A new law will allow official employment of foreigners in the Czech Republic under a simplified scheme
As early as 2007, the government of the Czech Republic began preparing a draft law that would allow official employment of foreigners in the Czech Republic under a simplified scheme, i.e., by obtaining so-called "green cards." First of all, as noted by Radio Prague, this project is designed for highly qualified workers of certain professions from foreign countries not belonging to the EU. It offers a quick and effective solution to active immigration policy and is also a timely response to the situation on the Czech labor market.
In 2008, the draft law was approved by the Czech Parliament, and workers from the above-mentioned countries could apply for "green cards." However, the omnipresent financial crisis had its say - due to rising unemployment, the number of vacancies on the Czech labor market decreased. That is why the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, revised the list of countries whose citizens can apply for a "green card" and left only 12 states on it.
"The message contains a list of countries whose citizens can apply for a 'green card.' These countries were selected based on key criteria important for the Czech Republic, including safety and health criteria. The list was prepared in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, which is aware of the current situation on the labor market in the Czech Republic," comments Hana Mala from the Public Relations Department of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
However, upon closer examination, it turned out that health and safety criteria, although prevailing, are far from the only ones. For example, the list includes the full list of countries that were part of the former Yugoslavia - Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Serbia, with the exception of Kosovo, which is not yet recognized by everyone. It is known that the Balkans are a priority area of Czech foreign policy. According to Karel Schwarzenberg, head of Czech diplomacy, the Czech Republic, during its EU presidency, would gladly accelerate the admission of Balkan states under the wing of the European Union. That is why the republic has already opened the door for Balkan citizens to the EU threshold in the form of its labor market.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of Japan and Korea in the list was a reciprocal step thanks to automobile companies from these countries that invest in the Czech economy. As is known, the automotive industry is the largest employer in the Czech Republic. Along with these countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA appeared on the list - that is, simply put, rich countries. Interestingly, will citizens of these states be interested in working in the Czech Republic?
"Green cards" are intended for all types of specialists. This means that people with higher education and highly qualified personnel can count on getting a job. We assume that foreigners from these states will be interested in high professional positions," believes Jiří Sezemský, head of the Public Relations Department of the Czech Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
Among the so-called "third world countries," only Ukraine made it onto the list. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs statistics, workers of Ukrainian origin make up three-fifths of all workers with work permits in the Czech Republic and one quarter of all foreign workers in the Czech Republic. The total number of workers from all other countries on the list combined is tens of times smaller.
Neither Mongolia nor Vietnam, from which endless streams of labor also come to the Czech Republic, were on the list. Marcel Winter, chairman of the Czech-Vietnamese Society, believes that this will lead to a shortage of programmers, welders, and poultry farm workers. Winter also mentioned that the introduction of "green cards" for Vietnamese could stop corruption in the issuance of Czech "entrepreneurial" visas in Vietnam. So what are the chances of other "third world countries" being added to the list in the near future?
"We assume that in the new year, the situation regarding employer demand for workers with 'green cards' will crystallize. Then, in accordance with this situation, decisions may be made to expand this list and include other countries," says Jiří Sezemský.
Thus, a foreign worker can obtain a "green card" for a job for which no worker of Czech origin or EU citizen could be found within 30 days. Additionally, this can only be a position that is included in the central register of vacant jobs. A qualified worker from a foreign country can obtain a card for three years with the possibility of further extension. A foreigner without education can also obtain a card, but for a maximum of two years and without the possibility of extension. What benefits will the introduction of "green cards" bring?
"The purpose of introducing 'green cards' is precisely to simplify the administrative procedure," notes Jiří Sezemský, representative of the Czech Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. "We expect its duration to be reduced several times. A foreigner applying for a card can submit a request at a diplomatic mission, and within a month he should receive a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about whether a card will be issued. Within the following 14 days, he will receive a visa. Thus, the time to obtain a work permit is shortened."
Until the new year, a work visa application for the Czech Republic could only be submitted at a Czech consulate abroad. The new law allows applying for a "green card" on the territory of the Czech Republic if the foreigner is legally residing there and is a graduate of a Czech secondary school or Czech university. In addition, the "green card" will become a kind of "2 in 1" - a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic (visa) and a work permit. The procedure will also speed up because all documents will be sent by email rather than moving from one institution to another.
"The very system of hiring foreigners is being simplified – it is becoming faster and more flexible. The existing system is more complicated and bureaucratic. Nevertheless, I emphasize that it will be preserved and will simultaneously remain valid for citizens of other countries who want to find work in the Czech Republic. With the introduction of 'green cards,' the administrative part is also simplified. Unlike the current system, the employer will not be required to obtain a work permit for a foreign employee from the Employment Office," summarizes Jiří Sezemský.
Well, is there any comforting news for citizens of countries not on the list? "The list of countries may be further updated as the labor market situation evolves. So it is not something absolutely constant," reassures Hana Mala, a representative of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.