Overview of the main changes since the first report

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The previous report update was published in May 2024.

International protection

Statistics

• Key statistics: During 2024 the Police detected 46,192 irregular crossing, a decrease in comparison to 2023. 44,383 individuals expressed their intention to apply for international protection, However, only 5,634 applications were lodged (141 by unaccompanied minors). 150 decisions granting refugee status and 34 subsidiary protection were issued. Out of 34 beneficiaries that were granted subsidiary protection, 33 were from Ukraine.
• General developments: A new Immigration strategy was adopted in March 2024. In the first half of 2024, EUAA staff was deployed in Slovenia to provide support with asylum, reception and temporary protection activities. At the beginning of 2024, the Slovenian Government announced the intent to open 2 more branches of the asylum home in Brežice and Središče ob Dravi. However, these were not established by the end of the year due to strong opposition of the local communities. In April 2024, the first accommodation center for unaccompanied minors was established. In order to prepare for the implementation of the Pact, a new Governmental working group for implementation of the Pact was formed. The national implementation plan (NIP) was adopted by the end of 2024.

Asylum procedure

• Absconding rate: After expressing their intent to apply for international protection (i.e., making an application), applicants had to wait from 3 to 20 days to lodge their application. The majority of individuals (88%) absconded before registering and lodging their application. The absconding rate of applicants after lodging their applications also remained high (82%).
• Dublin procedure: 85% of decisions issued were taken in the Dublin procedure. Due to a high absconding rate, a high percentage of those decisions were issued to applicants after they had left Slovenia.
• Lengthiness of the procedure: The lengthiness of the procedure continued to be one of the systematic challenges of the asylum procedure. Applicants processed in the regular procedure waited up to 2 years for a first instance decision and up to 5 years for a final decision due to the backlog in the court procedures.
• Legal assistance: Free legal counselling and representation during the first instance procedure was provided by the PIC, albeit not to all asylum seekers. Access to free legal assistance and representation before the Administrative Court continued to be a challenge for most asylum seekers. Due to difficulties to access refugee counsellors (including due to unclear information provided by the Migration directorate, language barriers, etc.) and short time limits for the judicial review, some asylum seekers were unable to exercise their right to a legal remedy. Regarding the 3-day time limit for judicial review, the CJEU issued the preliminary ruling stating that this restricts access to judicial review.[1] The court procedures were also prolonged at second instance, due to the backlog of cases. In practice, asylum seekers can wait for more than 3 years to get a decision from the Administrative Court if their application was rejected in a regular procedure. In case of appeal to the Supreme Court, the court procedure can last for several years depending on the case.

Reception conditions

• General: Although the number of new arrivals decreased in 2024, the reception conditions did not improve significantly due to lack of capacity. Both in the Asylum Home and its branch Logatec individuals had to wait in containers to lodge their application.
• Unaccompanied minors: In April 2024, the first accommodation center for systematic accommodation of unaccompanied children was established, with the capacity to accommodate up to 70 unaccompanied minors. It serves both as a reception and accommodation center.

Detention of asylum applicants

• In 2024, 58 asylum seekers were detained by the MOI and UOIM. According to the statistics of the Administrative court, only 34 lodged the judicial review. In practice, asylum seekers face difficulties in accessing legal representation in the 3-day timeframe imposed by the IPA to lodge the judicial review.

Content of international protection

• Family reunification: In 2024, 178 applications for family reunification were lodged. The number of applications for family reunification increased due to a high number of applicants from Burundi granted international protection. Out of 178 applications, 115 were lodged by applicants from Burundi.
• Integrational contract: While all beneficiaries of international protection are entitled to basic rights (health care, access to the labour market, education, etc.), they have to sign an integration contract if they want to access the full scope of the rights (accommodation in the integration house, social support for accommodation, etc.). In practice, the majority of beneficiaries sign the integration contract.

Temporary protection

For further information, see Annex on Temporary Protection.

Temporary protection procedure

• Key temporary protection statistics: In 2024, a total of 1,899 persons applied for temporary protection in the Republic of Slovenia. Out of these, 1,864 were Ukrainian citizens, 7 were Russian citizens, and others were of other nationalities. Temporary protection was granted to 1,810 persons in 2024, of which 1,790 were Ukrainian citizens. Additionally, 19 applications for temporary protection were dismissed, 10 were rejected, and 76 procedures were stopped. In the same period, Ukrainian citizens also submitted 123 applications for international protection.
• Procedure: Temporary protection was extended until 4 March 2026. The legal basis is the Temporary Protection of Displaced Persons Act (ZZZRO) from 2005, with a new Act (ZZZRO-1) having been adopted in March 2025 and in force since 19 April 2025. According to the ZZZRO, applications can be submitted to the Police or directly to administrative units, which are the deciding authority. Displaced persons entering irregularly or already in Slovenia must apply within three days at the local police office or administrative unit. The Police then forwards the applications to the relevant administrative unit. Administrative units process applications and decide on eligibility, with a decision that, by law, shall be issued at the latest within one month from the day of receiving a complete application. Applicants receive an identity card upon receiving a positive decision, which serves as a temporary residence permit.
• Backlog: While most administrative units issued decisions within 30 days on average in 2024, some significantly exceeded this time limit, with the longest average processing time in 2024 having been 159.4 days (in the administrative unit Škofja Loka). These delays are presumed to result from administrative units being overloaded with applications and also understaffed, although incomplete applications may have also contributed in some cases. Additionally, according to the Ministry of the Interior, 5 second-instance decisions were issued in 2024 in appeal procedures lodged against negative decisions regarding applications for temporary protection. The result of one of these appeals was positive, and the average duration of the appeal procedure was 63 days.

Content of temporary protection

• Rights of Persons with Temporary Protection: applicants for temporary protection as well as temporary protection holders are entitled to accommodation and meals in accommodation centers. Additionally, temporary protection beneficiaries also have the right to monthly allowances (if they stay in accommodation centers) or financial assistance for private accommodation and everyday expenses if they are not staying in state-provided accommodation. Rights of temporary protection beneficiaries also include the right to work and access to the labor market under the same conditions as Slovenian nationals. Persons under the age of 18 have the right to primary and secondary education under the same terms as Slovenian citizens, with costs being covered by the State. Those over the age of 18 can participate in education under education conditions for adults. Moreover, temporary protection holders have the right to emergency medical care, specialist and clinical health care emergencies, and healthcare for women. Minors have access to the same full medical care as Slovenian children.
• Main issues: In 2024, beneficiaries of temporary protection in Slovenia were still unable to exercise their right to family reunification. Access to affordable private accommodation remained a key challenge, particularly for vulnerable groups, due to both a shortage of housing options and the increased risk of exploitation in private settings. Conditions in container housing at the Logatec accommodation centre also continued to raise concerns, although efforts were made to relocate people. Access to healthcare continued to be limited, as temporary protection beneficiaries are entitled only to limited medical care and treatments, unless they are employed and covered under the compulsory health insurance scheme. Language barriers, insufficient information on the rights of persons under temporary protection among healthcare providers, and long waiting times for non-urgent medical services were also reported as practical issues. The risk of exploitation and human trafficking remained an area of concern: while no new cases were detected, both government institutions and NGOs continued to conduct awareness-raising campaigns targeting displaced persons, particularly women and children.
  A notable systemic issue in 2024 was the absence of legal pathways for transitioning from temporary protection to other residence statuses, such as for employment or study, under the Foreigners Act. Under the legislation in force at the time, such a transition would require the individual to renounce temporary protection, leave Slovenia, and initiate the application process from abroad in order to obtain another type of residence permit. This presented a significant legal and practical barrier, particularly for those already integrated into Slovenian society or engaged in employment or education.
  Recognition of temporary protection identity cards by foreign border control authorities also continued to present difficulties, reportedly due to the cards’ physical characteristics (e.g., laminated material). Additionally, a provision in the legal framework allowing for the withdrawal of temporary protection on grounds of public order violations was identified as problematic, particularly due to its significant disproportionality.

[1]           CJEU, Y.N. v Republika Slovenija (C-58/23), 27. September 2023, available here.