The Czech Republic attracts expats with its low cost of living, developed economy and a well-developed labour market. However, in order to successfully find a job in the Czech Republic, a foreigner needs to prepare a package of documents. Find out more about the employment procedure for foreigners in the Czech Republic

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The Czech Republic attracts expats with a low cost of living, a high level of security, and a developed economy and labor market. According to official data, as of the end of December 2022, almost 1 million foreigners worked in the Czech Republic, which is about 15% of the country's workforce. The majority are citizens of Ukraine, Slovakia, Vietnam and Romania.

In order to legally work in the Czech Republic, a foreigner will need a certain list of documents. Which one depends on the citizenship. We have collected all the information you need to know about the procedure for obtaining a work permit in the Czech Republic in our material.

What documents are required to work in the Czech Republic?

Foreigners moving to the Czech Republic for work must issue two documents:

- czech work visa;

- work permit.

Only expats who have an offer of employment from a Czech employer can receive them.

What types of work permits are approved in the Czech Republic?

The basis for working in the Czech Republic is one of the following permits:

1. An employment card or an employee card is the most popular type of work and long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic. Most of the foreigners who are currently moving to the Czech Republic for work issue it.

Requirements for issuing an "employee card":

- The applicant's level of education is secondary education.

- The offered job must meet the following two conditions: the wage is higher than the minimum wage defined by law, regardless of the number of working hours stipulated in the contract; work schedule - at least 15 hours per week.

The employment card is valid for two years, but depending on the circumstances, it can be extended.

2. The EU Blue Card is a pan-European work permit. The document entitles highly qualified specialists with certain special skills and relevant education to live and work in the chosen state of the region.

To apply for a Blue Card, an expat needs to find an employer who is willing to "sponsor" his application.

Requirements for issuing a Blue Card:

- A foreigner must have a higher education and 3 years of professional experience.

- The proposed job must meet the following three conditions: the salary for the vacancy must be at least 1.5 times higher than the official average salary in the Czech Republic; the employment contract must be signed for at least 1 year; the duration of the working week must be at least 40 hours.

Like the labor card, the Czech blue card is valid for two years and can be renewed.

3. Employment permit – if a foreigner cannot apply for a Blue Card or Employee Card during the preparation of documents for work in the Czech Republic, he must obtain an employment permit.

Usually this category includes:

- Expats who already live in the Czech Republic on the basis of a certain type of long-term residence permit (business owners, investors, etc.).

- Employees of international companies of non-EU countries who are sent to the Czech Republic for temporary work.

- Foreigners applying for internships in Czech companies.

- Specialists working in the Czech Republic on the basis of certain international governmental agreements.

Currently, a work permit in the Czech Republic is issued only in very special cases. Therefore, this scenario is rarely relevant for those who recently decided to move to the country.

Who does not need a permit to work in the Czech Republic?

Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland have the right to work in the Czech Republic without any restrictions.

Also, no employment permits are required for the following categories of foreigners:

- holders of a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic;

- athletes, artists, scientists, suppliers of goods and installers of equipment, if the duration of work does not exceed seven consecutive days or thirty days per year;

- full-time students and graduates of Czech universities;

- members of diplomats' families;

- to rescuers performing a mission;

- drivers who are employed in foreign companies and have come to the Czech Republic on a business trip;

- accredited journalists;

- foreigners who received asylum in the country.

Who needs a permit to work in the Czech Republic?

All other expats must obtain a permit to work in the Czech Republic.

How long is a work permit valid in the Czech Republic?

The validity period of the permit depends on the type of work performed:

- When applying for a "working Schengen" - up to 3 months.

- For "seasonal work" - up to 6 months.

- In other cases - up to 2 years.

Follow the link for the procedure for obtaining a residence permit in the Czech Republic.

Steps for obtaining a work permit in the Czech Republic

1st stage – verification of vacancies in the Department of Employment

A foreigner has the right to apply for a vacancy in the Czech Republic that has been checked by the Employment Department. Therefore, at the first stage, the employer submits an application for registration of a specific vacancy. If within 30 days it is not possible to hire a citizen of the Czech Republic, a representative of one of the EU countries or their relative for this job, it is entered into a special register. Only after that can a foreigner apply for it.

Stage 2 – submission of an application for a permit from a foreign worker

Foreigners apply for a work permit in writing to the relevant regional department of the State Employment Service, as a rule, before entering the territory of the Czech Republic. The employee may be represented in the procedure by the employer or another authorized representative based on and within the limits of a written power of attorney.

The application must be completed in Czech and contain the following information:

- Personal data of the employee: full name, date of birth, citizenship, place of birth and residential address.

- Mailing address.

- Information about the foreign passport.

- Information about the potential employer: name, legal address, registration number.

- Description of work and duties.

- Place of execution of works.

Step 3 – provide additional documents

In addition to the completed application and power of attorney, it is also necessary to provide:

- A copy of the pages of the foreign passport with the applicant's personal data.

- Employment contract or information about intentions to conclude a contract.

- Confirmation of qualification (diploma).

All documents must have a Czech translation, and the diploma must be apostilled.

The deadline for issuing a work permit and its cost

On average, the permit is issued within 1-3 months - this is the waiting period from the moment of submission of documents. Delays happen, but very rarely.

The administrative fee for issuing a work permit in the Czech Republic is 500 crowns (20 euros).

When does the permit expire?

The permit can be forcibly canceled if it turns out that the work performed does not correspond to the declared one or false information was provided when the document was issued. Also, if its validity period has expired, a goal was set during employment, which was achieved, or the document that allows to stay in the country has expired or been canceled.

Extension of a work permit in the Czech Republic

It is necessary to extend the work permit (employee card) three months before the expiration date. For this, you must continue to work for the same employer and in the same position in which you worked. If you want to change your employer, you must apply for a new work permit.

Do I need to change my permit when I change jobs?

Due to the fact that a work permit in the Czech Republic is issued for a specific vacancy at a certain employer, it is necessary to obtain a new permit when changing jobs. That is, it is necessary to submit a new application for a new vacancy. One is advisable to go through this procedure only for long-term work, because the period of obtaining a permit is quite long.

Useful information about working in the Czech Republic

To have a general idea of work in the Czech Republic, read the useful information:

● The average salary in the Czech Republic as of 2023 is 40,324 Czech crowns/month (1,650 EUR/month).

● The average cost of living for one person in the Czech Republic is 18,454 Czech crowns/month (€755/month). Estimated monthly expenses for a family of four are 61,000 kroner per month (2,500 euros). This includes rent, food, transportation, etc. But, of course, prices can vary depending on the lifestyle you prefer.

● The cost of a health insurance policy is from 6,000 to 40,000 crowns per year (250-1,640 euros). Depends on the chosen company and preferences.

● Most foreigners find work in the Czech Republic via the Internet, the following portals are popular: Jobspin.cz, Jobs.cz, Prace.cz, Profesia.cz. Vacancies are available in Czech and English.

● The most popular vacancies among foreigners: workers in the field of IT and network administration (programmers, IT specialists, WEB designers and software developers), doctors and medical workers, financial consultants, marketing analysts, chemists and builders.

The Czech Republic is recognized as one of the safest countries in the world and has the lowest unemployment rate in the EU, so many foreigners would like to work here. At first glance, the procedure for obtaining a work permit appears to be consistent and predictable, but each stage has many details and hidden features. An employment specialist will help you choose the appropriate type of permit for a specific person, assess your chances, and prepare the necessary package of documents. Order a consultation of a highly qualified lawyer using the link.

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Checklist for obtaining a visa and necessary documents in the Czech Republic;

Legal services for immigration and visa in the Czech Republic;

Travel insurance for foreigners in the Czech Republic;
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