Applying for a Czech Employee Card or Blue Card from Within the Czech Republic

JUDr. Jakub Dohnal, Ph.D., LL.M.
JUDr. Jakub Dohnal, Ph.D., LL.M.
1.6.2026 | ARROWS law firm

If you are already legally residing in the Czech Republic as a so-called third-country national and want to work here long-term, it is crucial to choose the right procedure for applying for an Employee Card or a Blue Card directly from within the Czech Republic—i.e., without having to return to an embassy. This article explains step by step when you can apply from within the Czech Republic, what the differences are between the two cards, which documents and salary requirements you must provide, what risks arise if mistakes are made, and how ARROWS advokátní kancelář can assist you in practice.

The photo shows an attorney during a consultation regarding an application for an Employee Card.

Key takeaways

  • The Employee Card is the basic residence permit for employment in the Czech Republic and is available for job positions regardless of the required qualification. By contrast, the EU Blue Card is intended for highly qualified workers with a university degree or higher professional education (or, where applicable, comparable professional experience), and one of the conditions for obtaining it is agreeing on a salary of at least (1.5) times the average wage in the Czech Republic.
  • Under certain conditions, an application for an Employee Card or an EU Blue Card may be filed directly from within the Czech Republic. This option typically applies to holders of a long-term visa for over 90 days or a long-term residence permit for a purpose other than employment, for example for studies or family reunification. By contrast, persons staying on a short-term visa or under a visa-free regime generally do not have this option.
  • To successfully obtain both an Employee Card and an EU Blue Card, it is necessary to meet a number of formal requirements. The basic requirements include an employment contract or a contract on a future contract, agreed working time of at least 15 hours per week, proof of secured accommodation, and in many cases also proof of professional qualification. For the EU Blue Card, compliance with the high-qualification requirement and the minimum salary threshold is assessed as well. Deficiencies in the submitted documents often lead to extended proceedings or rejection of the application.
  • A significant risk is performing work without the corresponding residence and work authorisation. If the employment relationship ends or the residence permit expires without timely addressing the foreign national’s further status, the work may be assessed as illegal. Such a situation may lead not only to the loss of the residence permit, but also to high penalties for both the employer and the employee. For this reason, it is advisable to plan the preparation of the application and related documentation well in advance and to pay attention to setting up the entire process correctly.

Context: employing foreign nationals in the Czech Republic and the importance of choosing the right card

Employing third-country nationals in the Czech Republic is today a heavily regulated area where immigration law, the Employment Act, and labour-law regulations intersect. For businesses, this is a strategic topic—labour shortages have been long-term in a number of sectors, and the ability to flexibly employ qualified foreign nationals significantly affects competitiveness. At the same time, any mistake in setting up residence and work authorisation may result in the employee falling into an illegal work regime, which is a major reputational and financial risk.

For third-country nationals, there are several ways to work legally in the Czech Republic. The most common are the Employee Card and the EU Blue Card, which have a so-called dual nature—combining, in a single document, a long-term residence permit and authorisation to perform employment. In addition, there is a work permit issued by the Labour Office, intra-company transferee cards, and several specific regimes, but for most corporate situations it is the Employee Card or the EU Blue Card that is relevant. The right choice has a direct impact on the speed of recruitment, the stability of the employee’s residence status, and opportunities for further mobility within the EU.

In practice, the distinction between so-called free access to the labour market and employment that requires work authorisation is also important. Free access to the labour market applies, for example, to EU citizens, their family members, holders of permanent residence, or persons who obtained secondary or university education in the Czech Republic; in these cases, neither an Employee Card nor an EU Blue Card is required—valid residence authorisation is sufficient. By contrast, most third-country nationals without these exceptions need one of the above types of work authorisation to perform work legally.

For companies and foreign nationals themselves, it is therefore crucial to correctly identify whether the person has free access to the labour market or whether an Employee Card or an EU Blue Card will need to be arranged. Mistakes are common here, especially with family members, students, or persons transitioning between different residence statuses. In practice, our attorneys in Prague at ARROWS repeatedly deal with situations where an employer assessed the status incorrectly, the employee had already started work, but it later emerged that they did not have the corresponding work authorisation—which is a typical scenario for labour inspectorate inspections and fines.

The context is also complemented by current legislative developments. Since 2024, there has been a gradual digitalisation of employers’ notification obligations towards the Labour Office, and since mid-2024, information cards on a foreign national’s commencement and termination of employment may be submitted exclusively electronically via forms or a data box. 

From 2025, the system of guaranteed wages in the private sector also changed and the minimum wage is linked to the average wage in the economy, which directly affects the conditions for Employee Cards and especially EU Blue Cards. From January 2026, the basic minimum wage is set at CZK 22,400 per month, which is a parameter that must always be met at a minimum for foreign workers.

Key differences between an Employee Card and an EU Blue Card

The Employee Card is intended for third-country nationals without free access to the labour market and applies to all types of employment regardless of the required qualification. Companies typically use it for manual, operational, administrative, as well as specialist positions if the conditions for an EU Blue Card are not met. The condition is that the job position must be reported in the Labour Office’s register of vacancies as a position suitable for Employee Card holders, and that the agreed salary must not be lower than the basic minimum wage rate and the weekly working time must be at least 15 hours.

By contrast, the EU Blue Card is a special type of long-term residence permit for the purpose of performing employment requiring high qualifications. It is intended for third-country nationals who have completed university education or higher professional education with a study duration of at least three years, or, where applicable, comparable professional experience in selected professions, especially in IT. The condition is that the job corresponds to this qualification and that the agreed salary reaches at least (1.5) times the average gross wage in the Czech Republic as announced by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

In terms of validity, an Employee Card is issued for a maximum of two years, with the specific period tied to the duration of the employment relationship or, in the case of the non-dual regime, to the validity of the work permit. It can be extended repeatedly, each time again for a maximum of two years, provided the employment relationship continues and the conditions are met. A Blue Card, by contrast, is issued for the term of the employment contract extended by three months, but for no longer than three years, and it too can be extended repeatedly under similar conditions.

A significant difference also lies in qualification requirements and the link to a specific job position. For an Employee Card, there is no general minimum qualification requirement – it depends on what the particular vacancy requires. However, the administrative authority may require proof of professional competence where this follows from the nature of the work or where it is a regulated profession. For a Blue Card, high qualification is a fundamental prerequisite, and proving it (degree, supplements, and, where applicable, recognition/nostrification of a foreign diploma) is a key part of the procedure.

From the perspective of rights and future flexibility, the Blue Card has certain advantages. Under certain conditions, a Blue Card holder has easier mobility within the EU – after holding a Blue Card in one Member State for a certain period, they may apply for a Blue Card in another EU state without their qualifications being fully reassessed. 

A Blue Card may also be perceived as a signal to employees and investors that the position is genuinely highly qualified and well paid. On the other hand, both the legislation and the practice of the administrative authorities tend to be more formally demanding for Blue Cards, especially as regards recognition of foreign education, and many employers therefore prefer the Employee Card in borderline cases.

Choosing between an Employee Card and a Blue Card is therefore not only a legal question, but also a strategic decision. At ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, we often encounter situations where a company originally planned to use Blue Cards, but after a detailed analysis of the working conditions and the position profile, it turned out that meeting the requirements (typically salary level or recognition of education) would be too complicated or time-consuming. 

In other cases, clients underestimate the Blue Card option, which may be more attractive for senior roles in terms of employee motivation and their future mobility within Europe.

When you can apply from within the Czech Republic: conditions for foreigners with valid residence

The general rule under Czech law is that applications for a long-term visa and most long-term residence permits (including an Employee Card or Blue Card) are filed at a Czech embassy/consulate abroad. However, Act No. 326/1999 Coll., on the Residence of Foreign Nationals in the Territory of the Czech Republic allows, in many cases, an application to be submitted directly from within the Czech Republic, provided the foreign national is already staying here on the basis of a valid long-term visa or a long-term residence permit issued for a purpose other than employment.

A typical example is a foreign national who is studying at a university in the Czech Republic on the basis of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies, or who is here as a family member of a foreign national with long-term or permanent residence, and after some time decides to take up employment. In such a situation, subject to meeting additional conditions, they may submit an application for an Employee Card or a Blue Card directly at a workplace of the Ministry of the Interior. Similarly, a foreign national who already has long-term residence in the Czech Republic for another reason—such as business, scientific research, or another purpose—may apply if the law allows it.

Conversely, there are residence statuses from which it is not possible to apply for an Employee Card or a Blue Card from within the country, or only under very strict conditions. Typically, this concerns a long-term visa for the purpose of tolerated stay, where an application for an Employee Card from within the Czech Republic is only permitted after an uninterrupted three-year stay on the basis of that visa and subsequent long-term residence for the same purpose. 

Options are also limited for seasonal employment or extraordinary work visas. Visa-free stay, even if lawful, is not relevant here—during a visa-free stay it is not possible to work in the Czech Republic and, as a rule, it is also not possible to submit an application for an Employee Card or a Blue Card unless the law provides an exception.

The timing of the application is also of crucial practical importance. For an application for an Employee Card or a Blue Card from within the country, you must submit it no later than on the last day of validity of your existing long-term residence permit or visa. If you miss this deadline, you lose lawful stay and often also the possibility to apply from within the Czech Republic, which usually means having to return to your country of origin and file the application at the embassy. Conversely, if you submit the application on time, the so-called legal fiction of residence applies: even if your original permit expires in the meantime, you remain lawfully in the territory until a final decision is issued on the new application.

The legislation also allows an application to extend the validity of an Employee Card or a Blue Card to be filed before it expires, usually no earlier than 120 days before the end of validity. In practice, it is recommended to use this option and not leave anything to the last days—both due to appointment lead times at the Ministry of the Interior and due to the time needed to supplement documents if the administrative authority requests that defects in the application be remedied. 

At this stage, the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, often assist with a preliminary audit of the documentation, deadline checks, and setting an internal timeline to minimize the risk of the proceedings being suspended or the application being refused.

Step-by-step process: Employee Card from within the Czech Republic

Before the foreign national appears at the Ministry of the Interior with an application for an Employee Card, the employer must have the job position properly registered in the register of vacancies of the Czech Labour Office. This works as follows: the employer reports the vacancy to the locally competent regional branch of the Labour Office, stating that it is a position that can be filled by an Employee Card holder. Once entered in the register, the position is assigned a numerical identifier, which is then stated in the Employee Card application and is a key technical piece of information for the administrative proceedings.

All unfilled vacancies in the Labour Office register are subject to an expiry period; typically, they expire six months after being reported, except for positions for which an application for an Employee Card or a Blue Card is pending. In practice, employers therefore sometimes forget to report the vacancy again after it expires, even though they still want to hire a foreign national for it. If the foreign national then submits a card application with an invalid job-position number, the proceedings may become complicated and it will usually be necessary to remedy the issue subsequently.

There are two regimes for an Employee Card: dual and non-dual. In the dual regime, the card simultaneously serves as a residence permit and a work permit; this is the most common case, where the job position is reported to the Labour Office and the card is issued in connection with it. In the non-dual regime, the Employee Card serves only as a residence permit and the work authorization is handled separately, typically on the basis of a work permit issued by the Labour Office; however, this is less common for most companies. For recruitment planning, it is important to know which regime the specific case falls under.

At this stage, the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, typically advise clients to carry out an “inventory” of all reported job positions, their parameters, and their expiry dates. In practice, especially with larger employers, HR departments often report positions at different times and without a central register, which—when dealing with a larger number of foreign nationals—leads to chaos and administrative errors that subsequently affect Employee Card proceedings.

Applicant preparation: contract, salary, accommodation, professional competence

The application for an Employee Card itself must include a number of required elements. The basis consists of a valid travel document, proof of secured accommodation, a recent photograph and, above all, an employment contract, an agreement to perform work (DPČ), or an agreement on a future contract under which the parties undertake to conclude an employment contract within a specified period. The above documents must include an arrangement that, regardless of the scope of work, the monthly wage will not be lower than the basic rate of the minimum wage and the weekly working time will be at least 15 hours.

From January 2026, the basic minimum wage is set at CZK 22,400 per month. This is the absolute minimum that must be agreed in the employment contract for Employee Card purposes; at the same time, the hourly wage must not be lower than the current minimum hourly rate and the monthly wage recalculated to full-time must not fall below the set minimum monthly wage. In practice, the Labour Inspectorate and administrative authorities carefully check whether employment contracts for foreign nationals meet this parameter, and any “creative” constructions of wage statements or framework arrangements without a clear amount are highly risky.

In addition, proof of professional competence to perform the given job may be required—especially in the case of regulated professions or where this follows from the nature of the work. This may include, for example, a diploma, proof of completion of specific courses, a driving licence for professional drivers, or certificates for operating specific equipment. In justified cases, the administrative authority is entitled to require the foreign national to also prove recognition of their foreign education by the competent Czech authority (so-called nostrification) if it has doubts as to whether the education meets the requirements.

A significant element is also evidence of secured accommodation in the territory of the Czech Republic, which may take the form of a lease agreement, confirmation from the accommodation provider, or another document. In practice, an incorrectly prepared accommodation document may cause the proceedings to be suspended, especially if it does not contain all statutory requirements or it is not clear that the accommodation is genuinely available for the entire planned period of stay. Our attorneys in Prague at ARROWS are repeatedly seeing situations where companies pay close attention to the employment contract but underestimate accommodation or the formal requirements for foreign-language documents, which significantly slows down the entire process.

Filing the application with the Ministry of the Interior: form, fees, time limits

An application for an Employee Card when staying in the territory of the Czech Republic is filed in person at the competent office of the Ministry of the Interior, usually according to the foreign national’s registered place of residence. The application form is available online; it can be completed electronically, printed and signed, or completed by hand, but always in Latin script, in block capitals, and in the Czech language. Among other things, the form states the number of the vacant job position from the central register of vacancies maintained by the Labour Office, which is provided by the employer.

When filing the application, an administrative fee of CZK 2,500 is paid, which is a necessary condition for initiating the proceedings. The Ministry of the Interior strongly recommends that the applicant submit all required documents already at the time of filing, because an incomplete application may lead to the proceedings being suspended and a request to supplement the file, which in practice extends the overall processing time. From the companies’ perspective, it is therefore very practical to spend time on a preliminary check of the file’s completeness—missing or improperly certified documents often mean delays of months compared to the planned start date of the foreign national.

The statutory time limit for a decision on an Employee Card is set by law; in practice, however, it may be extended, especially in complicated cases or when the administrative authority is heavily burdened. During the proceedings, the foreign national stays in the Czech Republic lawfully on the basis of a legal fiction of residence, provided that the application was filed on time, i.e., no later than on the last day of validity of the previous authorisation. The employer should monitor the course of the proceedings and any communications from the ministry so that it can respond in time to additional requests. Our attorneys in Prague at ARROWS often take over communication with the authority at this stage, prepare responses to requests, and, if necessary, draft legally substantiated submissions on unclear issues, for example regarding qualifications or working conditions.

Biometrics, issuance of the card and starting employment

After a positive decision to issue an Employee Card, the foreign national is invited to provide biometric data—facial photograph and fingerprints—which are stored in a contactless chip in the plastic residence permit card. Biometrics are taken at the designated office of the Ministry of the Interior’s Department for Asylum and Migration Policy, and it is always necessary to book an appointment in advance; it is not possible to come without a reservation, because the office must have the complete documentation for the relevant file available.

The biometric procedure itself usually takes several tens of minutes and it is not possible to be represented—this step is strictly tied to the specific person to whom the residence card will be issued. After the biometric data are taken, the residence permit card is produced within a certain period and the foreign national must collect it, usually within 60 days from the biometrics appointment. Only with this document is the legal status of the Employee Card “completed”, and the foreign national can also use the card as a travel document for the purposes of repeated entry into the territory of the Czech Republic and movement within the Schengen Area.

A key practical question is the moment when the foreign national may start work. In the case of an Employee Card in the dual regime and where the position is in the central register of vacancies, the foreign national may start only once they have received from the Ministry of the Interior a written confirmation that the conditions for issuing the Employee Card have been met, or the residence permit card itself—this is typically upon registration after arrival for a new entry, but for an application filed from within the Czech Republic it depends on the specific type of proceedings. In other configurations, for example in the non-dual regime combined with a work permit, starting work may be possible earlier.

Our attorneys in Prague at ARROWS strongly recommend in practice that the employer does not allow the foreign national to perform work before it has clearly verified that the conditions for lawful work are met. Otherwise, there is a risk that, during an inspection, the work will be assessed as illegal, even in a situation where the card proceedings are still pending. It is often a better solution to postpone the start date briefly than to risk illegal employment with sanctions and a possible impact on future visa processes.

Step-by-step procedure: EU Blue Card from within the Czech Republic

The EU Blue Card is intended for highly qualified employees, and the law therefore places emphasis on proving the corresponding qualification. The basic requirement is completed university or higher vocational education, and the studies must have lasted at least three years. The foreign national typically submits a diploma and its annexes, such as the so-called diploma supplement or a transcript of completed courses. In justified cases, especially for education obtained outside the EU or in atypical fields, the Ministry of the Interior may require that the foreign education be recognised by the competent Czech authority—a public university or the Ministry of Education (so-called nostrification).

For certain professions, especially in information and communication technologies, the law allows high qualification to be proven also through professional experience comparable to university education, gained in recent years. In these cases, the foreign national must submit a detailed overview of their experience, employment contracts, references and other supporting documents from which it will be clear that the professional experience meets the requirements for the given profession. This is an area where not only the formal content of the documents matters, but also how they are structured and explained in the accompanying submission; this is precisely where our attorneys in Prague at ARROWS often prepare an argumentation framework that makes the assessment easier for the administrative authority.

A specific issue concerns regulated professions, i.e., occupations for which the Czech legal system requires a special authorisation or licence (for example doctors, architects, attorneys, and others). In these cases, when applying for an EU Blue Card, a foreign national must submit not only proof of recognition of education, but also evidence that the conditions for practising the regulated profession have been met—typically a decision of the competent recognition authority. The Ministry of the Interior will decide on issuing the EU Blue Card only after receiving the opinion of that authority, which may extend the processing time.

The legal reality of education recognition is often surprisingly complex for applicants and their employers. For a number of countries, so-called superlegalisation of the diploma is required, i.e., verification of the authenticity of signatures and stamps on the diploma and diploma supplement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the relevant state and by the Czech diplomatic mission, or an apostille under international treaties. In addition, an official translation of the documents into Czech may be required if they are not in English or Slovak. Insufficient or incorrect authentication of documents is a very common reason for suspension of EU Blue Card proceedings.

Employment contract and salary for the EU Blue Card

In addition to qualifications, the employment contract is also key for the EU Blue Card. It must be a contract for employment requiring high qualifications, concluded for the statutory weekly working hours and for a period of at least six months; in practice, however, it is often for one year or more. The contract must include the specific amount of the gross monthly or annual salary, which reaches at least 1.5 times the average gross salary in the Czech Republic as announced by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MPSV).

The average salary changes every year. For 2026, the average monthly salary is set at approximately CZK 48,967, which means that the minimum salary for EU Blue Card applicants for new applications is around CZK 73,000 to 74,000 gross per month; however, the specific amount must be verified according to the currently effective MPSV announcement. If a lower salary is agreed in the employment contract, the condition will not be met and the Ministry will reject the EU Blue Card application, or it may request an amendment to the contract and submission of additional documents. For employers, this often means a more complex adjustment of internal salary scales for foreign managers and specialists.

The content of the employment contract must clearly indicate that it concerns employment requiring high qualifications. In practice, this means not only the job title, but also a description of the work activities and responsibilities, which should be consistent with the nature of the profession and with the foreign national’s stated education or experience. 

A problem arises, for example, with positions that are named too generally or do not correspond to the standard job classification, which the administrative authority may assess as a mismatch between the qualification and the nature of the work. At ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, we therefore often help clients formulate the job description so that it is clear, reflects the company’s practice, and at the same time meets the requirements of Czech migration legislation.

Contact our experts:

Submitting an EU Blue Card application in the Czech Republic

An application for an EU Blue Card while staying in the Czech Republic, as with an Employee Card, must be submitted in person at a workplace of the Ministry of the Interior; exceptionally, certain steps may be handled through an authorised representative, but the submission itself must be made by the foreign national in person. The application must include a travel document, proof of accommodation, a photograph, an employment contract (or a contract on a future contract) meeting the parameters above, documents proving high qualifications, proof of the numerical designation of the vacant job position intended for an EU Blue Card, and in some cases additional documents, such as a criminal record extract or proof of meeting the conditions for a regulated profession.

The requirement for the numerical designation of a vacant position for an EU Blue Card is similar to the Employee Card, but it is a special category in the central register—the employer must report the position so that it is explicitly marked as a position intended to be filled by an EU Blue Card holder. Only then can an application be submitted for that position. Here too, coordination between HR and the legal department or an external adviser plays a key role, to avoid a situation where the company prepares a contract for an EU Blue Card but the position is not correctly classified in the register.

As with the Employee Card, an administrative fee of CZK 2,500 is payable when submitting an EU Blue Card application. The decision period is generally 90 days; in the case of an application by a holder of an EU Blue Card issued by another EU Member State, it is shortened to 30 days, and in more complex cases it may be extended. In addition to the standard requirements, travel health insurance may also be required for the period from entry into the Czech Republic until the moment the foreign national becomes covered by public health insurance, as well as proof of payment of the premium.

Change of employer, unemployment, and extension of the EU Blue Card

During the validity of the EU Blue Card, the holder is obliged to notify the Ministry of the Interior of termination of employment and any change of employer or job assignment within three working days from the moment this occurs. At the same time, if the foreign national does not find new employment after termination of employment and no change of employer is notified, the EU Blue Card expires after 90 days from the end of employment. During the first two years of stay in the Czech Republic, a change of employer requires the consent of the Ministry of the Interior; after this period, it is sufficient to merely notify the change.

From a company perspective, it is essential to understand that the EU Blue Card is tied to a specific job position and employer. Therefore, if there is a change of employer or a significant change in job duties or assignment, it is always necessary to stay in close contact with the Ministry of the Interior and comply with notification obligations. Informally moving an employee to a completely different position without the corresponding notification may lead to the conclusion that the conditions of the EU Blue Card are not being met, and to its cancellation.

Extension of the EU Blue Card proceeds similarly to its initial issuance—the application must be submitted no later than on the last day of the card’s validity, but no earlier than 120 days before the end of its validity. The application must include, in particular, a current employment contract meeting the conditions of high qualification, the corresponding gross salary and the prescribed working hours; for regulated professions, also confirmation of continued compliance with the requirements. If submitted on time, the legal fiction of continued residence applies again and the foreign national may stay in the Czech Republic and continue working until a decision is made on the application.

In practice, the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, recommend planning the extension of the EU Blue Card even more carefully than in the case of an Employee Card, because for highly qualified positions the impact on the company’s operations is usually more sensitive. Losing a key manager or specialist due to late submission of the application or a formal error in the documents may have greater economic consequences than the cost of professional legal support in preparing the extension.

Most common questions about the EU Blue Card

1. Can the salary in an employment contract be stated as a range or by reference to a salary regulation for the purposes of an Employee Card?
From the perspective of the law and the practice of the Ministry of the Interior, this is not advisable. The salary should be stated in the employment contract as a specific amount in Czech crowns, and it must be clear that it is not lower than the minimum wage. An arrangement in the form of a range (“from – to”) or a mere reference to an internal salary regulation may raise doubts as to whether the statutory conditions are met and lead to a request to supplement documents, or even to rejection of the application. If you need to set salary arrangements correctly so that they stand up both before the Ministry of the Interior and the Labour Inspectorate, we recommend consulting the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, at office@arws.cz.

2. What happens if an employee card holder’s employment ends?
If a foreign national does not have free access to the labour market, they must, within 90 days of the end of employment, notify the Ministry of the Interior of taking up new employment or submit an application for a different residence permit. If they fail to do so, the employee card will cease to be valid. The termination of employment therefore does not only mean dealing with standard employment-law matters under Czech legislation, but also assessing the impact on the employee’s residence permit and the follow-up steps. 

Practical risks, inspections and common company mistakes

The concept of illegal work is defined rather strictly in Czech law. It primarily includes dependent work performed by an individual outside an employment-law relationship, as well as work performed by a foreign national in breach of an issued work permit, employee card, blue card, or without any of these authorisations, or without a valid residence permit where required. For foreign nationals, illegal work may therefore also include a situation where a person is in fact working but has not yet been issued the card or a confirmation of meeting the conditions, while not having free access to the labour market for the given position.

Illegal employment exposes employers to very significant sanctions. Under Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment, and the inspection practice of the State Labour Inspection Office, enabling the performance of illegal work may result in a fine of up to CZK 10,000,000 for a legal entity or a self-employed individual, with a minimum threshold of CZK 50,000. A natural person – the employee – also commits an offence for which a fine of up to CZK 100,000 may be imposed. In addition to financial penalties, there is also a significant reputational impact and potential complications in future visa processes, as administrative authorities may revisit a history of illegal work.

Inspections focused on the illegal employment of foreign nationals have long been one of the priorities of the State Labour Inspection Office and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. In recent years, these inspections have been combined with other control mechanisms of the Financial Administration, for example in the area of tax and social security/health insurance contributions. The inspection does not examine only the formal existence of employment contracts, but also the actual performance of work – i.e., whether the person truly works within the scope and in the position corresponding to their permit, and whether so-called disguised employment relationships such as the “švarcsystém” are being used.

The attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, therefore recommend that companies approach the employment of foreign nationals systematically rather than ad hoc. This means having internal processes for verifying work authorisations, keeping records of residence statuses, monitoring deadlines for card renewals, and clear rules on the conditions under which a foreign national may start work. During inspections, ARROWS attorneys assist clients both with preliminary preparation and training, as well as with representation in the proceedings themselves and, where applicable, defence against imposed sanctions.

Errors in employment contracts and wage conditions

One of the most common mistakes in applications for an employee card or blue card is deficiencies in the employment contract. The Ministry of the Interior, the Labour Office, and the labour inspectorate all require that the contract complies with the Labour Code and at the same time meets the specific conditions for the relevant type of card. For an employee card, this primarily means a clear definition of the type of work and the place of work corresponding to the data in the central register, an agreement on a minimum weekly working time of at least 15 hours, and a specific wage amount that must not be lower than the minimum wage.

For a blue card, it is additionally checked whether the contract corresponds to employment requiring high qualifications, whether it is concluded for at least six months, and whether the gross wage reaches the required multiple of the average wage. Vague wording such as “wage according to internal regulations” or a missing wage figure may lead to the proceedings being suspended and requests for supplementation, or, in worse cases, to the application being rejected. For the use of government programmes for qualified employees, even stricter wage criteria often apply, linked, for example, to a multiple of the minimum wage.

A practical issue is also a mismatch between the employment contract and the actual work performed. If the contract states one position but the employee in fact performs different work requiring different qualification prerequisites, this may lead to the conclusion that the conditions for issuing or maintaining an employee card or blue card are not met. For blue cards, this issue is particularly sensitive, because it is examined in detail whether the job position corresponds to the foreign national’s high qualification and professional profile.

In such cases, ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, provides clients with a legal audit service for employment contracts for foreign nationals – the aim is to align employment-law documentation with the requirements of Czech immigration legislation, minimise the risk of sanctions from the labour inspectorate, and at the same time maintain the employer’s flexibility. This often involves amending individual contractual provisions, setting wage arrangements, or preparing special annexes for the purposes of the card application.

Failure to comply with notification obligations towards the Labour Office and the Ministry of the Interior

In addition to the issuance of the card itself, employers and foreign nationals have a number of notification obligations towards the Labour Office and the Ministry of the Interior. Employers are required to notify the commencement of a foreign national’s employment, changes, and termination of employment, both for foreign nationals without a work authorisation (e.g., EU citizens and persons with free access to the labour market) and for holders of employee cards and blue cards and work permits. 

As of 1 July 2024, compliance with this information obligation is fully digitalised and can be carried out only via electronic channels – through web forms, by sending an XML file to the data box of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic, or by integrating the HR system with the interface of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Foreign nationals themselves are required to report to the Ministry of the Interior a wide range of changes relating to residence and employment, such as a change of residence address, termination of employment, change of employer or job assignment, and other facts within the statutory deadlines. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in fines in the range of thousands to tens of thousands of Czech crowns, and in extreme cases proceedings may even be initiated to revoke the residence permit.

From a company perspective, this is often an area that HR or management perceive as purely administrative, but in practice it makes sense to integrate these obligations into internal processes. For example, when terminating employment with a foreign national, an internal checklist should include not only the calculation of severance pay and the handover of work equipment, but also timely notification of the termination to the Labour Office and the Ministry of the Interior, and, where appropriate, consultation with an attorney regarding the recommended next steps for the employee. ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, can assist both with setting internal policies and with ongoing external legal advice.

Potential issues

How ARROWS helps (office@arws.cz)

Illegal employment of a foreign national: performing work without a valid work authorisation or contrary to the issued card, risk of a fine of up to millions of CZK and reputational damage.

Representation during inspections and in administrative offence proceedings: the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, will carry out an audit of work authorisations, prepare the legal arguments, represent you before the Labour Inspectorate and the courts, and negotiate an optimal solution.

Rejection of an application for an Employee Card or Blue Card: deficiencies in the employment contract, salary conditions or proof of qualifications lead to rejection and delays in the employee’s start date.

Preparation and review of application documents: the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, will set up contracts, salaries and education documents to meet statutory requirements and prepare an accompanying legal opinion for more complex cases.

Errors in notification obligations: failure to notify the Labour Office or the Ministry of the Interior of the commencement, change or termination of a foreign national’s employment, risk of fines and complications in future proceedings.

Process set-up and training: ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, will set up internal processes for digital notifications, prepare internal policies and train HR and management so that notification obligations are fulfilled systematically.

Mismatch between the actual work performed and the content of the card: the foreign national in fact performs different work than stated in the application and on the card, risking cancellation of the card and sanctions.

Ongoing legal advice: the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, will continuously consult on changes to foreign nationals’ job assignments, help you file a notification or a new application in time, and minimise the risk of the card being cancelled.

Complications in recognising foreign education: errors in nostrification, missing superlegalisation or translations prevent the Blue Card from being issued.

Full coordination of the nostrification process: ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, will help with selecting the correct recognition authority, arranging certified translations and setting the strategy so that the education recognition process runs smoothly.

How the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, assist with the process

Employing foreign nationals and the processes around Employee Cards and Blue Cards are not a one-off matter in today’s legal reality, but a continuous process that affects HR, the legal department, tax compliance and the company’s strategic planning. ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, therefore most often does not deal with clients only on the submission of a single specific application, but sets up a comprehensive framework that enables the long-term employment of foreign nationals without unnecessary risks.

In the area of Employee Cards, the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, prepare and review employment contracts and agreements to enter into a future contract in line with the requirements of the Employment Act and the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals, verify the parameters of vacant positions in the Labour Office register, and coordinate the procedure between the employer, the foreign national and the administrative authorities. In the case of Blue Cards, they additionally provide legal support with the nostrification of foreign education, communication with recognition authorities, and setting salary parameters so that they meet the current average-wage criteria.

An important part of the services is representing clients during inspections by the State Labour Inspection Office and in subsequent administrative offence proceedings. If a company is alleged to have engaged in illegal employment, the ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, team analyses the facts, prepares legal arguments, conducts negotiations with the authorities and, if necessary, participates in court proceedings. As a result, they can often achieve a reduction of the fine or a change in the legal classification, or demonstrate that no illegal work occurred at all.

ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, is also insured for professional liability up to CZK 400,000,000, which is an important signal for corporate clients and investors that they can rely on expert services even in transactions and projects with significant financial impact. In cases with an international element – for example, when a Blue Card holder plans a move within the EU or a company employs foreign nationals in multiple countries – the attorneys also use the ARROWS International network and coordinate solutions across jurisdictions.

For companies that view employing foreign nationals as a long-term part of their business model, ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, also offers long-term external legal support. This may include regular consultations, ongoing audits of residence and work authorisations, updates of internal policies in line with legislative changes, and training for HR, managers and line supervisors. The goal is to make the complex immigration agenda predictable and manageable for the company, rather than a source of ad hoc crises and disputes.

FAQ: How to apply for an Employee Card or Blue Card while staying in the Czech Republic: Procedure for foreign nationals with valid residence

1. How do I know whether an Employee Card is sufficient for my foreign employee, or whether a Blue Card is more suitable?
The key factors are the employee’s qualifications and salary level. The Employee Card is intended for all types of employment without qualification limits and is sufficient if the agreed salary is not lower than the minimum wage. The Blue Card, on the other hand, is intended for highly qualified workers with a university degree or higher professional education (or comparable experience in IT) and requires a salary of at least 1.5 times the average wage. If you are unsure which regime to choose, we recommend consulting your specific case with the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, at office@arws.cz.

2. Can a foreign national start working immediately after submitting an application for an Employee Card or Blue Card in the Czech Republic?
In most cases, no – submitting the application itself does not give the foreign national the right to start working if they do not have free access to the labour market for the given position. For an Employee Card in the dual regime, it is common that the foreign national may start only after the confirmation of fulfilment of conditions has been issued or after collecting the residence card; for a Blue Card the situation is similar. Incorrectly timing the start of work may be assessed as illegal work with all consequences. To avoid this, we recommend consulting the set-up of a safe procedure with the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, at office@arws.cz.

3. What are the most common reasons for rejecting Employee Card and Blue Card applications?
The most common reasons include incomplete or incorrect documentation (for example, missing or improperly certified education documents), insufficient salary in relation to the minimum wage or average wage, inconsistency between the employment contract and the registered vacant position, incorrect or unclear definition of the type of work and place of work, or doubts about the genuineness of the position. In most cases, a timely legal audit of the application prevents these issues; the attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, can assist you with this and can be contacted at office@arws.cz.

4. What should you do if a foreign employee’s employment ends and they hold an Employee Card or a Blue Card?
With an Employee Card, a foreign national generally has 90 days to start a new job or apply for another long-term residence permit; otherwise, the card expires. A 90-day period also applies to a Blue Card, during which the foreign national must find new employment and notify the Ministry of the Interior of the change of employer; otherwise, the Blue Card expires. In both cases, it is advisable to address the next residence strategy as soon as possible after the termination of employment is announced; ARROWS advokátní kancelář can help you set a specific plan via office@arws.cz.

5. How do legislative changes in recent years affect the employment of foreign nationals in 2026?
Key changes include, in particular, the automatic indexation of the minimum wage linked to the average wage, which from 2026 sets the minimum wage at CZK 22,400 per month, and the abolition of the guaranteed wage in the private sector, which impacts the salary criteria for both Employee Cards and Blue Cards. Another significant change is the full digitalisation of employers’ reporting obligations towards the Labour Office when employing foreign nationals, effective from mid-2024. These changes should be taken into account when setting up HR processes and employment contracts; ARROWS advokátní kancelář can assist you with their practical implementation—contact us at office@arws.cz.

6. Can the application process for an Employee Card or a Blue Card be handled internally without an attorney?
Theoretically yes—many companies and foreign nationals submit applications on their own. In practice, however, especially in more complex cases (senior roles, multiple stays, combinations with family residence, recognition of education), the absence of legal review often leads to interruptions in the proceedings, requests for additional documents, or rejection of the application, which delays the employee’s start date and increases costs. Particularly for key employees, it therefore makes economic sense to involve the attorneys at ARROWS advokátní kancelář already at the stage of preparing contracts and documentation; if you are interested, please contact us at office@arws.cz.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only and serves as a basic guide to the issue as of 2026. Although we strive for maximum accuracy, laws and their interpretation evolve over time. We are ARROWS Law Firm, a member of the Czech Bar Association (our supervisory authority), and for the maximum security of our clients, we are insured for professional liability with a limit of CZK 400,000,000. To verify the current wording of the regulations and their application to your specific situation, it is necessary to contact ARROWS Law Firm directly (office@arws.cz). We are not liable for any damages arising from the independent use of the information in this article without prior individual legal consultation.

Read also: