Many Newly Arrived Foreigners Still Unaware of the Obligation to Take an Adaptation and Integration Course, Despite Risk of Heavy Fines

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The number of newly arrived foreigners unaware of the legal obligation to take an adaptation and integration course has been increasing. This issue has been highlighted by the Slovo 21 organisation, which proposed the idea for the course more than a decade ago and remains responsible for the course methodology. Those who fail to fulfill this obligation risk being fined.  Adaptation and integration courses are educational seminars designed to help foreigners navigate life in a new country. Since 2021, the course has been mandatory for certain groups of newly arrived foreigners. Over 30,000 people have completed the courses since then.

“The data on newly arrived foreigners show that awareness of the adaptation and integration courses is still insufficient. This often leads to failure to take the course in time which can result in further issues,” says Blanka Vosecká Veselá, methodologist for the Welcome to the Czech Republic course. If foreigners fail to take the course in due time – that is within one year of receiving their residence permit – they may face a fine of up to CZK 10,000.

“Moreover, the fine can be imposed repeatedly. We strongly recommend everyone required to take the course to do so,” adds Vosecká Veselá. The course is mandatory for certain groups of foreigners from third countries. A complete list of these groups subject to the obligation, together with the statutory exemptions, is available on the Ministry of the Interior’s website.

The Slovo 21 organisation released a new video spot in mid-September to help raise awareness about the adaptation and integration courses. Its main face is Andrea, an influencer from Venezuela, who has been living in the Czech Republic for over 6 years. In the two-and-a-half-minute video, she presents the content of the course in an engaging way and explains why these courses are beneficial for newly arrived foreigners.

The goal of the course is to familiarize foreigners with their rights and obligations related to their stay in the Czech Republic, as well as to introduce them to local context and culture. “The course is mandatory for some foreigners, but I would definitely recommend it to all foreigners. It’s a great starting point for everyone who wants to stay in Czechia long-term. I gained a lot of practical information that I had no clue of before – especially regarding residence legislation and Labour Code issues. It would be very difficult for a foreigner to do without such information in a new country,” says Abdel from Egypt who has taken the course.

The courses are administered by a comprehensive network of 18 centres for the integration of foreigners, available in all regions of the Czech Republic. The course lasts 4 hours, it is led by expert lecturers in Czech, with interpretation available in English, Arabic, French, Mongolian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. “If requested, we can also provide interpretation in other languages. We’ve had courses in Japanese, Hindi, Turkish, Chinese or Thai, too,” adds Vosecká Veselá. The course fee payable by participants is CZK 1,500.

To learn more about the course, see I Need to Arrange – Welcome to the Czech Republic – Adaptation and Integration Courses.