Volvo Cars’ new electric vehicle plant in Valaliky, near Košice, is a major investment in eastern Slovakia. The project was announced with an investment of around €1.2 billion and plans for approximately 3,300 direct and 7,000 indirect jobs, creating opportunities for production workers, engineers and experienced professionals. These figures describe the planned investment and employment, rather than the number of people already working at the plant.
The changes are visible beyond the factory. New bus and rail connections are improving access to the industrial park from Košice and the surrounding region. Košice IT Valley, a technological cluster and Business Košice, a local NGO, have also brought Volvo, technology companies and the Technical University of Košice together to discuss skills, automation and cooperation and also to further potential cooperation. These connections could help local businesses develop new projects as the automotive sector grows.
If you are considering a job at Volvo, you will also need to think about where to live, how to get to work and which documents to arrange. We, at Move to Kosice, are devoted to foreginers from all over the world to feel like home in Kosice and surroundings. We have decided to bring those practical questions in one article for you.
How to get a job at Volvo?
Volvo recruits for several areas, including production, maintenance, logistics, quality and management. They offer both blue collar and white collar positions. While blue collar jobs are recruited internally or with help of local recruitment agency (Manpower), white collar jobs are recruited by HR teams of Volvo directly.
If you are potential employee and would like to learn more about opened positions, you can visit Volvo Cars Careers website, check Volvo Linkedin page or browse through local Volvo recruitment website. While it is possible to apply as English-speaker, Volvo communicates openly, that they wish all employees to speak some Slovak. Feel free to check more details about Slovak language courses in Kosice.
We recommend to check the required experience, working language and location - those applying for qualified positions can expect technical tasks and questions during interview. Do not forget, that Volvo has plenty of local suppliers locally. You can search for automotive positions in the region for example with websites like profesia.sk or visit job fairs organised by these companies in Kosice.
While Volvo has a local relocation partner who assists employees with paperwork and administrative formalities, settling into life in Slovakia involves much more than that.
At Move to Košice, we help newcomers get familiar with the city through personalised orientation tours. We show them essential places, such as the Foreign Police, banks and post offices, explain how things work, and share practical tips to help them feel more confident navigating everyday life in Košice. Call us or fill in our contact form to get more information about our tours and other services.
Working in Slovakia as a foreign national
Citizens of EU countries, the EEA and Switzerland can work in Slovakia without a work permit, but residence registration and other administrative obligations still need to be considered when moving here. We recommend reporting your arrival to the Foreign Police within 10 working days of entering Slovakia. If you plan to stay for more than three months, you should also register your residence and apply for a residence card at the Foreign Police in Košice. For this process, you will need a rental agreement signed by the property owner, with their signature officially verified.
Non-EU citizens generally need a temporary residence permit for employment or an EU Blue Card to work in Slovakia.
In most cases, the employer must first register the job vacancy and request confirmation from the local Labour Office that the position can be filled by a non-EU citizen (also called confirmation of the possibility to fill a vacancy). This confirmation is then sent directly to the relevant authorities and is required before the employee can submit their residence application.
For certain occupations facing labour shortages in Slovakia, a simplified procedure may apply. However, the employer must still submit the required documents and follow the applicable legal deadlines. The exact procedure depends on your nationality, residence status and type of employment.
When comparing an offer with your living costs, it is good to remember that gross salary in Slovakia is the amount before applicable tax and employee contributions, so your take-home pay will be lower. You can get estimation of your netto salary in salary calculator.
Getting to the Volvo plant from Košice
The plant is in the Valaliky Industrial Park, outside central Košice. The advantage of this investment is also establishing new travel routes from Košice and surrounding villages.
The most convenient way of travelling to Volvo is by car. It will take around 20 minutes to reach plant of Volvo (check exact location). The maximum speed limit within city is 50km per hour, outside of city, it is 90km per hour.
If you prefer to use public transport, there were four routes, V1–V4, introduced on 21 September 2026 to connect the industrial park with areas including Podhradová, Sídlisko Ťahanovce, Dargovských hrdinov and KVP. The launch arrangements served the morning shift, with connections through VSS, križovatka and the regular Košice public transport fare system. There are local busses operated by Eurobus offered as well which have several stops within Kosice. You can search for exact connection by public transport in website www.cp.sk (in case you wish to look for timetable operated by local public transport company DPMK, you need to select MHD Košice in the filter).
Finding accommodation near Volvo and in Košice
The best location depends on your budget, shift pattern and whether you are moving alone or with family. There were multiple development projects built recently in Kosice or directly in city of Valaliky. With the development of the new Volvo Cars plant in Valaliky, several residential projects are emerging in the surrounding area, offering housing options for employees and their families.
Valaliky is one of the closest locations to the plant, with projects such as Valaliky IBV, Domy Valaliky by REKOB, and Rezidencia Valaliky offering newly built family houses. For those looking for smaller properties, Rezidencia Hlavná offers two-bedroom apartments.
Nearby city district called Košice-Krásna also offers new family houses, while Rezidencia Tesla in Košice-Juh is a larger apartment development expected to be completed in 2027.
Most of these developments currently focus on property sales rather than rentals, with advertised house prices generally starting at around €350,000. You can contact us, if you wish to speak with development companies or to give you our honest opinion about the projects.
For newcomers who prefer renting or want easier access to schools, shops, healthcare and other everyday services, living in Košice may be a more practical choice.
At Move to Košice, we help international employees and their families explore housing options based on their budget, lifestyle and commuting needs, whether they prefer living close to the Volvo plant or in the city.
How much does flat usually cost in Kosice?
Before looking at rental prices in Košice, it is important to understand how apartments are classified in Slovakia, as this may differ from what you are used to.
In Slovakia, the number of rooms does not necessarily mean the number of bedrooms. For example, a two-room apartment typically consists of one bedroom and a separate living room. We therefore recommend checking the floor plan carefully before choosing an apartment.
Average monthly rental prices in Košice:
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Studio apartment: around €550 per month
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One-bedroom apartment: approximately €550–700 per month
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Two-bedroom apartment: approximately €800–950 per month
Rental prices tend to increase in August and September, when university students arrive in Košice and demand for accommodation rises.
Utilities are often included in the advertised rental price, but this is not always the case. Make sure to check exactly what is included in the monthly rent before signing a rental agreement.
Should you rent or buy an apartment in Kosice?
Foreign nationals can rent and, generally, purchase residential property in Slovakia without any restrictions. Buying a property does not by itself give you a right of residence - as mentioned, you would need to apply for residence permit at the local foreign police office.
For someone starting a new job, renting first can provide time to understand the commute and decide where to settle. If you plan to stay long term, buying can be considered separately after checking your finances and the property’s legal position.
What to check before signing a rental contract
Ask for a written breakdown of the rent and utility charges, the deposit and its return conditions, and any agency commission. Check the minimum rental period, notice requirements and what happens if you need to leave earlier than expected.
If you need accommodation documents for a residence procedure, discuss this with the landlord before paying or signing. At handover, record the condition of the property, meter readings and keys received.
We cover these points in our guide to signing a rental contract in Košice, with practical input from local real estate professionals at TOBI Real, Impulz Real and GH Real.
Get helped with your move to Košice
Once you have a job offer from Volvo or their suppliers, Move to Košice can help you find suitable housing and organise all necessary steps of moving. Our support includes contacting landlords, arranging viewings, residence application assistance, opening bank account, providing you with SIM card, handling all necessary paperwork and help with settling into everyday life.
We are located in Kosice and will be glad to assist you during your first months in Kosice.
Explore our relocation services or email hello@movetokosice.sk for more details.