Czech Republic

The Czech Republic remains a country of immigration, emigration, and transit, but immigration continues to be significantly larger than emigration. According to the Czech Statistical Office, the country’s population reached 10.9 million by the end of 2024, representing a modest increase in comparison to the previous year, driven mostly by a positive net migration. Positive net migration represents the primary component of population growth, offsetting persistent natural decline due to low fertility and ageing.

Immigration to the Czech Republic has experienced notable growth since the early 2000s, with a marked acceleration in recent years. By the end of 2024, 1,094,090 foreigners were legally residing in Czechia, representing approx. 10.3% of the total population. In 2024, the country recorded 121,800 new arrivals – a lower figure compared to the exceptional inflows of 349,548 in 2022 and 141,263 in 2023, yet still among the highest annual totals in recent decades. This surge reflects the combination of factors, including continued displacement from Ukraine, resumption of labour migration after the pandemic, and growing attractiveness of Czechia’s labour market, which has consistently maintained an unemployment rate below 3% (2,6% in 2024). The most numerous groups of foreigners in Czechia come from Ukraine and Slovakia. However, the number of legally residing Ukrainians has risen dramatically following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, from slightly below 200,000 in 2021 to over 635,000 in 2022. As of May 2025, Czechia remained among the top host countries for displaced persons from Ukraine, with some 394,985 persons under temporary protection. These arrivals have benefitted from facilitated labour market access and evolving legal provisions, such as the Lex Ukraine VII, which supports transitions from emergency protection to long-term residence in Czechia.

The overall migration landscape is increasingly diverse, reflecting both humanitarian and economic drivers. The largest groups of non-EU nationals on the Czech labour market, besides Ukrainians, are Russians and Vietnamese, while among EU citizens, Slovaks, Poles, and Romanians traditionally prevail. In 2024, 464,787 non-EU nationals held valid residence permits in the Czech Republic, reflecting strong long-term settlement trends. Of these, 24.4% were granted for employment-related reasons and 35.8% for family reunification. Overall, as of 2024, the Czech labour market employed an estimated 942,328 foreign workers, which accounted for approximately 18.6% of the total workforce of 4.23 million. This represents a year-on-year increase of over 4% and the highest proportion of foreign employment in Czechia’s modern history. The types of jobs held by foreign workers vary noticeably by nationality. While Polish and Bulgarian nationals are most commonly employed in elementary occupations, Russian nationals are more likely to hold specialist roles. Vietnamese workers, on the other hand, are heavily represented in service and sales occupations, particularly in retail and other customer-facing roles. Ukrainian workers are predominantly employed in skilled manual occupations, such as construction and related trades. Meanwhile, Slovak workers exhibit an employment pattern that closely resembles that of Czech nationals, with a more balanced distribution across all skill levels. 

To respond to persisting labour shortages, the Czech government operates four targeted labour migration schemes, collectively known as the Special Work Visa Programmes. In 2024, these programmes allocated quotas for nearly 70,000 work permits for applicants from Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, and North Macedonia. In addition, non-EU workers commonly enter the Czech labour market through three main residence categories: Employment Cards, which accounted for about 14.6% of all non-EU residence permits in 2024; Blue Cards for highly qualified specialists (approximately 0.3%); and Employment Permits, still used for specific low-skilled occupations or short-term seasonal jobs. Entrepreneurship among foreigners has also continued to grow - the number of foreign entrepreneurs holding trade licences increased by 6%, adding approximately 6,690 individuals between 2022 and 2023 (up to a total of 118,383), led by Ukrainians and Slovaks.

In contrast to the sharp rise of humanitarian arrivals from Ukraine who benefit from temporary protection, broader international protection inflows to Czechia remained relatively stable. In 2024, the number of asylum applications in Czechia stood at 1,363, reflecting continuity with the past trends when annual asylum applications averaged 1,400-1,500, with relatively low recognition rates. In 2024, most applicants were nationals of Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Vietnam. By the end of 2024, 1,359 persons, mostly nationals of Afghanistan, Russia and Belarus, had refugee status in Czechia, and 1,193 individuals, predominantly from Ukraine and Syria, enjoyed subsidiary protection.

When it comes to irregular migration, in 2024, Czechia detected 9,461 irregular migrants, 31.9% fewer than in 2023, most of whom were nationals of Ukraine, Moldova and Vietnam. Of these, 9,159 individuals were found to be staying illegally, while 302 were apprehended while attempting irregular border crossing. At the external Schengen border, the largest groups intercepted were nationals of Georgia, the United Kingdom, and Türkiye.  A total of 4,805 return orders were issued in 2024, down from 7,850 orders in 2023 and 8,315 orders in 2022. Actual returns carried out in 2024 rose sharply to 2,150, compared to just 525 in 2022 and 570 in 2023. Notably, 94.9% of returns in 2024 were voluntary, while only 5.1% were enforced.

Emigration from Czechia has followed a trend similar to that of immigration, hovering around 20,000 departures per year in 2011-2022, and rising sharply in the following two years. In 2024, Czechia recorded 84,978 departures, setting a new historical record, likely reflecting enhanced mobility among the larger number of foreign residents. In terms of the Czech diaspora, Germany (9,238), Austria (2,076) and Slovakia (over 230,000) remain the most common destinations, reflecting long-standing economic links and cultural proximity.

As of 2025, the 2015 Migration Policy Strategy remains Czechia’s key strategic document guiding migration governance. It outlines seven core policy areas, including support for legal migration, integration of foreigners (further detailed in the 2016 Concept of Integration of Foreigners), combating irregular migration, protecting the Schengen area’s internal mobility, and fulfilling European and international obligations. The strategy continues to guide legislative and administrative actions, such as the digitisation of residence and work permit procedures, scheduled for implementation in 2026. Czechia also coordinates closely with its Visegrád Group (V4) partners, maintaining opposition to mandatory relocation quotas while supporting technical and financial assistance to member states under migratory pressure.

In relation to the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, adopted in 2024 and set for full implementation by mid-2026, the Czech Republic advocates voluntary solidarity, stronger external borders, and a more effective return policy. Despite abstaining from the final vote on the Pact, the country is actively preparing for its implementation, including reforms to asylum processing, return mechanisms, and EU-wide data interoperability (e.g. Eurodac). In June 2025, the Chamber of Deputies approved, in third reading, an amendment to the Asylum Act, partially transposing the Pact into national legislation.

The Czech Republic is the founding member of the Prague Process, currently serving as the Chair of the Prague Process Strategic Group.