Immigration
EU free movement with quota-based national employee cards
EU citizens move freely. Third-country nationals rely on the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals, principally the employee card and the EU Blue Card, with government quotas and appointment capacity at embassies often the binding constraint.
Key rules
- The employee card combines residence and work authorisation for a specific post.
- Permanent residence normally requires five years of continuous residence.
- Long-term residents must show Czech language ability at A1 for permanent residence.
- Ukrainian nationals hold temporary protection under a separate special statute.
Governing law
- Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals (326/1999)Principal immigration statute.
- Asylum Act (325/1999)International protection.
- Act on citizenship (186/2013)Permits dual nationality.
In practice
Employee card applications are filed at an embassy abroad and the post must first be advertised in the central vacancies register, which lengthens the timetable considerably.