Czech Government Plans to Remove Work Permit Requirement for Taiwanese Nationals
The Czech government intends to eliminate the need for work permits, as well as blue or employment cards, for Taiwanese nationals, making it easier for them to find employment starting in 2024. This decision follows a similar policy shift in mid-2024 when work permit requirements were lifted for nationals from nine countries, including Japan, the US, Australia, and South Korea, according to Schengen.News.
Previously, because the Czech Republic did not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, Taiwanese nationals were required to obtain work permits to be employed in the country. To address this, lawmakers amended the Employment Act, recognizing Taiwan as an independent jurisdiction, which paved the way for the removal of work permit requirements for its nationals.
Proposed Bill to Eliminate Work Permits for Taiwanese Under Review
Although the Employment Act amendments have been approved, the bill to remove work permits for Taiwanese citizens is still under review and open for comments. The Ministry of Labour is confident that the proposal will be approved by the cabinet and will not face significant opposition.
If passed, Taiwanese nationals would become the tenth group of workers eligible to work in Czechia without the need for work permits, joining citizens from countries like Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Israel, and the United Kingdom.
Foreign Workers in Czechia Soar in 2023
In 2023, Czechia registered nearly 824,000 foreign workers, marking an increase of 30,700 compared to the previous year. Over the past decade, the number of foreign workers in the country has more than doubled. Ukrainians make up the largest portion of foreign labor, comprising over one-third of the workforce.
Czechia has been grappling with high unemployment rates, which has led the government, including the Labour Minister, to consider raising the quotas for foreign workers. The government remains open to further increases in the quotas if unemployment continues to be a challenge in 2025.
