Immigration law
Employee Cards and Blue Cards
§ 42g–42j of Act No. 326/1999 Coll.
Work cards are the most travelled route into the Czech Republic: residence and work in a single document. The process has two sides — employee and employer — and either can get it wrong.
What the law says
An Employee Card is tied to a specific vacancy from the register of positions open to foreigners; changing employer or position requires notification and is restricted in the first months. The Blue Card targets the highly qualified: a university degree and a salary above the statutory threshold.
The law binds the employer too: the position must sit in the register, the conditions must match what was reported — otherwise the card is not extended and the company risks liability for illegal employment. Decision periods are 60–90 days, longer in practice.
How the work runs
For the employee I assemble the file around the specific position: an employment contract with the vacancy’s exact particulars, recognised qualifications, accommodation. I watch the consular slot and prepare you for the interview.
For the employer I set up the process: the correct vacancy report, the register paperwork, change notifications. A process tuned once pays back on every following hire.
Deadlines and pitfalls
The typical failure is a mismatch between the contract and the register: a different position, workload or place of work. With Blue Cards, watch the salary threshold — it is indexed yearly, and a contract “at the line” may sit below it by the time of the decision.
Frequently asked questions
When can I change employers on an Employee Card?
As a rule after the initial period and with notification to the OAMP within the statutory term; breaching the procedure endangers the permit itself. Before any move I also vet the new vacancy — it must be card-eligible.
How is the Blue Card better than the Employee Card?
It is more flexible on job changes, leads faster to EU resident status and eases mobility across the Union. The price is the salary threshold and proof of qualification; if you meet the conditions, the Blue Card usually wins.
Can my employer file the application for me?
The foreigner files; the employer prepares the registered vacancy and part of the paperwork. Under powers of attorney I support both sides — so the file fits the first time.
What about the cardholder’s family?
Spouse and children go through family reunification — in parallel or after your card. The Blue Card carries preferential family rules; the route is planned on one calendar.
I lost my job. How long to find a new one?
The window is limited — roughly 60 days to secure a new employer and notify the OAMP in time. Missing it ends the card, so act within the first days.
Contact
- Address
- Konviktská 291/24, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 12 minutes' walk from Národní třída (metro B, trams)
- Phone
- +420 700 000 000
- kancelar@advokatpopov.cz
- Data box
- [data box ID]
- Consultations
- Mon–Fri 9.00–18.00in person, online or by phone — by appointment