Last update: June 2025

• Work requirements for foreigners in the CR
• Employee Card
• Which office to contact?

Work Requirements for Foreigners in the CR

A foreigner’s right to work in the Czech Republic is related to the type of their residence permit and their country of origin. The first thing to know is whether you are a foreigner entitled to free or conditional access to the labour market.

With free access to the labour market, you don’t need any further permits to be able to work.

With conditional access to the labour market, you need to arrange a work permit. The most frequent types of permits are: Employee Card, Blue Card, Special Work Visa, and a work permit.

Free access to the labour market

Citizens of the EU/EEA and Switzerland and their family members do not need an employment permit. Family members of citizens of the Czech Republic who are not EU citizens may enter the labour market without an employment permit, an Employee Card, a Blue Card, or an Intra-Company Employee Transfer Card, if that they have obtained a temporary residence permit in form of a residence card for family members of EU citizens issued by the Ministry of the Interior, or if they can prove (by a record in the travel document or an official confirmation) that they have applied for temporary residence permit for family members of EU citizens.

Free access to the labour market also applies to you in the following situations:

• You reside in the CR based on a permanent residence permit.
• You are a student (provided that you are studying a full-time programme, which you have not suspended).
• You reside in the CR based on a long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification with a spouse who has a long-term or permanent residence permit.
• You are a graduate of studies in the CR. However, if the purpose of your stay is employment, you need an Employee Card, which will serve only as a residence permit.
• You are a holder of international protection.

Conditional access of foreigners to the labour market 

The following groups of foreigners need to obtain a work permit to be able to perform work in the CR:

• Third-country nationals who come to the Czech Republic for employment and are not from designated countries.
• Students under 26 on exchange study programmes.
• Employees posted to the CR by an international employer (outside the EU).
• Interns.
• Holders of the long-term residence permit for the purpose of conducting business.
• Short-term and long-term visa holders.

Types of work permits for foreigners

Here you will find basic information about:

• Employee Card
• Blue Card
• employment permit issued by the Labour Office of the Czech Republic.

Employee Card

The most commonly applied-for work permit by foreigners is the Employee Card. It allows you to live and work in the Czech Republic long-term. There are two types of Employee Cards:

• Dual card, which serves as both a residence and work permit (2 in 1).
• Non-dual card, which entitles you to stay in the CR, but to be able to work, you must either have free access to the labour market (e.g. students and graduates of Czech schools), or obtain an additional work permit (e.g. if you are transferred to the Czech Republic by an international employer).

The employee card is a plastic card with biometric elements issued for a maximum period of 2 years, depending on the length of your employment contract. You may apply for an extension of the card no earlier than 120 days before its expiration and no later than the last day of its validity. If you are planning to come to work in the Czech Republic, you must apply for the card at a Czech diplomatic mision in your country of origin. You may also apply from within the Czech Republic if you have been residing here on a long-term visa (not a tolerance visa). You cannot apply in the Czech Republic if you are here under a visa waiver or on a short-stay visa (for up to 90 days).

The card is always issued for a specific job position that does not require a high level of qualification (i.e. not requiring higher vocational education or university education).

Changing your employer or job position

You must report the change to the Ministry of the Interior no later than 30 days in advance. You do not need to report the change if you have free access to the labour market or if the new position is covered by a work permit. After submiting the notice, you must wait for the Ministry’s confirmation that all requirements for the change have been met. You cannot change your job within the first 6 months from the date you collected your Employee Card.

More details about the Employee Card, including what it looks like and how to apply for it, how to extend its validity and how to change your job, are available on the Official Information Portal of the Ministry of the Interior of the CR. 

Blue Card

Another type of permit you may apply for is the Blue Card. This permit is intended for non-EU citizens who wish to work in a position that requires a high level of qualification (i.e. higher vocational or university education). You can apply for the Blue Card at a Czech diplomatic mission abroad, or from within the Czech Republic, if you already hold a Blue Card issued by another EU country (in this case, you must apply within one month of your arrival in the Czech Republic).

You may apply for a Blue Card if you meet the following conditions:

• You have a university degree or higher professional education (minimum of 3 years of study).
  
• You will be employed in a position that requires such qualification.
  
• You have an employment contract for at least 6 months.
  
• Your salary must be at least 1.5 times the average gross salary in the Czech Republic.
  

The Blue Card allows you to legally live and work in the Czech Republic, travel within the Schengen area and apply for a residence permit for your family members. The Blue Card is issued for up to 3 years of for the duration of your employment contract plus 3 months. If you change or leave your job, you must notify the Ministry of the Interior within 3 working days.

Work permit

As a third-country national, you are required to apply for a work permit in the Czech Republic in certain cases, especially if:

• You are working as a seasonal employee (for a maximum of 6 months).
• You perform work tasks within a commercial company (e.g. you are a managing director who also performs operational tasks beyond company management).
• You are working on a short-term basis for up to 3 months (with a short-term visa for employment purposes).
• You are a trainee seeking to gain professional experience or qualifications (for a maximum of 6 months).
• You are a young person under 26 years of age working occasionally during an exchange programme.
• You hold a long-term visa or residence permit for the purpose of toleration.
• You have applied for international protection (you may apply for a work permit no sooner than 6 months after submitting your application for international protection and must not work until then).
• You are transferred by an international employer to work in the Czech Republic.
• You hold a residence permit for the purpose of business, but wish to be employed in addition to running your business.

The application must be submitted at the regional branch of the Employment Office responsible for the region where you will be employed. You must attach a work contract and any other required documents with your application. If your employer is submitting the application on your behalf, you must provide them with a power of attorney. The Labour Office has 30 days to make a decision on your application. A work permit can be issued for up to two years, and its validity can be extended.

Work permit will not be granted if:

• The employer has been fined for illegal employment within the last 4 months.
• The employer has been declared bankrupt.
• The employer has received a serious fine for a labour law violation within the last 3 months.

Remember that in addition to a work permit, you must also have a valid residence permit in order to work legally in the Czech Republic!

Which Office to Contact?

• The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs provides information about working in the CR and about recruitment agencies on their website. The ministry also manages a database of vacancies available to foreigners. Since the web redesign in 2019, all relevant information can be found in the Zahraniční zaměstnanost (Foreign Employment) section. Information is available in English, Russian, and Ukrainian.

• Labour Offices issue employment permits. In Prague, you should contact the regional branch responsible for the city of Prague. Labour offices also provide job placement services if you lose your job.
• Ministry of the Interior – Department of Asylum and Migration Policy issues Employee Cards. More information is available on their website.

Labour Inspectorate

The main role of the labour inspectorate is to monitor compliance with labour laws, including including occupational health and safety regulations. This applies to both Czech citizens and foreign nationals. They also verify whether foreigners are legally employed in the Czech Republic – checking if they have a valid residence permit and, when required, a work permit. In justified cases, the Labour Inspectorate can impose fines for administrative offenses and other violations. They can also assist you in asserting your rights as an employee.