If you are a foreigner from a non-EU country, especially if you intend to work or do business in the Czech Republic, or if your company intends to employ or cooperate with foreigners, then you should not miss the extensive amendment to the Aliens Residency Act. Its individual parts will come into effect gradually, in the period from 31 July 2019 to 31 July 2020.
For example, from September 2019, the government will have the power to issue a regulation establishing so-called quotas for economic migration. This regulation will make it possible to determine the maximum number of applications to be received in a particular month, depending on the applicant’s country of origin or profession. In practice, this will particularly affect applicants for employee cards and long-term business visas. The limitation only applies to applications submitted at embassies, not applications submitted in the Czech territory – as soon as a foreigner is granted his/her first permit and, on its basis, arrives in the Czech Republic, he/she does not have to worry about these quotas during subsequent proceedings (e.g. extension of an employee card, long-term residence permit). This means that nothing has changed for foreigners who have been living in the Czech Republic for other than profitable purpose, but now they will apply for a change of the purpose of residency to a profit-making purpose.
State control over foreigners’ residency and work will be tightened
It is still uncertain how the quotas will reflect on. However, it is already possible to recommend foreigners that, when preparing everything necessary, submitting applications and obtaining all documents, they should ensure that these are complete and correct; furthermore, it will be appropriate to perform all acts (e.g. reservation of the term for submitting the application) as soon as possible and actively use all legal means that can be used by foreigners in relation to the Embassy.
Other planned changes include the introduction of the institute of special work visa which will allow foreigners to stay in the territory for a maximum of 1 year without being able to extend it or change its purpose, as well as the obligation of all “new” long-term stay permit holders (from 31 July 2020) to complete a so-called adaptation-integration course.