The aim of these measures is to establish clear, understandable, and enforceable rules.
The Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic is preparing a comprehensive amendment to the Foreigners' Residence Act, stated Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar at a press conference dedicated to the priorities of his agency. In January, the ministry already presented a law aimed at digitizing the procedure for issuing residence permits to foreigners and improving their registration. Part of the law, which, if approved, could come into force in 2029, also includes the obligation for EU citizens to register in the Czech Republic.
The draft law on the residence of foreigners, which has already been submitted for consideration by the Ministry of the Interior, according to the agency, is intended to strengthen the ability to revoke the residence of offenders in the country. According to the new legislation, the government should be able to better determine why and how many foreigners are coming to the Czech Republic. As Metnar noted, the upcoming large-scale amendment is based on several principles — tightening sanctions related to illegal residence, smuggling, and criminal activity, preventing abuse of the social system, and more effective monitoring of compliance with the rules of residence for foreigners in the Czech Republic. "The aim of these measures is to establish clear, understandable, and enforceable rules that will protect the safety of citizens and provide a fair and functional system for those living in the Czech Republic," said the minister.
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, at the end of last year, there were 1,131,197 foreigners legally residing in the country, accounting for about 10.4% of the population. Compared to the previous year, their number increased by approximately 37,000, or 3.4%. The majority were Ukrainians, followed by Slovaks, Vietnamese, and Russians. The statistics do not include foreigners in the Czech Republic on the basis of a short-term Schengen visa, as well as unregistered EU citizens or those who entered visa-free.
The increase in the number of foreigners in the Czech Republic in recent years is mainly associated with the provision of temporary protection to Ukrainians who left the country after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. As of midnight on Monday, according to statistics, there were 399,504 people in the Czech Republic who received temporary protection status, which provides the right to residence, work, medical care, and education.
Meanwhile, without Ukrainian workers, problems in the Czech construction industry would have worsened. This was reported to the ČTK news agency by representatives of professional associations. In this sector, which has long struggled with a labor shortage, they said that Ukrainians make up about 10% of the workforce. For construction companies, their potential departure after the end of the war with Russia would pose a complication, industry representatives stated.
At the same time, after the end of the conflict, Czech builders could, thanks to their experience working with Ukrainians, participate more actively in the country's reconstruction and receive new orders there. Ukrainians in the Czech construction industry worked even before the full-scale war launched by Russia against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.
According to the Union of Entrepreneurs in Construction (SPS), there are currently about 415,000 people working in the industry, of which about 40,000 are Ukrainian citizens. In the Czech Republic, they are employed in various positions — from laborers to skilled craftsmen. According to union estimates, the construction industry may lack up to 75,000 workers over the next five years. "If Ukrainians were not working here, the situation would be much more complicated. It must be said openly that Czech workers are not lining up for construction positions. Thus, the possible departure of some Ukrainian workers will clearly have a negative impact on construction," said SPS President Jiri Nouza. Robert Spalek, head of the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians in Construction (ČKAIT), sees the situation similarly.
