In a highly anticipated move, the Czech Ministry of the Interior has published a ministerial notice creating a brand-new “special long-term residence” card for Ukrainians who have been living in Czechia under the EU Temporary Protection Directive since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Under the plan—confirmed on 25 November and effective from 15 December—eligible applicants can swap their year-by-year temporary-protection sticker for a biometric card valid for five years. Applicants must prove untaxed annual income of at least CZK 440,000 (≈ €18,000) plus CZK 110,000 for every dependent, present a lease or property deed covering the full term, and supply an apostilled police-clearance certificate. The ministry estimates that roughly 65,000 of the 330,000 Ukrainians currently in Czechia already meet that threshold, most of them skilled workers in manufacturing, IT and health care.
![Czech Interior Ministry Rolls Out 5-Year Residence Card for Ukrainians on Temporary Protection]()
For employers the change removes one of the biggest planning headaches of the past three years. HR teams have had to renew temporary-protection documents every 12 months, triggering repeated compliance audits and making it difficult to place Ukrainian staff on multi-year project cycles or second them abroad. A single five-year document will allow companies to lock key talent into succession plans, include them in intra-EU assignments of up to 90/180 days without extra paperwork, and satisfy lenders that staff will remain legally employable for the duration of long-term contracts.
NGOs have cautiously welcomed the measure but warn that the stringent income requirement could exclude lower-paid families. Interior-ministry officials say the criteria will be reviewed in mid-2026, when the first cards come up for renewal, and that a lower band may be introduced for pensioners and single parents if budget forecasts allow. In the meantime, the ministry urges applicants to begin gathering police clearances—often the slowest part of the file—while employers are advised to budget for translation and notarial costs in their 2026 mobility plans.
Under the plan—confirmed on 25 November and effective from 15 December—eligible applicants can swap their year-by-year temporary-protection sticker for a biometric card valid for five years. Applicants must prove untaxed annual income of at least CZK 440,000 (≈ €18,000) plus CZK 110,000 for every dependent, present a lease or property deed covering the full term, and supply an apostilled police-clearance certificate. The ministry estimates that roughly 65,000 of the 330,000 Ukrainians currently in Czechia already meet that threshold, most of them skilled workers in manufacturing, IT and health care.
For employers the change removes one of the biggest planning headaches of the past three years. HR teams have had to renew temporary-protection documents every 12 months, triggering repeated compliance audits and making it difficult to place Ukrainian staff on multi-year project cycles or second them abroad. A single five-year document will allow companies to lock key talent into succession plans, include them in intra-EU assignments of up to 90/180 days without extra paperwork, and satisfy lenders that staff will remain legally employable for the duration of long-term contracts.
NGOs have cautiously welcomed the measure but warn that the stringent income requirement could exclude lower-paid families. Interior-ministry officials say the criteria will be reviewed in mid-2026, when the first cards come up for renewal, and that a lower band may be introduced for pensioners and single parents if budget forecasts allow. In the meantime, the ministry urges applicants to begin gathering police clearances—often the slowest part of the file—while employers are advised to budget for translation and notarial costs in their 2026 mobility plans.
