Author
Beneficiaries of international protection have the right to access specialised social welfare. According to Article 28 of the Asylum Act, asylum holders and subsidiary protection holders are entitled to two distinct types of financial support – a one-off allowance and an integration allowance, under the same conditions.
The one-off allowance is granted upon written application and amounts to 1.5 times the subsistence minimum for one adult person.[1] This allowance may be granted only once to the same beneficiary. The integration allowance is provided, also upon written application, in the amount of 1.75 times the subsistence minimum for a period of six consecutive months from the submission of the application to the MO. The integration allowance must be applied for within 60 days from the granting of asylum status or subsidiary protection; applications submitted after this deadline are rejected.[2] The allowance is provided directly by the MO, unless it is delivered through an NGO, and may likewise be granted only once, following the first grant of asylum status or subsidiary protection.
In 2025, the one-off allowance amounted to €410.99 until 30 June 2025 and €426.20 from 1 July 2025, reflecting the adjustment of the subsistence minimum. The monthly integration allowance amounted to €479.48 in the first half of 2025 and €497.23 from 1 July 2025.
Neither the one-off allowance nor the integration allowance is granted if the foreign national previously had or currently has temporary or permanent residence in the Slovak Republic, or if temporary protection had been provided to them in the past.
In addition to benefits specifically designated for persons with international protection, asylum and subsidiary protection holders are entitled to social assistance and state social support, which is provided under the same conditions as Slovak citizens.
Social assistance constitutes a system of support provided to the most vulnerable persons or to persons facing a particular social or crisis life situation. It is provided in the form of cash or in-kind benefits (social services), financed either from the state budget through the OLSAF or from the budgets of local self-government authorities.
| Overview of Types of Social Assistance | |
| Type of social assistance | Legal Regulation |
| Material Need Assistance | Act No. 417/2013 Coll. on Assistance in Material Need |
| Compensation for Severe Disability | Act No. 447/2008 Coll. on Cash Contributions for Compensation of Severe Disability |
| Social Services | Act No. 448/2008 Coll. on Social Services and on Amendments and Supplements to Act No. 455/1991 Coll. on Trade Licensing (Trade Licensing Act) |
State social support represents a system of support under which the State provides one-off or recurring financial benefits upon the occurrence of a specific life event or situation. State social support is financed from the state budget. Benefits supporting families with children and funeral allowance are paid by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic through the OLSAF, while the payment of the tax bonus is administered by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic through the tax authorities.
| Overview of Benefits within the State Social Support System | |
| Name of the allowance | Legal Regulation |
| Childbirth allowance; allowance for multiple children born simultaneously | Act No. 383/2013 Coll. on the Childbirth Allowance and the Allowance for Multiple Children Born Simultaneously and on Amendments and Supplements to Certain Acts |
| Child benefit; child benefit supplement | Act No. 600/2003 Coll. on Child Benefit and on Amendments and Supplements to Act No. 461/2003 Coll. on Social Insurance |
| Parental allowance | Act No. 571/2009 Coll. on Parental Allowance and on Amendments and Supplements to Certain Acts |
| Childcare allowance | Act No. 561/2008 Coll. on on Childcare Allowance and on Amendments and Supplements to Certain Acts |
| Substitute maintenance payment | Act No. 201/2008 Coll. on Substitute Maintenance Payment and on Amendments and Supplements to Act No. 36/2005 Coll. on the Family and on Amendments and Supplements to Certain Acts, as amended by Judgment No. 615/2006 Coll. of the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic |
| Tax bonus | Act No. 595/2003 Coll. on Income Tax |
| Funeral allowance | Act No. 238/1998 Coll. on Funeral Allowance |
In practice, beneficiaries of international protection may face several obstacles in accessing social assistance. These include legal and administrative restrictions, as well as a lack of accessible and clear information about available benefits and eligibility conditions. Limited knowledge of the social welfare system and complex application procedures can further hinder effective access to assistance. Language barriers also represent a significant challenge, often requiring beneficiaries to rely on external support, such as NGOs, to navigate the system.
Based on HRL’s experience, a significant obstacle concerns beneficiaries of international protection who are not entitled to the one-off or integration allowance because they previously held temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia. This situation is relatively frequent in practice. In such cases, beneficiaries may only apply for assistance in material need. After the integration allowance ceases (after six months), beneficiaries are likewise entitled only to assistance in material need, the level of which is extremely low and insufficient to cover basic living costs. Many beneficiaries are unable to secure employment within the initial six-month period during which the integration allowance is provided, which further exacerbates their financial vulnerability.
[1] Article 28(2) of the Asylum Act.
[2] Article 28(4) of the Asylum Act.