Czechia
Czech Republic · Capital: Prague
A wealthy, industrial EU member with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, a strong engineering and IT base and the highly-skilled Employee Card route.
Migration statistics
Who is arriving
Top source countries and the make-up of recent arrivals into Czechia.
Policy overview
2 visa routes into Czechia
Eligibility, fees, processing times and whether each route leads to permanent residence.
Employee Card
WorkCZ-EC
Combined work-and-residence permit tied to a specific job and employer. Fee CZK 5,000 when applying abroad, CZK 2,500 in Czechia.
Eligibility
- Job offer
- Qualifications for the role
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Background
EU Blue Card
SkilledCZ-EUBC
Residence for highly qualified professionals paid at least CZK 73,823 a month (threshold from 1 May 2026). Fee CZK 5,000 when applying abroad, CZK 2,500 in Czechia.
Eligibility
- University degree or equivalent qualification
- Gross salary of at least CZK 73,823 a month
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Economic context
The numbers behind the move
Pay reflects the local market in Czechia, what you'd typically earn there, not your current salary.
Skill shortages
Sectors actively recruiting from abroad
Where Czechia needs foreign talent most, and what those roles pay.
Automotive & engineering
Škoda and a deep automotive supply chain drive engineering demand.
IT & software
Prague and Brno host a strong software and cybersecurity sector.
Recent changes
What's changed lately
Recent policy changes that affect migrants, newest first.
No policy changes recorded in the last 90 days. The intelligence agent is monitoring.
Quality of life
What living there feels like
Prague
Capital & tech hubA stunning capital with the strongest job market, expat scene and nightlife.
- Cost index
- 64
- 1-bed rent
- $1,100
- Quality
- 82
Brno
Tech & university cityA growing tech and research city with major universities and lower costs.
- Cost index
- 54
- 1-bed rent
- $800
- Quality
- 82
Ostrava
Industrial revivalA former industrial city reinventing itself with cheap living and new tech jobs.
- Cost index
- 48
- 1-bed rent
- $600
- Quality
- 76
Safety & climate
The reception you can expect
How welcoming the public and political mood is, how safe it is, and how geopolitically stable the country is right now.
Anti-migrant sentiment
trendStable and prosperous; cautious politically on migration but reliant on foreign labour.
Higher = more hostile public/political climate.
Geopolitical stability
A composite of governance, security and regional-risk signals. Higher means a more predictable environment for settling long term.
Higher = more stable.
Safety
Among the safest countries in Europe; Prague is very walkable.
Higher = safer (crime index 24/100).
Where to live
Which Czechia city fits you?
Cities matched to who you are, career, family, retirement, study or remote work. We flag the ones to consider and the ones to approach with care.
Brno
Youthful & academic
A growing tech and research city with major universities and lower costs.
Prague
Storybook & cosmopolitan
A stunning capital with the strongest job market, expat scene and nightlife.
Ostrava
Gritty & affordable
A former industrial city reinventing itself with cheap living and new tech jobs.
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Immigration solicitors for Czechia
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