The statistics in the chart above are based on Eurostat's Non-national population by group of citizenship, 1 January 2022. An update from Eurostat is expected in March 2024.

According to Eurostat's Migration and migrant population statistics, as of 1 January 2022, there were about 151 300 third-country nationals (TCNs), representing 7.2% of the population, and another 21 200 EU citizens (1%) living in Slovenia at the time. The largest group of TCNs includes people from the former Yugoslavian countries.

In 2021, 66.2% of first permits were issued for work, 27.5% - for family reunification and 5.8 – for study purposes, according to the European Migration Network (EMN)’s 2022 country factsheet for Slovenia. In terms of naturalisation, 1 692 TCNs received Slovenian citizenship in 2021, consistent with the 1 645 and 1 828 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Other detailed statistical data is available in the EMN 2022 country factsheet for Slovenia, with insights about the age and gender of TCNs, the most common types of residence permits issued and international protection statistics.

By November 2023, Slovenia counted a total of 8 710 non-EU citizens who had fled the war against Ukraine and were under temporary protection – see monthly updates in the numbers of temporary protection beneficiaries on Eurostat.

The recent OECD/EC Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2023: Settling In report provides further breakdowns of the composition of migrant populations and households in Slovenia, including in terms of immigration flows by legal category, concentration in densely populated areas, duration of stay and household composition.

Integration is one of the six pillars of the Strategy on Migration adopted in July 2019. Previously, some aspects of integration were defined in the Resolution on immigration policy of 1999; the government also briefly described its integration policy on the interior ministry website, with objectives based on the EU’s Common Basic Principles, placing emphasis on the two-way dynamic of integration.

Slovenia's policy therefore encourages interactions between communities of different cultures and national identities, promotes tolerant and respectful attitudes towards cultural differences and raises awareness of the importance of intercultural dialogue.

Slovenia introduced its first and current integration programme called Initial Integration of Immigrants in 2008. The free and optional programme targets both migrants and beneficiaries of international protection.

The programme focuses on Slovene history, culture and constitution, and includes a mutual introduction course between foreigners and Slovene citizens. It provides language courses, and civic education, but does not offer vocational training.

Newcomers can follow 180-, 120- or 60-hour courses, depending on the type of permits they hold and the duration of their stay before their enrollment. The classes are provided by a variety of institutions which are selected through a tendering procedure every 2 years.

No official evaluation of Slovenia’s integration programme or the situation of migrants has so far been published.

The international Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) points out that, just like in most Central and Eastern European countries, migrants in Slovenia enjoy basic rights, but not necessarily equal opportunities. Slovenia’s current policies do not encourage the public to see immigrants not as potential citizens, but as strangers, and major obstacles emerge in nearly all areas of integration, with the exception of family reunion, permanent residence and anti-discrimination. The country's approach to integration is therefore classified as providing ‘equality on paper’. Slovenia thus receives 48 out of 100 points on the MIPEX 2020 scale, with the average being 49.

Finally, Slovenia is one of the 14 countries included in the National Integration Evaluation Mechanism (NIEM) that measures refugee integration policies in 14 EU Member States and establishes a framework for evidence-based policy-making. Slovenia scores 50.1 across indicators on the NIEM scale of 100, thus being a moderately supportive country.

Law on foreigners

The foreigners law adopted in 2011 was last amended in 2017 to restrict foreigners' entry and stay in the country.

In 2021, the law was again amended, resulting in a more restrictive policy toward migrants, foreign workers and their families, and students.

Asylum law

The first Slovenian asylum law was adopted in 1999 and repealed in 2006. The new Law on International Protection, which entered into force in 2016, mainly aligns the Slovenian legislation with EU asylum legislation (including the Dublin II Agreement), making rules stricter than before. The law was further amended in March 2021, shortening the integration period from 3 to 2 years. The new amendment also introduces a so-called “integration activities agreement”, which the beneficiary must conclude with the Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants within 1 month after the recognition of the status. If a person with recognised international protection signs this contract, they have access to the rights that should be guaranteed to every person with recognised international protection, regardless of such conditionality. Further, the amendment established that asylum seekers now can only move freely within the municipality where they are accommodated. Finally, legal advisers (lawyers) who represent asylum seekers are now obliged to disclose personal information about their clients to the Ministry of the Interior.

Integration law

Slovenia does not have a self-standing integration law for all migrant groups. There are, however, regulations on the modalities and conditions for ensuring the rights of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection.

Citizenship law

The 1991 citizenship law has often been amended. Its 2017 changes made it possible for applicants who have made an exceptional contribution to the development, reputation or visibility of Slovenia to acquire citizenship, even when they do not fulfil the usual conditions of uninterrupted residence.

Anti-discrimination law

Slovenia’s first anti-discrimination law was only adopted in 2016 and no changes have been introduced so far. The Protection Against Discrimination Act defines the protection of every person against discrimination irrespective of their gender, nationality, race or ethnic origin, language, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, social status, education level, and any other personal circumstance in their exercise of human rights, fundamental freedoms, rights and obligations.

Within the Ministry of the Interior operates the Directorate for Migration, whose task is to plan and implement migration policy. It deals with regular migration, as well as decision-making procedures related to international protection and the integration of foreigners and people with recognised international protection. Under this directorate is the Migration Policy and Legislation Division, International Protection Procedures Division and Regular Migration Procedures Division. The Directorate also prepares and coordinates proposals for measures for the implementation of migration policy and normative acts, which are the basis for the work and decisions of the government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants.

Established in 2017, the Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants is taking over part of the responsibilities that were previously under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior, such as providing asylum seekers accommodation, support and psychosocial assistance and offering integration support to persons granted international protection. The creation of policies and administrative procedures for obtaining international protection remains under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior.

Asylum seekers are thus received by the Reception and Support Division, which provides accommodation at the Asylum Centre or one of its units. Through different programmes at the Asylum Centre, asylum seekers may exercise their rights per the applicable legislation. Following the successful completion of the procedure, persons granted international protection are assisted by the Integration Division to better integrate into Slovenian society. Each person granted protected status is provided accommodation at one of the integration houses and assigned an integration counsellor, who helps devise a personal integration plan. To ensure faster integration, persons under international protection may participate in various programmes, the most important of which is the Slovenian language course. Despite its broad name, the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants is only responsible for asylum seekers and people with the recognised status of international (refugee or subsidiary) protection.

On the regional and local level, the role of municipalities in the integration of migrants is less defined, usually limited to the provision of housing and school education. This is not guided by any particular strategic plan.

In 2012, the government established the Council for the Integration of Foreigners, which performs the following tasks: gives opinions and recommendations on national programmes important for the integration of foreigners, gives opinions and recommendations and participates in the procedures for the preparation of laws and other regulations that affect the field of integration of foreigners, monitors the implementation of integration measures, analyses the situation and reports on this annually to the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. However, as of 2018, foreigners (including people with recognised international protection and third-country nationals) are not members of this Council. The Council configuration was changed to include two representatives of the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants and state secretaries—representatives of ministries of the interior, of labour, family, social affairs and equal opportunities, of education, science and sport and of culture. Among the council's members, there is 1 non-governmental organisation, Slovene Philanthropy. However, the council is not active in practice.

EU funds

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in Slovenia

• Details: The allocation for Slovenia under AMIF is €55 480 262 over the 2021-2027 period, with 34.08% of that amount devoted to legal migration and integration. See more about the Slovenian AMIF priorities.
• National managing authority: The national managing authority for AMIF in Slovenia is the interior ministry.

European Social Fund (ESF) in Slovenia

• Details: In the 2014-2020 period, as part of operational programme "Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy", the ESF is contributing €718 769 595 to Slovenia. One focus of this operational programme is to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
• National managing authority: The national managing authority for ESF in Slovenia is the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy.

Other EU funds for integration available in Slovenia

ERASMUS+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe

National managing authorities:

• Zavod MOVIT NA MLADINA
• Center Republike Slovenije za mobilnost in evropske programe izobraževanja in usposabljanja (CMEPIUS)

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting regional imbalances

National managing authority: Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy

Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), offering material assistance to the most vulnerable or in need

National managing authority: Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), supporting the development of rural economies and communities

National managing authority: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

National managing authority: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry; EMFF supports coastal communities in diversifying their economies and finances projects that create jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts

Other funds

NA

Providing integration services

• Cene Štupar (CILJ)
• Andragoški zavod Maribor, Ljudska univerza
• Ljudska univerza Celje
• Ljudska univerza Škofja Loka
• Veris d.o.o.
• Ljudska univerza Velenje
• Ljudska univerza Ajdovščina
• Center za izobraževanje in kulturo Trebnje
• Univerza v Ljubljani Filozofska fakulteta
• Andragoški zavod Ljubljana

Implementing the integration programme

• Slovenska filantopija
• ODNOS – Društvo za razvoj in povezovanje družbenih ved in kultur
• Zavod za zaposlovanje  (Employment Service)
• Cene Štupar - CILJ (Ljubljana, Domžale, Grosuplje, Vrhnika, Kamnik)
• Andragoški zavod, Ljudska univerza Maribor (Maribor, Slovenska Bistrica, Ptuj)
• Ljudska univerza Škofja Loka (Kranj, Jesenice, Škofja Loka)
• Veris d.o.o (Koper, Izola, Piran, Sežana)
• Center za izobraževanje in kulturo Trebnje (Novo mesto, Krško)

Campaigning

• Slovenska filantropija
• PIC, Pravno-informacijski center nevladnih organizacij
• ODNOS, Društvo za razvoj in povezovanje družbenih ved in kultur
• Društvo Mozaik
• Društvo Humanitas, Center za globalno učenje in sodelovanje
• Amnesty international Slovenia
• Global – Zavod za globalno učenje in razvoj projektov )
• Inštitut za afriške študije
• Mirovni institut
• SLOGA, Slovenian Global Action
• OVCA, Društvo za Osveščanje in Varstvo - Center Antidiskriminacije
• Človekoljubno dobrodelno društvo UP
• Delavska svetovalnica

Publishing statistics

• Slovenian Statistical Office