The Employee Card holder is entitled:

• to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic and
• to work in the job for which the Employee Card was issued, or
• to work in the job for which the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior granted its consent (in connection with changing employer, changing job, taking up employment with an additional employer or in an additional job).

The Employee Card is issued as a biometric card, generally for the duration of the working contract but not for more than 2 years, with an option to extend its validity.

For whom is the Employee Card intended?

The Employee Card is intended for foreign nationals from all the countries except of

• the citizens of the EU/EEA Member States and Switzerland and
• their family members who are citizens of other states but hold a residence card for a family member of a citizen of the EU/EEA and Switzerland or those who have applied for such a card.

Which types of employment is the Employee Card intended for?

The Employee Card is intended for all types of employment regardless of the level of required professional qualifications. However, the job vacancy for which an application for an Employee Card can be filed must originate from the central register of job vacancies. Subject to the consent of the employer, these vacant jobs can be published on the Integrated Portal of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Therefore, an Employee Card always relates to the specific job (there can also be more job positions at the same time) for which it was issued or, if applicable, to a job for which the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior granted its consent in connection with changing employer or job.

Lodging the Employee Card application

The application should be submitted at a Czech Embassy with the appropriate territorial jurisdisction (by prior appointment only). For exceptions visit the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.

The application requirements:

1. valid travel document
2. Employee Card application form - duly filled and signed
3. document confirming the availability of the accommodation,
4. 3 photographs (35 x 45 mm size) showing the current appearance of the applicant,
5. contract of employment, an agreement on work activity (or at least an agreement for a future contract where the parties agree to enter into a contract of employment or an agreement on work activity by an agreed deadline). The aforementioned documents must contain a stipulation which provides that regardless of the scope of work, the agreed monthly salary will not be lower than the basic monthly minimum wage and that weekly working hours will be at least 15 hours,
6. documents proving the professional qualifications for performance of the desired job, if this condition follows from the nature of the employment or an international agreement sets such a condition, particularly
   • a document proving the required education (such as a diploma); in justified cases, particularly if reasonable doubt exists as to whether you have the required education or whether your education is appropriate for the nature of employment, you will be obliged, at the request of an administrative authority, to prove and submit a document certifying that your foreign education has been recognised by the relevant authority of the Czech Republic,
   • a document proving the required professional qualifications, if such qualifications are required according to other legal regulations (for example, a fork-lift truck operator licence or the appropriate driving license for a tram/bus driver, etc.),
   • a document proving that you meet the requirements for performing an occupation referred to as “regulated occupation”, if your application concerns this kind of occupation; if you do not already hold such a document, you must apply to the relevant recognition authority of the Czech Republic for recognition of your professional qualifications, after filing the application for the Employee Card. Issuance of the Employee Card is contingent on your submission of an affirmative decision of the recognition authority,
7. police clearance certificate issued by the applicant's home country (i.e. the country which passport the applicant holds); issued by the state(s) in which the applicant has had a continuous residence for over 6 months in the last 3 years, if relevant.     The requirement to submit the police clearance is based on the Act No. 326/1999, Coll., on the Residence of Foreigners in the Czech Republic, par. 31/3/a. The document must be appropriately authenticated and accompanied by the translation into Czech;
8. the visa application fee in cash or by credit / debit card - approx. 198 EUR.

Originals of all of the supporting documents must be submitted. All documents in a foreign language must be submitted with a translation into Czech. The documents cannot be older than 180 days, except for the passport and photograph.

In case the Employee Card is granted by the Ministry of Interior, a medical insurance covering the territory of the Czech Republic has to be arranged and presented to the Embassy before the visa is stamped into the passport. Detailed information on the required insurance policy will be sent to each successful applicant together with the notification of the approval of the Employee Card. Since August 2021, the Foreigners' Comprehensive Medical Insurance  from the Pojistovna VZP insurance company is required.

Processing time

The decisions about the aplications for the Employee Cards are taken within 90 days, in more complex cases within 120 days. Details about the decision making procedure
 

Additional information on the subject is available on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic or in the attached leaflet.