Migrants’ Access to Social Protection in Slovenia
Abstract The Slovenian welfare system in its main part consists of a contribution-funded, professional social insurance scheme, composed of compulsory insurance branches, which mirror traditional social risks (contingencies) such as unemployment, old-age, sickness, etc., and a subsidiary tax-funded, residence-based social assistance scheme, which is aimed at preventing poverty and social exclusion. In general, all gainfully employed persons in Slovenia (e.g. workers, self-employed persons) enjoy coverage within the social insurance scheme, irrespective of their nationality or residence status. Citizenship and/or (long-term) residence is however required when accessing means-tested social assistance benefits. Migrants’ access to social rights – with the majority of foreign residents originating from ex-Yugoslav countries – is thereby fore and foremost dependent upon the nature of the benefit (means-tested or not) and their economic (in)activity or (long-term) residence.