On International Migrants Day, 18 December, faith leaders and NGO volunteers will gather at the Nicolas Winton statue on Platform 1 of Prague’s Main Railway Station to protest the new government’s pledge to reject the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and adopt a ‘zero-tolerance’ line on illegal migration. Organisers say the vigil will evolve into a cultural programme highlighting how tougher asylum and integration policies could erode services relied on by foreigners—from free legal clinics to subsidised Czech-language courses.
The warning comes after Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s coalition signalled that it will re-draft national asylum rules in January, cutting access to humanitarian residence and shrinking grants for integration NGOs. Social-work coordinators note that over 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees transited through Prague in 2022 and that many still depend on counselling and translation support. Losing that safety-net, they argue, would also hurt high-earning ‘expat tier’ professionals who use the same networks for visa queries, school enrolment and tax advice.
For those trying to make sense of the shifting landscape, digital visa specialist VisaHQ can be an invaluable ally. Its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) tracks regulatory changes in real time, provides step-by-step application assistance and can even submit certain documents on a client’s behalf—saving multiple trips to embassies or foreign-police offices. Companies can bundle applications for entire teams, while individual newcomers gain clear checklists that reduce the risk of costly refusals.
![Activists Warn Expats of Fallout from Czechia’s Hard-Line Migration Pivot]()
Economists add a hard-line pivot could aggravate chronic labour shortages in healthcare, education and advanced manufacturing. Czech industry bodies estimate that the country needs at least 30,000 additional foreign specialists in 2026 to sustain 3 % GDP growth. Limiting migration channels could therefore dampen investment just as multinationals weigh regional expansion.
HR directors are advised to monitor draft legislation closely. If stricter rules pass, companies may need to accelerate pending employee-card renewals, budget for higher compliance costs and expand remote-work options for non-EU staff still abroad. Mobility teams should also prepare talking points to reassure expatriates unsettled by rising anti-migrant rhetoric.
For now, activists urge foreigners to stay engaged, volunteer if possible and document any discrimination. ‘The message is simple,’ says organiser Petr Pijáček, ‘nobody should navigate the coming changes alone.’
The warning comes after Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s coalition signalled that it will re-draft national asylum rules in January, cutting access to humanitarian residence and shrinking grants for integration NGOs. Social-work coordinators note that over 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees transited through Prague in 2022 and that many still depend on counselling and translation support. Losing that safety-net, they argue, would also hurt high-earning ‘expat tier’ professionals who use the same networks for visa queries, school enrolment and tax advice.
For those trying to make sense of the shifting landscape, digital visa specialist VisaHQ can be an invaluable ally. Its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) tracks regulatory changes in real time, provides step-by-step application assistance and can even submit certain documents on a client’s behalf—saving multiple trips to embassies or foreign-police offices. Companies can bundle applications for entire teams, while individual newcomers gain clear checklists that reduce the risk of costly refusals.
Economists add a hard-line pivot could aggravate chronic labour shortages in healthcare, education and advanced manufacturing. Czech industry bodies estimate that the country needs at least 30,000 additional foreign specialists in 2026 to sustain 3 % GDP growth. Limiting migration channels could therefore dampen investment just as multinationals weigh regional expansion.
HR directors are advised to monitor draft legislation closely. If stricter rules pass, companies may need to accelerate pending employee-card renewals, budget for higher compliance costs and expand remote-work options for non-EU staff still abroad. Mobility teams should also prepare talking points to reassure expatriates unsettled by rising anti-migrant rhetoric.
For now, activists urge foreigners to stay engaged, volunteer if possible and document any discrimination. ‘The message is simple,’ says organiser Petr Pijáček, ‘nobody should navigate the coming changes alone.’
