Warning: Information on these pages may temporarily be not fully correct.

Steps to be Taken by a Foreigner with Respect to His/Her Employment in the Czech Republic

Who is a party to the procedure

A party to the administrative procedure is the foreigner applying for a work permit in writing at the relevant labour office, typically prior to his/her arrival in the Czech Republic. He/she may be represented in the procedure by his/her employer or another authorised representative, on the basis of a written power of attorney and to the extent specified therein.

Application for a work permit

The application shall contain

• Identification information of the foreigner (i.e., first name or names, surname, maiden name, if relevant, country of citizenship, birth number or the date and place of birth, if a birth number has not been assigned, residence),
• Address in the country of permanent residence, and a mailing address,
• Travel document number and name of the issuing authority,
• Identification information of the future employer (name, registered seat, identification number),
• Type of work,
• Place of work and term for which the work should be performed,
• Any other information required for the performance of the work (model application for downloading).

Enclosures

• Photocopy of the page of a travel document containing the basic identification information about the foreigner;
• Declaration of the employer that it will employ the foreigner (model declaration for downloading);
• A notarised copy of a document of professional competence for the field in which the foreigner is to work in the Czech Republic (vocational certificate, certificate of matriculation, university diploma, etc.);
• A medical confirmation of the state of health of the foreigners, which must not be more than one month old;
• Other documents if the nature of the job requires so, or if an announced international agreement, whose ratification was approved by the Parliament and by which the Czech Republic is bound, stipulates so.

Enclosures in foreign languages are to be submitted in their original or in the form of a notarised copy with an official translation into Czech.

Administrative fee

In line with the Administrative Fee Act, the filing of an application for a work permit for a foreigner is subject to an administrative fee of CZK 500 (see item 9 lit. (c) of the Appendix).

Employment conditions

The basic condition for the issuing of a work permit to a foreigner is the situation on the labour market and the fact that the vacant work position is one which, given the qualification required or the temporary shortage in workforce, cannot be occupied otherwise. Competent to issue this permit is always the LO in whose district the work is to be carried out by the foreigner.

Work permit

• contains the foreigner's identification information, place of work, type of work, identification information of the employer with whom the foreigner will perform the work, duration for which it is issue, and other information needed for the performance of work;
• is not transferable and is issued for a definite period of time, not exceeding one year; a foreigner may apply for a work permit repeatedly;
• for seasonal workers employed in activities depending on the alternation of the seasons, a work permit is issued for a maximum of six months in a calendar year and may be issued even repeatedly, provided that at least six months have passed between tow jobs;
• is valid only for employment with the employer specified in the decision, and only for the type and place of work specified therein. If any of the conditions specified in the permit are to change prior to the expiration of the work permit, the foreigner must apply at the competent LO for the issue of a new work permit;
• is required for all labour-law relationships within the meaning of the Labour Code, in which a foreigner engages in the Czech Republic, i.e., an employment relationship, auxiliary (side) employment, agreement to perform a work and agreement to carry out labour activity, even in the case of a concurrence of these labour-law relationships.

Work activity in the Czech Republic

A foreigner may carry out work in the Czech Republic provided he/she has a valid work permit and a valid visa issued for an employment-related stay.