Czech government pushes faster foreign worker permits despite far-right opposition

The Czech coalition government, headed by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, is advancing measures to simplify and quicken the hiring of foreign workers, despite vocal criticism from the far-right SPD party. SPD chief Tomio Okamura has repeatedly urged stricter conditions for Ukrainians under temporary protection, but officials say this is merely political rhetoric. Martin Rozumek of the Organization for Refugee Assistance highlighted growing labor shortages and noted that 22,000 applicants met the temporary protection criteria in 2026, compared with about 16,000 the previous year.

The cabinet plans to raise quotas for workers from selected nations, including the Philippines, and to cut bureaucratic steps, as Trade and Industry Minister Karel Havlíček announced a faster permit system. Demographic analyses by Moore CR predict a potential deficit of half a million people by 2045, prompting calls from the Czech Trade and Tourism Association for even broader reforms. While the coalition has left existing Ukrainian residence rules largely unchanged, business leaders fear that without further action, many workers will continue to seek jobs abroad, especially in Germany.