The Czech government is set to revise its work quotas and prioritize offering employment opportunities to low- and medium-skilled applicants from the Philippines and Mongolia, according to a proposal from the Interior Ministry. The plan aims to increase the number of work permits granted to individuals from these countries, while concurrently reducing the quota for applicants from Ukraine.

Under the proposal, the number of work permits available to applicants from the Philippines will rise from the current 2,500 to 3,000 per year. Similarly, the quota for Mongolian applicants will increase from 1,230 to 2,000 permits annually. These adjustments will be deliberated in an upcoming cabinet meeting scheduled for later this month.

It is important to note that the overall number of migrant workers from third countries will not be increased. Consequently, the work permit quota for the embassy in Lviv, Ukraine, will be reduced from the current 38,000 to 33,000.

In addition to the proposed changes in quotas, the Interior Ministry has also put forward a plan to allow Skoda Transportation, a prominent Czech company, to recruit 300 skilled workers from Indonesia on a one-time basis. The primary roles being sought are welders, electricians, and locksmiths for wagon production. The permanent quota for work permits in Jakarta will be set at 130 per year.

Last September, a portion of the quota initially designated for Ukrainian employment was redirected to other countries. Quotas for skilled foreign workers from non-European Union countries were first introduced in September 2019. The government regularly reassesses and determines the maximum number of applications that embassies in each country can accept.

The move to adjust work quotas comes in response to consistent employer complaints regarding a labor shortage and the need for additional foreign workers. Employers have also called for streamlining and expediting the recruitment process.

Furthermore, the proposed amendments include the elimination of the quota for visa applications lasting more than 90 days for business purposes at diplomatic missions in Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg, Russia. This decision is a result of the closure of both diplomatic offices. Stakeholders and institutions have the opportunity to provide their input on the draft amendments until the middle of the following week.

Article by Prague Forum