Ljubljana, 1 October 2026 — The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) participated in the international conference “More Than Employment: The Employment Service of Slovenia as a Co-creator of an Inclusive Labour Market,” hosted by the Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ) at Ljubljana City Hall under the LABOUR-INT III project.

The conference brought together government representatives, trade unions, researchers, international institutions and civil society organisations to discuss migrant integration, decent work and labour-market policy.

Aleksander Vojičić, Acting Director of the Labour Market and Employment Directorate at the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport, outlined Slovenia’s emerging talent and development policy, which aims to identify, develop and retain domestic and international talent. Its priorities include activating the domestic workforce, strengthening lifelong learning, and using automation and digital technologies to boost productivity.

His presentation highlighted the government’s ambition to attract highly qualified workers and strengthen links between education and the economy. It raised the important question: how will Slovenia meet its broader labour needs, including in sectors such as construction, where migrant workers already make up a significant share of the workforce? A policy focused on attracting highly skilled talent must also protect workers recruited for lower-paid jobs from being treated as a flexible, disposable workforce. With foreign workers accounting for approximately 16% of Slovenia’s active workforce, and the share projected to reach 25% by 2039, equal treatment and decent working conditions are essential.

Matija Drmota, Executive Secretary of the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia, stressed that the country will continue to need workers with different qualification levels. He called for fair wages and decent conditions for everyone, alongside stronger labour inspections, mediation and free legal assistance for migrant workers.

Professor Maja Breznik of the Peace Institute warned against “global labour arbitrage”, whereby employers exploit differences in wages and labour protections to recruit from more vulnerable labour markets, deepening inequality and increasing the risk of exploitation.

Meanwhile, ILO Employment Specialist Daniela Zampini emphasised that labour shortages must be properly diagnosed and understood alongside other labour-market indicators. Effective policies should activate untapped local labour potential, improve job quality and productivity, support worker mobility and ensure well-governed labour migration. Social dialogue, she stressed, enables governments, employers and workers to jointly develop evidence-based solutions.

For her part, Dr Farida Bena, an external researcher with LABOUR-INT III, underscored the importance of early intervention in migrant integration. She stressed that minimising the gap between arrival and employment is crucial to preventing irregular entry into the labour market. This requires providing language training and cultural orientation as early as possible, alongside personalised guidance that goes beyond simply providing information.

Drawing on BWI’s construction experience, Jasmin Redžepović, BWI Education Secretary and Policy Director for the Cement Industry, stressed that integration begins with decent work. He called for employers to bear recruitment costs under the Employer Pays Principle, ILO Core Labour Standards to protect all workers, and collective agreements to guarantee equal wages, safety and social benefits, including for subcontracted and migrant workers. Citing BWI’s cooperation with its affiliate SGH in Croatia helping migrant workers access healthcare and union protection, he warned that long subcontracting chains, inadequate training and unsafe conditions leave workers vulnerable to exploitation and forced labour. He also urged stronger union links across countries of origin and destination and public procurement rules that uphold collectively agreed wages and conditions. An inclusive labour market must protect workers’ rights, not sacrifice decent work for productivity.