Employee Card

  • a long term residence permit for employment purposes
  • for all kinds of jobs
  • entitles you to stay in the Czech Republic for longer than 3 months
  • entitles you to work for the employer at the work place where the EC applies or work at your post to which has been granted approval by the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior
  • in most cases, it must be a job that is included in the "central register of job vacancies employee card holder" there are two types of Employee Card (EC):

1) authorizes at the same time  your stay in the Czech Republic and also employment (EC Dual)

2) authorizes only your stay in CZ (EC nondual)

Who can apply

  • if you are a foreigner from a third world country and do not have family members of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and do not have a lodged application for temporary residence permit for a family member of an EU citizen, or a citizen of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
  • ATTENTION!!! It cannot be issued or extended to a foreign national who, as a partner, a member of a statutory body or another body of a commercial corporation, or as a member of a cooperative or a member of a statutory body or another body performs tasks arising from the subject of the activities of such legal entity.

Where to apply  for EC

  • the embassy in your country of origin (if you are a citizen of a State that is listed under the decree number 429 / 2010 Sb., you can also submit a request in another country)
  • Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior (if you are staying in the Czech Republic on the basis of a visa for a stay exceeding 90 days (cannot be submitted on the basis of a long-term visa for the purpose of tolerated stay in the Czech Republic, or on the basis of a long-term visa for the purpose of seasonal employment), or on the basis of a permanent residence permit issued for other purposes(on the basis of a long-term stay for the purpose of tolerated stay it can be submitted only after 3 years of residence in the Czech Republic)

Conditions for issue of EC

General Requirements (applies to both types of EC)

always:

on request:

  • a document similar to an extract from the Criminal Register
  • proof of recognition of your foreign education by the competent authority of the Czech Republic
  • a medical report that you do not suffer from a serious illness
  • All documents must not be older than 180 days

Special conditions for the issue of dual EC

1) There must always be a job listed in the Central Register of job vacancies holder EC

2) You must have an employment contract or work agreement or contract for a future contract (a contract that your employer confirms your employment contract or work agreement).

3) Your monthly wage, salary or remuneration must be at least  14.000 CZK in 2020

4) Your working hours must be at least 15 hours per week

5) Professional capacity especially in the form of:

a) the required education (only on request of the Department)

b) the required professional qualification (if required according to special regulation)

c) the conditions for the pursuit of a regulated profession

Special conditions for EC nondual

You  can  apply, if you are:

a) a foreign national who must apply for a work permit

b)  a foreign national who has free access to the labor market

  • In these cases, it is not about the posts from the CEVPM
  • as well as employee cards that are dual it is conditional upon case 2) to  4)
  • if you are a foreigner who has free access to the labor market, you must have, in addition to the above requirements, a documented proof of this fact
  • if you are a foreigner who needs a work permit, you must submit your work permit in addition to the above requirements,if you have not yet been issued a work permit, you must submit a certificate of the submitted application

The deadline for issuing EC

  • 60 days, in particularly complex cases 90 days
  • You can work from the date of issuance of the certificate of compliance with conditions for issuing employee cards by the Ministry of the Interior

Administrative fee

  • admission of the application: 1.500 CZK
  • issuing an employee card – 1.000 CZK

Refusal of employee cards

  • If your application is rejected,, you may, within 15 days of receipt of the rejection decision appeal to the Commission for Decision-making in Matters of Foreign Nationals of the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior
  • If your application is rejected again, you have the right of recourse to the court

Duration and extension possibilities of EC

Validity of EC - the same as the period for which you made a work contract or agreement, the period specified in the work permit

  • Up to 2 years

Extension of EC - must be submitted at the earliest 120 days, and no later than the last dayof validity of your EC

  • similar requirements, such as when applying for EC

At the time of deciding on the extension of dual EC after it has expired, you can reside in the Czech Republic and also work hereAt the time of deciding on the extension of non-dual EC you can reside on the territory and also work:

a) if you have free access to the labor market throughout deciding on extending the EC

b) if you need a work permit in the meantime,  as long as your work permit is valid

Changes in employment

If you want to change employers, job, you must:

  • For dual EC is, in addition to the employment contract or a contract for work, or preliminary contract, the consent of the Ministry of the Interior required
  • approval does not mean your EC has been extended!!!
  • it is necessary to submit proof of the duration of the employment relationship or its termination within no longer than 60 days
  • For non-duality EC - if you have free access to the labor market, you have to notify the Ministry within 3 working days
  • If you need a work permit, you must request a change relevant to the regional office of the Labour Office

If your current job lasts and you want to work on a different job position:

It does not have to be a job listed in The Central Register of Job Vacancies, and the condition of 15 hours a week of working hours is not required. However, you must have an employment contract or a work agreement. It is not possible to work on the basis of an agreement to complete a job!!!

ATTENTION!!! Cessation of an EC

If you terminate your employment relationship, you can find a new job within 60 days after the termination, and submit the application for consent with the change of employer to the Ministry of the Interior. If you do not find a new employer within 60 days and you do not submit  the application for consent with the change of employer or with the job position, your card will cease by the 60th day.

The term “unreliable employer”

If you apply for a job with an employer that will be labeled as an "unreliable employer", this is a reason for not issuing or not extending an EC.

An employer is labeled as "unreliable" when:

  • The employer is not a party that is free of debt
  • A fine for allowing performance of an illegal work was imposed on the employer
  • The employer does not carry out any economic activity, the employer is in liquidation, the employer’s registered office is not real