Economic migration

Migration policy should serve as an effective tool for regulation of qualified workers migration from third countries in order to ensure a sufficient harmony between demand and supply of workforce on the Czech labour market. This means that migration policy should ensure sufficient amount of qualified workers for Czech companies and motivate foreign investors to come to the Czech Republic.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic have implemented or guaranteed in deep cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic several economic migration projects. The main goal of these projects was to achieve time savings when receiving and processing Employee Card applications of qualified workers who would fill the lack of workforce on the Czech labour market and strengthen competitiveness of the Czech companies.

There were following economic migration projects: Project Fast Track (designed for foreign investors already settled in Czech Republic); Project Welcome Package (designed for new foreign investors); Pilot Project: Specific Procedure for Highly Qualified Employees from Ukraine and India (designed for highly qualified employees from Ukraine and India); Project Specific Treatment for Qualified Employees from Ukraine (designed for medium qualified and less qualified employees from Ukraine); Project Other States (designed for medium qualified and less qualified employees from Mongolia, Philippines and Serbia). The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic in cooperation with Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic also participates in implementation of the project Job Training (designed for foreigners from third countries which will be posted by the investor to the Czech Republic and will be trained in the Czech Republic for a maximum period of 6 months). The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic also uses Working Group for Economic Migration, composed of business representatives, as a consultative tool.

All the above mentioned projects, with the exception of Job Training were replaced by the new governmental programs with effect from 1 September 2019. The programs are: Program Key and Research Staff (replacing Project Fast Track and Project Welcome Package), Program Highly Qualified Workers (replacing Pilot Project Ukraine and India) and Program Qualified Workers (replacing Project Other States and Project Ukraine). More information about the economic migration programs including the conditions, which are needed to be fulfill in order to be included in the programs, are available in the attached leaflet. A detailed description of each program together with  FAQ, step-by-step instructions, application forms and the lists of annexes, declarations of honor and other useful information on employment of foreign workers in the Czech Republic can be also found on the webpage of the Ministry of Industry and Trade  in the section named „Economic Migration“.

Residence of foreigners in Czech Republic is guided by the Act No. 326/1999 Coll., on the Residence of Foreign Nationals in the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred as "Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals"). An up-to-date version of Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals can be found on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.

Residence of foreigners in Czech Republic is also governed by the rules of EU law. In visa area, there is the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No. 810/2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas ("Visa Code") and the Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals fall under the visa duty when crossing the external borders, and those whose nationals are exempted from that requirement.

So called Schengen Acquis is applicable in the Czech Republic from 21 December 2007, when the Czech Republic became part of the Schengen Area.

The Ministry of the Interior has published series of information guides and videos which are designed to make it easier for foreign nationals to take care of the formalities associated with their stay in the Czech Republic.  One of these is the information package “Next stop Czech Republic” containing important and useful information not only for foreigner nationals, but also for their employers. This information explains the differences between types of residence permits including application requirements (document verification), family reunification, reporting duty (what to do on arrival and before departure), how to report changes or extend the stay, work conditions and risks, free help and information, important contacts etc. The brochure is available in these languages: Czech, English, Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, French, Mongolian, Arabic, and Spanish.

Next Stop The Czech Republic: https://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/next-stop-the-czech-republic.aspx

In case of any further questions regarding the economic migration topics, please do not hesitate to contact us via the following e-mail address: migraceinfo@mpo.cz.