FAQ

“Digi Talents” is a job mobility and career advancement programme between Slovakia and Ukraine focused on labour migration and economic exchange between the ICT sectors of the two countries. It was created especially for young Ukrainian IT talents starting their careers in the ICT sector.

Digi Talents is free of charge.

You are the perfect candidate if:

• you hold a valid Ukrainian biometric passport,
• you are a graduate of the ICT-related fields with at least one year of work experience,
• you are interested in employment,
• you are able to relocate to Slovakia for a 12-month job.

For full step by step guide of the process please visit “Your journey” section of the page.

Your journey

The programme’s official language is English, which will also be your working language. All participants should be minimal B1 level English proficient, however, language courses are included in the support available for the selected participants, so do not hesitate to apply even if you still need to improve.

The deadline for applications is until August 31, 2023. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis.

While there is no guarantee of placement, your chances of being selected for placement will depend on several factors, including the demand for your skill set, the number of available positions, and the level of competition from other applicants. However, if your profile aligns with the needs of an ICT company partnering in the programme, you have a better chance of being selected for placement.

We cannot guarantee you to get your position of choice. The kind of position that you get offered is up to the participating companies. However, when making their decisions, the companies will see your professional profile, including your preferences, which they will match with their needs and decide accordingly.

You will be able to express your preference in the application form and during the selection process. The ICT companies partnering in the programme will receive a shortlist of candidates including the results of hard-sk
ills testing and CV. Based on these, the ICT companies will perform personal interviews and decide to whom they want to offer the employment contract.

Yes, we encourage you to apply even if you “only“ have a specialized IT skill. Every application will be reviewed individually.

If you meet all application criteria, but you acquired your ICT education through courses rather than a university degree, we still encourage you to apply. In this case, make sure to submit the relevant certificates or documentation proving your ICT qualification, together with your CV.

Work experience is required if you are interested in 12-month employment in an ICT company in Slovakia. In this case, you need to prove you have at least one-year of work experience. When applying for the programme, we strongly encourage you to mention and submit proof of all projects you have implemented, especially those you are proud of.

It is only mandatory to submit a CV, not a motivation letter. However, a motivation letter can increase your chances of being accepted into the programme. For the CV, please use the website www.novoresume.com and the Executive template. Creating your CV in line with this website is fast and user-friendly.

Yes, please! When applying for the programme, we strongly encourage you to submit proof of all projects you have implemented, especially those you are proud of. These can help you get selected and matched with your desired position or company. You can share projects with us by uploading relevant documents directly in the application form with your CV.

Once you are matched with the ICT company, we will inform you about all training options. Training within the Talent Incubator (ICT course, language course and pre-departure orientation session) will take place online.

No, not necessarily. Depending on the candidates’ profiles, the ICT companies may offer different types of positions. Your motivation, qualification and experience might impress an ICT company so much that they will offer you a senior position.

No, Ukrainian citizens holding biometric passports do not need a visa to go to Slovakia. However, in case of employment, you will need to apply for a residence permit after you arrive in Slovakia. We will provide you with all the necessary information, guidance, and support in this process. The residence permit will be valid only for the company and the position that you were offered.

The programme covers your travel to Slovakia and all administrative costs related to the immigration process and the residence permit.

You can find accommodation by yourself and programme will provide you financial contribution in a maximum amount of 550.00 EUR/4 weeks (1.100 EUR/8 weeks); however, if you need assistance with finding accommodation, the programme will ensure your temporary accommodation in shared dormitories during the first 8 weeks starting on the day of your arrival in Slovakia, at the programme’s expense. Following this initial period, you will be expected to find and pay for your permanent accommodation. We will be happy to provide you with guidance and information throughout this process.

Yes, all participants will get health and social insurance during employment. Apart from that, you will have travel health insurance for your journey from Ukraine to Slovakia and commercial health insurance during the period before starting employment.

Due to a favourable combination of business advantages, Slovakia has become an attractive destination for ICT investors. The ICT sector has a solid position in the Slovak economy, which is demonstrated by a strong presence of foreign-owned companies, as well as dynamically growing domestic companies. You will have the opportunity to work in leading ICT companies and learn more from the experts in this field.

Your arrival date in Slovakia depends on the agreement with your employer on the date of employment. The exact date will be coordinated with you and all parties involved.

You may bring your partner, spouse, kids, or other family member(s) with you, but you will be responsible for all their paperwork, legislative formalities, accommodation, and related costs. Bear in mind that your family members may need to apply for the residence permit and meet the relevant residence requirements if they wish to stay with you during your entire stay in Slovakia. The type of residence status they can seek and the conditions they will need to meet depend on several factors, such as their citizenship, activities they wish to perform and the exact type of your residence status in Slovakia. In general, they could either apply for residence derived from your status in Slovakia or apply for their own residence status which is not linked to yours. We are happy to provide you with information on options related to your family members’ residence, but we recommend you inform us of any such personal arrangements in advance.

Several leading ICT companies in Slovakia have already become partners of the programme – so this is where you might gain your employment. The Digi Talents team is continuously in negotiations with other companies in Slovakia, so keep an eye on section IT Jobs to see who comes on board!

Yes, your place of work and place of accommodation will be the same. The ICT companies which have so far joined the programme are all seated in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia.

This is very individual. Our experience is that Ukrainians understand Slovak after about three months of stay in Slovakia. Spontaneous communication in Slovak starts between the fourth and sixth months of residence.

We will ensure your temporary accommodation in shared dormitories during the first 8 weeks starting on the day of your arrival to Slovakia, at the programme’s expense. Following this initial period, you will be expected to find and pay for your permanent accommodation, and we will be happy to provide you with guidance and information throughout this process. Whether you live alone or share your accommodation with someone else will be only up to you, your preference and how much you will want to spend.

In general, companies require people to work in the office. However, companies may impose specific rules for working from home due to COVID-19. This means you might spend part of the working week/month in the office and part at home. Regardless of COVID-19, some companies may also offer home office as a benefit to their employees. Specific arrangements on the home office will depend on the concrete company and/or the COVID-19 situation. In any case, the programme is looking for people who will travel to Slovakia and will be working on-site, in their companies´ offices.

Upon arrival in Slovakia, the Digi Talents Programme team will help you in all these areas so that you integrate and become involved in life in Slovakia as quickly as possible.