The Czech government is contemplating a significant change that could simplify the process for skilled professionals from select developed nations to secure employment in Czechia.

Under a proposed draft regulation, citizens from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States may no longer require work permits or employment cards starting July.

This proposed amendment to Czech employment law aims to attract highly qualified individuals and managerial talent by providing them with easier access to the job market. Additionally, it seeks to alleviate the administrative burden on businesses endeavoring to recruit foreign expertise.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, responsible for drafting the proposal, highlighted the selection of these countries due to their robust economies and the Czech Republic's history of successful collaboration with them.

However, the Ministry acknowledges the absence of "reciprocal treatment" for Czech workers in these nations, unlike existing agreements with some of them.

Despite the existing agreements exempting some nationalities from work permits, they have not been widely utilized. The Ministry asserts that individuals from these countries typically occupy high-skilled roles and are not engaged in illegal employment or seeking asylum.

March 2024 data from Czech employment offices support this assertion. Among registered foreign employees from the proposed list, over half hold university or doctoral degrees, and more than 80% are in skilled positions, surpassing the average foreign workforce in Czechia.

While these seven countries constitute only a small fraction (1.1%) of the total foreign workforce in Czechia, their numbers include significant populations, such as 4,434 Britons, 2,505 Americans, and over 2,000 individuals from the other listed nations. Photo by Mary Kar, Wikimedia commons.