In response to the country's current healthcare crisis - and corresponding lack of healthcare professionals - Slovakia's Ministry of Health introduced a reform of the training provided to healthcare professionals, in particular to those from third-countries.

The reform has three main components:

• Increasing the possibility of employment for healthcare professionals in Slovakia
• Changing recognition of educational credentials
• Simplifying of proof of language requirements for foreigners

One key change so far is that migrant healthcare professionals living in Slovakia who completed their medical education in third countries - and can show the relevant recognised qualifications - now have the opportunity to complete a temporary professional internship in order to increase their experience in Slovakia, thereby improving their eligibility for future employment there. Timelines for the recognition of qualifications obtained in third countries have also been shortened, and the processes around submission of these documents have been simplified. A further measure introduced online professional language training for healthcare workers from Ukraine.

Requirements related to proof of language fluency have also been lessened. Now, those who have completed a supplementary exam or their education in the Slovak language do not need to further demonstrate their comprehension of it in order to apply for healthcare roles.