The debate over the future status of the almost 400,000 Ukrainians living in Czechia escalated on 16 February when Tomio Okamura, leader of the nationalist Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, announced that his ministers will vote against a draft government decree that would again allow holders of temporary protection to apply for a special five-year long-term residence permit in 2026.
Speaking ahead of Monday’s coalition council meeting, Okamura told reporters that "no foreigner should enjoy softer rules than others." Under the Interior Ministry’s proposal, refugees who have spent at least two years in Czechia or can prove an annual income above CZK 440,000 would be eligible to switch from temporary protection to the more secure status, giving them access to public health insurance and a pathway to permanent residence. The same mechanism was used in 2025, when 16,000 applicants were approved.
Okamura’s intervention lays bare growing tensions inside the three-party ANO–SPD–Motorists coalition. SPD has repeatedly called for tighter immigration controls, while employers’ groups argue that the Czech economy—operating with unemployment below 3 percent—cannot function without Ukrainian labour in construction, logistics and elder-care. The Interior Ministry insists the new permit would actually reduce bureaucracy by taking pressure off the yearly renewal of temporary protection and by encouraging self-sufficiency among longer-term residents.
![Czech SPD vows to block easier long-term residency for Ukrainian refugees]()
Organizations and individuals trying to stay ahead of these shifting rules can simplify the process by working with VisaHQ, which offers step-by-step assistance for Czech visas and residence permits, including document preparation, filing, and real-time status updates. More information on their Czech services is available at https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/
Legal analysts point out that blocking the decree would not end temporary protection, which remains guaranteed by EU law until at least March 2026. Instead, it would deprive qualified refugees of an incentive to integrate and could push more applications into the already over-burdened employee-card channel. NGOs working with Ukrainian communities warn that uncertainty over status is a key driver of mental-health problems and labour exploitation.
For multinational employers the political skirmish adds one more variable to mobility planning. HR managers are advised to keep contingency budgets for possible work-permit conversions and to monitor parliamentary calendars—any delay in approving the decree would shorten the application window before the summer peak in renewals.
Speaking ahead of Monday’s coalition council meeting, Okamura told reporters that "no foreigner should enjoy softer rules than others." Under the Interior Ministry’s proposal, refugees who have spent at least two years in Czechia or can prove an annual income above CZK 440,000 would be eligible to switch from temporary protection to the more secure status, giving them access to public health insurance and a pathway to permanent residence. The same mechanism was used in 2025, when 16,000 applicants were approved.
Okamura’s intervention lays bare growing tensions inside the three-party ANO–SPD–Motorists coalition. SPD has repeatedly called for tighter immigration controls, while employers’ groups argue that the Czech economy—operating with unemployment below 3 percent—cannot function without Ukrainian labour in construction, logistics and elder-care. The Interior Ministry insists the new permit would actually reduce bureaucracy by taking pressure off the yearly renewal of temporary protection and by encouraging self-sufficiency among longer-term residents.
Organizations and individuals trying to stay ahead of these shifting rules can simplify the process by working with VisaHQ, which offers step-by-step assistance for Czech visas and residence permits, including document preparation, filing, and real-time status updates. More information on their Czech services is available at https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/
Legal analysts point out that blocking the decree would not end temporary protection, which remains guaranteed by EU law until at least March 2026. Instead, it would deprive qualified refugees of an incentive to integrate and could push more applications into the already over-burdened employee-card channel. NGOs working with Ukrainian communities warn that uncertainty over status is a key driver of mental-health problems and labour exploitation.
For multinational employers the political skirmish adds one more variable to mobility planning. HR managers are advised to keep contingency budgets for possible work-permit conversions and to monitor parliamentary calendars—any delay in approving the decree would shorten the application window before the summer peak in renewals.
