Network own ‘Resource Guides’ providing a wealth of everyday information for expatlife in destination city.
– Comprehensive FAQs for each country serviced.
– Red Alert List to prepare for the specific challenges of each destination.
– Extra ‘Safety’ section in Resource Guides for countries posing specific security threats.
– 24-hour Emergency Helpline for Transferees throughout the duration of the relocation.
– Complimentary 3-month Helpline.
During HTLC Network’ initial teleconference with the client we go through an in-depth ‘Needs Analysis’ which can include Housing Budget variables for the Destination City. HTLC Network will work with the Company to ensure the workforce locate properties of a suitable standard within the parameters set by corporate policy.
Legally, yes, as long as it can be proved that the individual who signs the contract has the legal right to sign as a representative of the Company. Many landlords however, will not accept this as it is harder to take a foreign Company to court should there be any missing rent payments or problems. As landlord’s rarely accept a foreign Company signing the lease, it is usually signed by the local company that is VAT registered locally.
HTLC Network will prepare the contract in the name of a legal representative of the Company. We require full data of the individual, a photocopy of his/her passport ID pages and a photocopy of the Company’ s document demonstrating position within the Company.
The prepared contract will be emailed to the appropriate Company contact and instructions will be given on how it is to be printed out and signed. Once signed, one of HTLC Network’ Local Counsellors will collect the contract and deliver it to the real estate agent for the signature of the landlord. A signed copy will be returned to the Company whilst the three copies of the contract are being registered, thereafter a registered copy will be delivered.
Arrangements will be made to take a thorough inventory in the presence of the tenant and landlord.
For the presentation of document application, it varies from city to city. Wherever possible HTLC Network will prepare power of attorney in order for a Local Counsellor to act on behalf of the Transferee and family.
To release the obtained documents, the Transferee and other members of the family must be present as an original signature is required.
All Local Counsellors are really ‘local’ to the area where they assist Transferees. They are selected for their good knowledge of their city area.
All Local Counsellors are trained by HTLC Network to follow our set pattern of delivering services using an in-house ‘Training and Operations Manual’.
All Local Counsellors are closely directed by Office Coordinators, ensuring a consistent standard of service is delivered.
All relocations are handled by the same system of centralisation. When required, we arrange for a member of our office team to go to the location of a group move to be an in-house Coordinator, working from the Client Company’s premises as a point of reference for HR, Transferees and their families.
In main centres we have several Local Counsellors.
HTLC Network aims to equip your workforce to settle into their new environment as soon as possible. Upon arrival they are presented with a local Information Pack. They are given access to our on-line City Specific Resource Guides that provide general local information as well as specific local information once a suitable property has been located.
We have a 24hour emergency helpline throughout the duration of the relocation. We provide a 90 day complimentary phone line that can be extended throughout the duration of the assignment.
Our aim is to teach the Transferee how to live in his new city and to equip him to be as independent as possible.
Area: 20,273 sq km
Time Zone: GMT+1
Capital city: Ljubljana
Bordering countries: Austria, Croatia, Italy, Hungary
Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and the eastern valleys.
Legislative Branch: Unicameral National Assembly
National Holiday: Independence Day, 25 June
Currency: Euro €
Population: Approximately 1,9 million inhabitants
Religion: Roman Catholic, groups of Lutheran, Muslim and atheist.
Ethnic groups: Slovene, smaller groups of Croat, Serb, Bosniak, Italian and Hungarian