The Czech government continues to streamline access for qualified foreign workers to its labor market. Starting March, citizens of Taiwan will be able to work in the country without work permits or employee cards. The cabinet approved this expansion of the list of non-EU countries whose citizens have free access to the labor market on Wednesday.
According to government data, there were already 185 Taiwanese nationals employed in the Czech Republic as of last June, comprising 80 men and 105 women. The measure aims to simplify the process for foreign experts and managers, as well as their employers.
This addition follows the July inclusion of several other countries to the permit-free list, including Australia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, USA, Israel, and Singapore. While Taiwan was initially considered for the original list, it was initially excluded as the Czech Republic didn’t recognize it as an independent state. However, recent legislative changes now allow its inclusion as a separate jurisdiction.
The move comes at a time when the Czech labor market is experiencing significant foreign worker participation, with 827,619 employed foreigners and an additional 124,502 entrepreneurs as of mid-last year. The manufacturing industry leads in foreign employment, accounting for nearly 27% of all foreign workers, with significant numbers also working in trade, construction, healthcare, and care services.
Business representatives have previously indicated a shortage of up to 300,000 workers in the Czech market, highlighting the importance of this initiative in addressing the country’s labor needs.