Foreign nationals seeking to work in the Czech Republic for over 90 days must now separately obtain an Employee Card at a Czech consulate.
The Employee Card– which can take up to 90 days to process – must be applied for after obtaining a work permit and prior to starting work in the Czech Republic, according to a new Ministry of Foreign Affairs guideline. They can no longer file an Employee Card application and a short-term work visa application simultaneously at a Czech consulate, which would allow entry once the short-term work visa was approved, which usually took 14 days.
Background
The Employee Card is a residence permit for assignees that is issued after a work permit is approved. It allows a stay of up to two years and is renewable.
The new guideline requiring an Employee Card application to be filed without a short-term visa application is meant to address a case-load backlog at Czech consulates.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals seeking to work in the Czech Republic for over 90 days should expecta longer application process. Employers should be prepared to submit future Employee Card applications without accompanying short-term visa applications, and should contact their immigration professional to plan assignments accordingly.