Czech Republic increasingly inclusive: visa requirement removed for 7 Non-EU countries
From July 2024, the Czech Republic will eliminate the need for work visas for citizens from Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. To attract qualified talent and to simplify the hiring process, the Czech Republic is close to an important policy change. The Czech Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs approved a draft government regulation thanks to foreigners from the above-mentioned countries being given a free pass to the Czech labor market.
The proposed amendment to the labor law, scheduled to take effect in July, aims to exempt foreigners from having to obtain work permits, employee cards, blue cards, or intra-company transfers in order to be legally accepted as workers in the country. The government thus hopes to foster cooperation and international talent exchange.
Countries selection was not random: the text of the law specifies how it took into account the priority for the Czech Republic to recruit highly qualified workers from countries with a minimum level of risk. However, although the regulation prioritizes support in recruiting this type of worker, it recognizes that the treatment for Czechs may not be reciprocal from all seven countries on the list. Despite this, the main focus of the law change remains on promoting cooperation with economically strong nations, which could bring mutual benefits in the long run.
Statistics provided by the Ministry of Labor show the current employment landscape of foreigners from the seven countries on the list in the Czech Republic, highlighting that these individuals are most employed in highly skilled senior positions. In the end of March, employment offices reported a total of 9,271 employees from these countries, most of them with university or doctoral degrees. Despite their low percentage among the Czech Republic’s foreign employees, workers from these countries play key roles in various sectors, contributing to the country’s economic growth and innovation.
The proposed legal reform is symbolic of a forward-looking strategy toward promoting a more efficient and inclusive labor market, making the Czech Republic an attractive destination for international talent.
With this modification, a path already initiated in the summer of 2017 was continued, when new legislative texts came into effect allowing for increased employment opportunities for non-EU citizens. As early as 2017, therefore, the need to open the labor market was already evident, although at that time the demand came from Czech entrepreneurs, who complained of a substantial labor shortage, caused by an unemployment rate close to 3 percent.
The law that came into effect in 2017 allowed for the employment of Non-EU workers through employment agencies, simplifying the recruitment process. It also provided for a new, simpler process of issuing a residence permit for work, with the possibility of issuing it for seasonal workers as well.
Thus, the proposed legal reform represents a further step in a previously initiated path toward creating a more dynamic and inclusive labor market in the Czech Republic. In fact, this modification is in line with the vision of an open labor market, as already set by the statutory regulations enacted in 2017, and aims to promote international cooperation and talent exchange. The expected increase in highly skilled non-EU workers is expected to consolidate the Czech Republic’s position as a center of excellence and opportunity on the international stage.
