Persons moving to Czech Republic may be required to apply for a work permit. This regulation can apply depending on the foreigners’ nationalities. For example, persons who are citizens of the European Union (EU) do not need to apply for a work permit in Czech Republic. Our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can present more details on how to request a local work permit.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Activities suitable for a work permit | Foreigners can obtain a Czech Republic work permit for a variety of employment activities, which are divided into 2 main categories, namely skilled and unskilled work. |
|
Identity documents necessary for the application |
Application form, proof of identity, documentation attesting the work experience/education (It depends on the type of permit.) |
|
Minimum yearly financial requirements |
It depends on the type of permit – the lowest requirement is to make the proof of having funds on at least 15 times the minimum subsistance sum established by law, which, starting with 1st of January 2023, is CZK 3,130. |
| Health insurance necessary (yes/no) | Yes |
| Foreigners who must apply for the work permit |
The obligation to obtain a Czech Republic work permit is imposed to foreigners who arrive from non-EU/non-EEA countries. |
| Obligations to fulfill upon arrival |
It is mandatory to register the residential address with the Foreign Police or with the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy. |
| Work permit for skilled employment |
EU Blue Card |
| Validity of the permit |
1 or 2 years, depending on its type |
| Can the document be renewed? |
Yes |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of the document | Ministry of the Interior |
| Proof of accommodation |
It is mandatory to show evidence on having suitable accommodation when applying for a work permit. |
| How long does it take to obtain the permit? |
Foreigners can obtain a Czech Republic work permit in maximum 60 days. |
| Yearly quota |
They can apply based on the type of the permit and the country of residence (for instance, for the EU Blue Card for Philippines nationals there is a quota of 2,000 permits, while for other countries, such as Thailand, there aren’t any limitations). |
| Applying for a residence permit |
It is necessary to apply for a residence permit, issued on the grounds of having a valid work visa. |
| Opening a bank account | Persons who work in Czech Republic on a long-term basis should open a local bank account. |
Other nationalities than those from EU may be required to apply for a work permit and will also need a visa in order to be able to work here. The Czech immigration law provides two basic types of work permits, addressed to unskilled employees and to skilled employees.
These documents have to be obtained by third country nationals and foreigners should know that if they apply for a work permit, they do not need to apply separately for a short-term or Czech long term residence permit, as the work permit will grant the right of moving to Czech Republic for the duration of permit.
Table of Contents
What types of work permits are available in Czech Republic?
Those relocating to Czech Republic for employment purposes have the options of applying for an Employee Card, which is issued for general employment purposes, including for persons who are not skilled in a specific field of activity, or they may apply for the EU Blue Card, a document which can be granted only to those who have a degree in a field of activity.
The logistics behind the issuance of a work permit to a foreigner implies several local institutions, the companies seeking for employees and the local workforce. The work permits can be made available to foreigners only after the employers proved that they were not able to hire local employees that could meet the needs of the respective job vacancy.
Persons who take into consideration moving to Czech Republic for employment purposes should be aware that once they have received a work permit for a given job vacancy in a certain company, they are not entitled to change their employer. If this happens, then the permit will no longer be considered valid.
This regulation is not applicable only in Czech Republic, is a basic requirement for all work permits issued in the European Union (EU), as regulated by the procedures of the European Commission (EC).
Where can a foreigner apply for an employee card in Czech Republic?
The application for an employee card in Czech Republic is usually initiated when a foreigner is outside the territory of this country, prior to relocating here. The Czech Republic immigration law stipulates that a person should apply at the Czech embassy or consulate in the country where the person is a citizen.
There is also a possibility to apply at the Czech embassy or consulate of the country where the foreigner has obtained a permanent residency or a long-term residency. However, for the latter, the minimum residency in that country has to be of at least 2 years.
One can also apply while living in Czech Republic. In this case, the person must be the holder of a visa issued for a period longer than 90 days and the application will be directly addressed to the Ministry of Interior, which is in charge of the processing of all applications.
However, this can be done only if the foreign applicant has arrived in Czech Republic with a visa that was not issued for employment. Our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can help you apply for an employee card if you are already living here and can help you prepare your application file.
What is the process of obtaining an EU Blue Card in Czech Republic?
One of the Czech Republic work permits addressed to foreigners is the EU Blue Card. Some of the basic conditions for receiving this document is to have a diploma in a given field, or a long experience in working in that field. As a general rule, the application has to be made at the Czech consulate or embassy registered in the country where the person resides, but exemptions from this are available.
For example, persons who have already completed the process of relocating to Czech Republic (and who lived here under a visa) can apply for the EU Blue Card with the Czech Ministry of Interior. At the same time, if the foreigner has been living in another EU member state, then he or she can address to the respective Ministry of Interior when moving to Czech Republic under this type of work permit.
Persons relocating here for employment purposes can also move here on a permanent basis and even become Czech citizens, by applying for the Czech citizenship.
The applicant must meet specific requirements imposed under the Czech migration legislation. Firstly, the person must have a signed employment contract with a local employer. Then, the annual gross salary for the job obtained here must be at least 1.5 times the value of the annual gross salary prescribed by the national law. Other basic conditions are the following:
• in May 2019, the minimum monthly salary requirement of an EU Blue Card holder was of CZK 47,828;
• since then, the minimum salary requirement increased to CZK 60,529 (and it is available for the period of 1st May 2023 to 30th April 2024);
• provided that the applicant has dependent persons in his or her care, the Czech immigration law states that the person is entitled to receive a minimum subsistence amount of CZK 2,200;
• the validity of the EU Blue Card is of 2 years, but the document can be renewed;
• the document can be issued for employment contracts with a duration of at least 1 year.
The procedures for applying for an Employee Card are similar with the ones applicable in the case of the EU Blue Card, the difference being that other types of documents will be necessary; our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can present further information on this subject and can help you obtain a Czech long term residence permit.
Having a Czech Republic work permit can grant the right of permanent residency in this country, as long as the duration of the stay is of at least 5 years. However, in order to achieve this, the person must make the proof of having certain language skills. We invite you to watch a short video presenting how to apply for a work permit in Czech Republic:
Documents required for the Blue Card in Czech Republic
In order to apply for the Blue Card in Czech Republic, foreigners who want to work in this country have to prepare a set of documents. Please mind that you must have all the required paperwork in order for the Czech authorities to be able to process the application.
Applications that do not meet the minimum requirements will be denied in all cases, but applicants can continue their process once they gather the rest of the documentation. In the list below, you can discover the minimum documentation:
- the applicant’s valid passport;
- the application form required for the Blue Card in Czech Republic;
- 2 recent photographs;
- the person’s biometric data;
- the employment contract signed with a Czech employer;
- supporting documents that attest the qualification of the applicant (university degree diploma, etc.).
It must be noted that all applicants must also have a valid travel insurance that covers the entire duration of the contract, but this document will be necessary only after the application for the Blue Card in Czech Republic has been approved.
We also mention that the law on Czech immigration states that that the processing for this employment visa can take around 90 days (this is the minimum threshold stipulated by the law, but differences can sometimes appear in practice).
How to extend the validity of the Blue Card in Czech Republic
The Blue Card is an employee card in Czech Republic that can be issued for a limited amount of time, but which can also be extended upon expiry. The Czech immigration law states that the holder of the card can apply for an extension with 120 days before the expiry date.
The last day when the permit holder can apply for the extension is the expiry date of the card. The Czech immigration law states that if the expiry date falls on a public holiday day, including weekends, the applicant can submit the request for the extension via e-mail.
However, it is also possible to apply for the extension in maximum of 5 days after the date when the document expired, but it is also necessary to provide an explanation as to why you couldn’t apply in due time.
Please mind that it is legally possible to start the application for the extension prior to the 120 days term, but, just like in the above-mentioned case, you must present a reason as to why you want to initiate the process earlier.
For more details on this subject, we invite you to address to our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic. You can also contact our lawyer for advice on the procedure of obtaining the Czech citizenship. If you will apply for residency in Czech Republic through the EU Blue Card, you must expect to pay a processing fee, charged by the local authorities.
The current fee imposed for the processing of this type of work permit is CZK 5,000. Other residence cards issued based on work in Czech Republic are charged with the same processing fee, of CZK 5,000 (fee exemptions/reductions can apply in certain cases).
