MLSA integrated portal


Employment > Foreign Employment > Blue Cards > For Employers
Změnit jazyk na - Český choice - English Choisir une autre langue - Française Cambiar idioma a - Español Изменить язык на - русский язык The International page for all available languages.
MLSA Employment Social affairs EURES Forms
Home  Employment - default page 
Search   Help   Home   Login
  You are not logged in. You can sign up.

Blue Card - Information for Employers

When does a foreigner need a permit?

If you want to employ a foreigner, then it is only possible if:

  • The foreigner has a valid work permit and a valid residence permit for the Czech Republic
  • or he is a green card or blue card holder. (Green cards and blue cards are both a residence permit and a work permit.),
  • or if the conditions for the issuance of the blue card have been met.

The following persons may be employed without a work permit, blue card, or green card:

  1. citizens of EU Member States and citizens of Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland
  2. family members of citizens of the CR or of citizens stated in point 1
  3. foreigners for whom the exceptions stated in Section 98 of Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment apply

Work permit, blue card, or green card?

A work permit, blue card or green card are issued for a specific job with a specific employer. In terms of employment arrangements, they are equivalent to each other. Each of these permits may be granted under specific circumstances. E.g., for blue cards, the law stipulates the conditions pertaining to the job for which the blue card is intended.

The main differences between a work permit, blue card, and green card, from the employer's perspective, are as follows:
Work Permit Blue Card Green Card
differences according to qualifications Only one type of permit is issued regardless of the employee's required qualifications. The completion of university education or higher specialised education where studies lasted for at least 3 years is required.

There are three types according to the employee's required qualifications:

  • type A – for workers with university education and key personnel
  • type B – for workers with a minimum educational requirement
  • type C – other workers
how long it takes to arrange

The work permit itself does not yet entitle the foreigner to do the job- he/she must also arrange a residence permit for employment purposes.

 A blue card is both a work permit and a residence permit. A blue card should be issued more quickly than a work permit, upon the fulfilment of all the requirements

The green card is both a work permit and residence permit. The green card should be issued more quickly on fulfilment of all the requirements.
publication of a job vacancy

Declaring a job vacancy to the labour office is a general obligation pursuant to Section 35 Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment.

The employer may inform the labour office that he/she is interested in recruiting a foreigner.

Declaring a job vacancy to the labour office is a general obligation pursuant to Section 35 of Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment.

The employer must consent to the publication of the job vacancy in the central register of job vacancies available for blue card holders (hereinafter referred to as the register of vacancies available for blue cards ). Consent can be given either when declaring the job vacancy or later.

Declaring a vacancy to the labour office is a general obligation pursuant to Section 35 Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment.

The employer must consent to the publication of the job vacancy in the central register of job vacancies suitable for green card holders (hereinafter referred to as the "register of suitable jobs for green cards"). Consent can be given either when declaring the job vacancy or later.

employee selection

Before granting a permit the prior declaration of the employer that the foreigner will be employed is required. The employee therefore always knows in advance to whom the permit is being issued.

The employment contract must be concluded prior to the submission of a blue card application. The concluded employment contract is an appendix to the blue card application.
See What happens after the publication of a job vacancy?

The prior declaration of the employer is not required. It is recommended to the foreigners that they contact the potential employer prior to submitting an application, but it is not a condition for issuing the green card.
See What happens after publication of a job vacancy?
duration of permit

Maximum of 2 years.

The permit can be repeatedly extended for a maximum of 2 years.

In line with the employment contract concluded, plus 3 months, but to a maximum of 2 years.

The permit may be repeatedly extended for a maximum of 2 years.

type A – 3 years, can be repeatedly extended for a maximum of 3 years

type B – 2 years, can be repeatedly extended for a maximum of 3 years

type C – 2 years, cannot be extended
foreigner's country of origin Without restrictions, except for those who do not require a permit. Without restrictions, except for those who do not require a permit.

The green card is foreigners who are citizens of the countries listed:

Australia, Montenegro, Croatia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, United States of America, Serbia, Ukraine.

How to offer a job vacancy for a blue card

How to include a job vacancy in the register of vacancies available for blue cards?

In order for a foreigner to submit an application for a blue card for a specific job vacancy, this vacancy must be included in the register of vacancies available for blue cards It can be put in this register if all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

  1. The employer declares the job vacancy to the Labour Office. He/she can also declare the job vacancy via the Internet, if permitted to do so by the Labour Office.
  2. The job must require a high professional qualification and must be for at least one year for the statutory weekly work hours.
  3. The gross annual salary based on the monthly or annual salary offered is not lower than a 1.5 multiple of the gross annual salary in the Czech Republic.
  4. When making the declaration or subsequently, the employer grants consent to publish the vacancy in the register of vacancies available for blue cards.
  5. The job vacancy has not been filled within 30 days of it having been declared.

The vacancy then automatically goes into the register of vacancies available for blue cards. If the employer has granted consent to publication, the vacancy is also published in the registry of vacancies available for blue cards.

A vacancy will not be included in the registry of vacancies available for blue cards if

  • filling it were to threaten the situation on the job market; this is decided by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.
  • the conditions given in Section 38 Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment, are fulfilled.

What happens after a job vacancy has been included in the register of vacancies available for blue cards?

What is the next stage after the publication of a job vacancy in the registry of vacancies available for blue cards?

As soon as a job vacancy is published in the registry of vacancies available for blue cards, foreigners may submit applications for it.

A foreigner may only submit an application for a blue card on the basis of contact with the employer and having concluded an employment contract, which must be enclosed with the submission of the application. Following the approval of the blue card application, the Ministry of the Interior informs the employer in writing that the foreigner's application has been granted; in the information it states:

  • the name or names and surname
  • the foreigner's nationality
  • the date as of which he meets the conditions for the issuing of a blue card (if the application was granted)
  • the position for which the blue card will be issued (if the application was granted).

After issuing the blue card, the Ministry of the Interior informs the employer in writing of the number of the blue card issued to the foreigner and its date of receipt.

Obligations of the Employer

  • Once a foreigner commences his employment, the employer shall inform the relevant Labour Office of the vacancy having been filled. He shall state the blue card reference number.
  • The employer shall inform the relevant Labour Office in writing if a foreigner who has been granted a blue card:
    1. has not commenced employment (within 45 calendar days of the day on which his/her blue card application was granted), or
    2. terminated his employment prior to the expiration of the period for which the permit was issued, and, if the employment was terminated for any of the reasons stipulated in Section 52 a) to e) of the Labour Code, or by agreement for the same reasons, or by an immediate termination pursuant to Section 56, also of the reason for the employment termination. (within 10 calendar days of the foreigner having terminated his/her employment).
  • If the employment was terminated for any of the reasons stipulated in Section 52 a) to e) of the Labour Code, or by agreement for the same reasons, or by an immediate termination pursuant to Section 56, prior to the expiration of the period for which a blue card was issued for the foreigner, and, for that reason, his/her residence permit issued for employment purposes has been or is to be cancelled, the employer shall pay the cost of any healthcare provided to the foreigner in the period between employment termination and the foreigner's travel out of the country, but for a maximum of the period for which the work permit was issued; this shall not apply if these costs are covered by other means.
  • The employer shall inform the Ministry of the Interior in writing and without delay of any expected change in the job position of a blue card holder.
Last updated: 27. 9. 2011
The person responsible for complete information: odbor 41, oddělení 414. Dotazy vyřizuje: tel. 844 844 803, kontaktni.centrum(a)mpsv.cz
Sitemap | Declaration of accessibility | Technical administration | Text version | Page validity