Visa support provided to foreign investors

Setting up a company at a new destination is always a complex administrative process. The Investment and Business Development Agency CzechInvest assists foreign companies in overcoming these challenges, including the relocation of management and key employees. Visa support starts with tailored consultancy and continues with the administration of government visa programmes designed to accelerate visa processing.

The Czech Republic offers several government visa programs for significant investors and employers,. These programs provide an efficient alternative to standard visa procedures, enabling employers to benefit from faster and less administratively demanding application and approval processes.

The Czech Republic is constantly working on improving conditions for foreign workers to enter the Czech labour market. To attract international talent, the country is expanding free access to the labour market. Citizens of EU, EEA countries and Switzerland already have free access. In addition, nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan do not need a work permit, only a valid residence permit is required for employment.

Programme for Key and Scientific Personnel

Strategic Visa Solution for New Companies:
This programme is a crucial instrument for newly established companies in the Czech Republic. Desgned to facilitate and accelerate relocation of foreign management and key specialists during the initial phase of business operation. Eligible entities include newly established Czech business entities of foreign investors, start-ups, technology companies, research institutes and Czech entities of foreign investors with at least 50 employees in the country and 250 employees worldwide. Companies can choose between two relocation methods. Localisation of foreign employees that enter into direct employment with the Czech entity, those apply for either blue card or employee card; and Interal Transfer for employees posted for limited time (up to 3 years) to work at the Czech branch. The programme also supports the relocation of family members. Statutory representatives of companies, such as managing directors, apply for long-term business visa.

Benefits:

• Priority appointments at the embassy
• Fast Track in application assessment – within 30 days since application
• Easy on documentation
• Relocation of family members

Where to apply for registration in the programme

The programme is administrated by CzechInvest for newly established companies, startups, research institutes and technology companies. If the application is submitted by an investor that was incorporated more than a year prior, has at least 50 employees in the Czech Republic and 250 employees globally, the application is administrated directly by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

How companies use the Programme for Key and Scientific Personnel

In 2025, more Nearly 900 specialists, managers, statutory representatives and their family members enjoyed the benefits of the Programme for Key and Scientific Personnel. CzechInvest processed applications of  12. newly established firms and 3 technology companies and 1 startup who relocated 128 persons.

Programme for Highly Qualified Workers

The Programme for Highly Qualified Workers enables applicants and future employees from non-EU countries and their family members to arrange preferential appointments at Czech embassies and consulates, thus significantly accelerating the process. The number of available appointments for employee-card applicants granted within this programme is set by a government regulation. Employers apply for inclusion in the programme at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Programme for Qualified Workers

The Programme for Qualified Workers enables applicants from designated countries to arrange preferential appointments at Czech embassies and consulates, thus accelerating the process. The annual quota for each of the designated countries is set by a government regulation.

This programme is aimed at employers with at least a two-year history and at least six employees in the Czech Republic in the area of manufacturing, services or the public sector that are recruiting citizens of Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, Mongolia, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, North Macedonia or Armenia to perform skilled labour. This Program is primarily used by established large manufacturing and shared services companies.

Digital Nomad Program

The Czech Republic responds to the growing trends in international mobility of freelance workers in IT sector and marketing.

The Government program aimed at highly skilled IT professionals and marketing specialists is designed for citizens of selected countries:Australia, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Taiwan, Israel, Singapore, India, Brazil or Mexico A digital nomad can be an employee of a foreign company who works remotely from the Czech Republic over an extended period using telecommunications tools. In this case, the individual remains employed by their foreign company and does not enter into an employment relationship in the Czech Republic. Alternatively, they can operate as a freelancer – a foreign national holding a Czech trade license.

The primary condition is that the applicant must not currently hold or have recently held a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic. Residence permit applications are typically processed within 45 days of submission. Immediate family members of digital nomads are also eligible to participate in the program. 39 persons were included in Digital Nomad Program by Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2025.