Before starting to work, a foreigner needs to determine whether he or she has free access to the job market or whether he or she needs a work permit. Photo credit: Casadei Graphics
Brno, Apr 19 (BD) – The job market in the Czech Republic is quite robust nowadays. The country has the lowest unemployment rate in the EU – below 3% – and international employers are looking beyond national borders to find qualified employees. A lot of foreigners are looking into employment possibilities in the Czech Republic, and Brno in particular, due to the great quality of life.
Generally speaking, there has been a steady increase in opportunities for foreigners in the city, driven by a growing number of international companies (particularly in the IT and outsourcing/shared services sectors) setting up offices here. Also, major new research centres, being built by the city’s main universities, are leading to a dramatic increase in the need for research scientists in many fields. These developments have also led to an increase in demand for qualified language teachers (of English in particular).
Aside from the Labour Office’s attempt to list all job vacancies, there is no single central registry that you can access to learn about job openings in Brno. You have to follow several websites, such as Jobs.cz or Jobspin.cz, to stay informed. You can also follow various recruitment agencies or even reach out to individual companies.
Before starting to work, a foreigner needs to determine whether he or she has free access to the job market or whether he or she needs a work permit.
All EU citizens are free to work right away, but foreigners from outside the EU need a residence permit and a work permit. If coming for work, they can apply for an Employee Card – a dual card combing the two. To apply for the Employee Card, you already have to have a work contract with a local employer.
Some foreigners from outside the EU still need a residence permit (for any purpose) but they have free access to the labour market – namely, permanent residents, spouses of EU citizens, spouses of non-EU citizens staying on a family reunification permit, students and graduates of Czech schools and universities. All exceptions are listed on the website of the Ministry of Labour.
You can find a list of useful links to agencies and employers, as well as some further explanation of work permits and employment cards, in the Brno Expat Centre’s infosheets Working and finding a job and Employee card.
Brno Expat Centre Clues is a series of practical articles dealing with various aspects of life in Brno. Written in cooperation with Brno Daily by Brno Expat Centre consultants, a new article is published every Thursday.
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