Frequently Asked Questions - Czech Immigration

Q. What does the project and the CR offer to foreign experts?

The possibility to apply together with their family for permanent residence in the CR in shortened period after only 1 ½ years to two and a half years is the main incentive for applicants joining the project. Starting from July 1st 2007, highly qualified workers category includes the pilot project participants with university level education who are working in the Czech Republic on the positions requiring university level education and corresponding to their qualification (education or practice). This category of foreigners may apply for permanent residence already after 1,5 year of their participation in the project.

Under valid legislation, the period for getting permanent residence in the CR is five years. Besides that, project participants will be granted a 45 days grace period in order to find a new job if in the first year of their project participation they lose their job through no fault of their own. In the course of following years of their participation in the project the participants are granted the grace period also if they lose their job for other reasons, except termination of employment due to gross violation of working discipline - s. 52 (1) g of Act no. 262/2006 Sb., Labour Code.Foreigners who do not participate in the project must leave the territory of the Czech Republic immediately following the dismissal from work. CR may also offer: an improved status during stay, a helpful integration policy, many future possibilities within the EU , a relatively non-xenophobic and non-racist society, language and cultural relations with the East-European region. Foreigners’ interest in life in the CR is made evident by the fact that there are more than 351 thousand foreigners living in the CR. That is more than in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia taken together.

Q. Is working in a qualified position a necessary condition for participating in the project ?

Legal employment in the CR based on the work permit is one of the conditions for entering the project. The foreigner may work in any position in any industry. Furthermore, the participation in the project should help perspective employees find jobs corresponding to their qualification.

Q. Will my previous stay in the Czech Republic be recognised as a part of 2,5 years (1,5 year) period ?

It will not, but you will be given points for it. Your previous stay in the Czech Republic is rewarded as a previous experience with life in the Czech Republic: for every uninterrupted six months period spent in the Czech Republic before being selected in the selection procedure you will be assigned one point; the maximum is 6 points. Similarly, you will be given 1 point for every six months of any full-time employment prior to the first day of the validity of the work permit related to employment with which you apply to the project. Again, you can obtain a maximum of 6 points.

Q. My spouse does not have the visa for the purpose of employment . May he/she also apply for the project together with me ?
 
Your spouse may apply for participation in the pilot project together with you while staying in the CR based on the visa issued for other purpose than employment. Thus he/she will become a part of your application, and after successful two and a half years’ test period MoLSA shall recommend him/her, as well as you, to be granted permanent residence.

Q. Which documents need to be translated into Czech ?

Documents which do not have to be translated into Czech are the following: a valid travel document, an employment contract (or other written proof of existing legal employment within the territory of the Czech Republic) signed by the Czech employer, a valid visa, an educational certificate if issued by a Czech educational institution, and a valid workpermit. Other documents must be presented as a notarially certified copy with a certified translation into Czech. Out of the Czech Republic territory, an officially authenticated translation can be done only by translators certified in each individual country. Information about them will be provided at Embassies of the Czech Republic. At the same time, the Czech Republic Embassies are competent to verify the correctness of a translation.