Expatriates Forums in Czech Republic

WORK PERMIT IN CZECH REP / CZECH REP WORK VISA

Czech Republic Info — Mon May 21, 2007 2:58 am

Author: Czech Republic Info

Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:58 am

WORK PERMIT IN CZECH REP

GENERAL

Profitable activities conducted by a foreign national in the Czech Republic may take two forms: The foreign national may either be employed by a legal entity or a natural person, or he/she may do business in the Czech Republic. Foreign nationals – holders of permanent residency permits, asylum seekers, EU citizens, members of their families, and other eligible persons are not required to apply for a work permit in the Czech Republic.

Fundamental conditions of foreign nationals’ employment in the Czech Republic:

For the purposes of the Act on Employment, the citizens of EU member states, the EEC and Switzerland, and their relatives, are not considered foreign nationals. They enjoy the same legal status as Czech citizens.

Foreign nationals (and persons without citizenship) may be employed in the Czech Republic, provided they have met two fundamental conditions: they have been granted a work permit and a residency permit. The conditions for the employment of foreign nationals in the Czech Republic are set out in Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment.

A foreign national may be recruited and employed only if he/she holds a valid work permit and a valid Czech residency permit. For these purposes, employment is deemed to include the fulfilment of ordinary tasks procured by a partner, statutory body or member of a corporate body or cooperative.

An employment permit is also required if the foreign national is to work in the Czech Republic for a foreign employer having assigned the foreign national to work in the Czech Republic under a commercial or other agreement concluded with a Czech legal or natural person.

The foreign national may apply for a work permit at the local Labour Office. The applicant for the work permit – foreign national must pay a fee of CZK 500.

The foreign national may apply for the issuance of a work permit either in person or through a proxy, authorised by a written power of attorney, or through his/her employer, for whom the foreign national is to work or to whom he/she will be assigned to work by his/her foreign employer, based on a written power of attorney. The work permit is required both if the foreign national is to work for his/her employer on a full-time basis or on a part-time basis. A foreign national must apply for a work permit when he/she will be working full time, part time, when an agreement has been concluded for work activities and work carried out, for short-term employment (e.g. seasonal work, student work) or if such work is carried out in parallel with other working agreements. If a foreign national carries out more than one employment on the territory of the Czech Republic at the same time, he/she must apply for a work permit for each job independently.

THE PROCEDURE

The procedure for obtaining a work permit in the Czech Republic in the case that the applicant does not reside in the Czech Republic (and applies for the permit either him/herself or through the legal/natural entity for which he/she is to work), is as follows:

If you are interested in working in the Czech Republic, you may acquire information on vacancies at the following web page: www.portal.mpsv.cz/szportal.mpsv.cz or www.ssz.mpsv.cz or from job agencies seated in the Czech Republic and having been granted permit to mediate employment from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. For a list of these accredited job agencies, visit www.portal.mpsv.cz/sz (the job agencies' list menu). Information contained in these websites is in Czech only.

If you find an employer seated in the Czech Republic, contact it and arrange for the issuance of a work permit application, including all the particulars. This service may be rendered to you by a job agency you may have addressed. The applicant for the work permit must pay a fee of CZK 500.

Subsequently, the relevant Czech Labour Office will hold administrative proceedings and make a decision whether to issue or reject the work permit (considering the situation on the Czech labour market). If the Labour Office decides to issue the permit, it will be issued to the hands of your proxy. Thereafter, the proxy will send you the permit.

Having done so, you must file an application for a residency visa in excess of 90 days for the purposes of employment at a Czech diplomatic mission in your home country; you must attach the valid Czech employment permit to the visa application. Once you take all the steps outlined above and obtain a residency visa in excess of 90 days, you may enter the Czech Republic. Once in the Czech Republic, you must report, within three days, the place and the estimated time of your temporary residence to the Foreigners' Police. After that, you may commence your employment.

Documentation For Work Permit

* A photocopy of the page of your passport containing your basic identification data (to be retained by the Labour Office);

* The original or an officially verified copy of your qualification papers, e.g. a certificate of apprenticeship, diploma, certificate of an accredited language test and other certificates relevant for the profession you will pursue in the Czech Republic;

* Statement by the employer expressing its intention to employ you;

* Medical certificate of your health condition, no older than one month;

* Other documents required by an international treaty binding upon the Czech Republic or relevant for the profession.

The above-mentioned documents are presented in their original copies, together with notarised translations into Czech.

Note:

A work permit is issued for a definite period of time not exceeding one year! You may apply for the extension of your work permit several times.

The work permit is non-transferable, and contains the following:

* identification data of the foreign national;
* identification data of the employer for whom the foreign national is to work;
* place where the work will be carried out;
* type of work;
* period of validity of the permit.

The work permit is valid only for the employment and the employer stated in the decision. This also applies to the type of employment and the place of employment. If any of the above-mentioned conditions or particulars changes before the validity of the work permit expires, you must apply for a new work permit at the local Labour Office.

WORK PERMIT EXTENSION

If you want to have your work permit extended, you must apply for an extension of the permit at the relevant Labour Office no later than 30 days before the expiry of the current permit.

You may have your permit extended only if you continue to carry out the same work for the same employer.

You must pick up a blank application form for the work permit at the local Labour Officer, fill it in in Czech, attach your photo to the form and attach the required documents. The applicant must pay a fee of CZK 250. The Labour Office will review the application and make a decision whether to issue or reject the employment permit (considering the situation on the Czech labour market). If the Labour Office decides to issue a work permit, it is valid for no longer than one year (if your employment is to terminate before the expiry of the permit, your residency permit for the purpose of employment will expire as of the date of termination and you must leave the Czech Republic). The issued work permit is valid solely and exclusively for the type of work, the employer and the place of work specified therein.

After that, you must present the extended Czech work permit at the local Foreigners' Police station (14 days before the expiry of the current visa, at the latest!) and file an application for an extension of the validity of your residency visa in excess of 90 days for the purpose of employment, or file an application for a long-term residency permit for the purpose of employment (for more information, See Residency of foreign nationals in the Czech Republic). If your application is approved, you may continue your employment.

Note:

As of May 1, 2004, the applicant may, if he/she continues to work for the same employer, file an application for long-term residency for the purpose of employment at the local Foreigners' Police station in the Czech Republic, instead of extending the validity of his/her residence visa in excess of 90 days (i.e., the foreign national does not have to leave the Czech Republic). The foreign national may apply for this permit if he/she has stayed in the Czech Republic on a residency visa in excess of 90 days, provided that the purpose of the residency (in this case, employment) remains unchanged, and the foreign national wants to live temporarily in the Czech Republic for a period exceeding one year. The long-term residency permit will be issued in the form of a residency permit card. In this case, the foreign national may stay in the Czech Republic for the period specified in the long-term residency permit; however, for a period not exceeding one year. The validity of the card may be repeatedly extended.

Documentation For Extension of Work Permit

In case you are filing an application for the extension of the validity of your work permit, you must present the following documents:

* a photocopy of the page of your passport containing your basic identification data (to be presented to the Labour Office);

* the original or an officially notarised copy of your qualification papers relevant for the profession you will pursue in the Czech Republic, in case the application relates to another type of work;

* Statement by the employer expressing its intention to employ you further;

* medical certificate of your health condition, no older than one month;

* other documents required by an international treaty binding upon the Czech Republic or if relevant to the profession.

VISA TO CZECH REP / CZECH REP VISA GUIDE

Czech Republic Info — Fri May 18, 2007 6:53 am

Author: Czech Republic Info

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:53 am

VISA TO CZECH REPUBLIC

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay without visa or for at least three months beyond expiry date of visa if applicable, except for:

EU/EEA nationals (EU + Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Swiss nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Note: EU and EEA nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU/EEA nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU/EEA Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed. Minors are allowed to travel on their parents' passports up until aged 15 years.

Visas

Required by all except the following:

(a) British nationals with a valid passport;

(b) Nationals listed in the chart above and nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Israel, Korea (Rep), Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela for up to 90 days;

(c) nationals of Bulgaria, Romania and Singapore for up to 30 days;

(d) transit passengers continuing their journey within 24 hours and not leaving the airport, providing holding onward tickets and relevant travel documentation. *Airport transit/transit visas are, however, always required for nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka and the Syrian Arab Republic (this does not apply if the above national holds a valid residence visa or permit of any EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, or holds a permanent or long-term residence permit in Andorra, Canada, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland or the USA);

(e) holders of a UN laissez-passer for as long as is necessary.

Notes:

(a) EU and EEA nationals, and those who do not require visas, whose stay will exceed 30 days, must register with the Alien and Border Police within 30 days of arrival. All other nationals must register with the Alien and Border Police within three days of arrival, regardless of intended length of stay. Generally, accommodation providers will arrange this for their guests.

(b) British Overseas Citizens require visas as do holders of British Travel Documents (blue) under the 1951 Geneva Convention, and holders of British Travel Documents (brown) for tourism and business trips, and must apply in person.

Types of visa and cost

Single-entry, Multiple-entry, Single-transit, Double-transit, Multiple-transit and Airport-transit. Prices vary according to the nationality of the applicant and according to currency rates. For UK nationals, single-entry visas cost US$31, multiple-entry visas cost US$119, for stays not exceeding 90 days. Single-transit/double-transit: US$31 There are no visa fees for nationals of Albania, Ecuador, Japan, Seychelles, South Africa and Turkey, or for children under 15 years of age.

Validity

Single- and multiple-entry: Six months from date of issue for a visit of a specified period not exceeding 90 days. Transit (single, double and multiple-transit): Six months from date of issue for a visit of a specified period not exceeding five days.

Application to

Consulate or Consular section at the Embassy. Please note that some nationals must apply in person for a visa and submit slightly different application requirements. Check with the Embassy for further details.

Application requirements

(a) One original application form.
(b) One recent passport-size photo (attach with glue; do not staple).
(c) Passport valid for at least 90 days beyond the requested length of visa, with at least one blank page and a photocopy of the data page. Children inscribed in their parents' passports are permitted to travel with their parents up to the age of 15, from when they will require a separate passport.
(d) Fee (payable in cash, by banker’s draft or by postal order only).
(e) Proof of sufficient funds (eg recent bank statement or letter from host or sponsor).
(f) Postal applications should be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope pre-paid for special delivery.
(g) Valid travel insurance policy covering emergency hospital treatment and repatriation.

Tourist:
(a)-(g).

Business:
(a)-(g) and,
(h) Letter from employer or invitation letter from company in the Czech Republic.

Student:
(a)-(g) and,
(h) Letter from school or college confirming that you are a student and confirmation of available accommodation.

Note: All documents must be submitted in both original form, plus one photocopy.

Processing time

7 working days (in person); 14 (by post); maximum 30.

Temporary Residence

EU citizens may apply if intending to stay longer than three months, for a temporary or permanent resident permit with the Alien & Border Police in the Czech Republic. The process will take about 60 days. Alternatively, applications may be filed with democratic missions abroad (processing time: up to 180 days). The issue of the permit is not a condition for the stay.