New government figures released on 21 February reveal that humanitarian payments to holders of Czech temporary protection from Ukraine cost CZK 8.8 billion (USD 430 million) in 2025—yet tax and social-security revenue generated by those same refugees exceeded CZK 20 billion, leaving the state budget CZK 11.7 billion in the black.
The data, published by the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry and carried by ČTK, underline a rapid labour-market integration: 210,000 Ukrainians are now formally employed, accounting for roughly a quarter of all foreign workers in the country. Employers report chronic shortages in construction, elder-care and healthcare, and say Ukrainian staff have become indispensable.
For companies and individual professionals trying to secure the right Czech visas or residence permits, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) offers real-time requirements, digital application tools and courier support, helping HR teams and newcomers file correctly the first time—whether for employee cards, business visas or longer-term stays.
![Budget data show Czech aid to Ukrainian refugees now pays for itself as more enter workforce]()
The positive fiscal balance is politically significant. A vocal populist bloc has pressed the Babiš government to cap refugee benefits and re-introduce border checks with Slovakia, but the new numbers bolster the cabinet’s argument that continued labour-market access is in the national economic interest. Analysts expect the figures to smooth passage of February’s draft law creating a five-year “special long-term residence” route for self-sufficient Ukrainians.
For multinational companies the message is clear: Ukraine-linked work permits and employee-cards are likely to be processed faster, not slower, as Prague courts immigrant labour to offset demographic decline. Mobility teams should therefore revisit Czech-based staffing plans for engineering and health-tech projects scheduled for Q3.
NGOs caution, however, that rising employment coincides with a drop in housing support, and they urge companies to assist staff with accommodation in tight regional rental markets such as Brno and Plzeň.
The data, published by the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry and carried by ČTK, underline a rapid labour-market integration: 210,000 Ukrainians are now formally employed, accounting for roughly a quarter of all foreign workers in the country. Employers report chronic shortages in construction, elder-care and healthcare, and say Ukrainian staff have become indispensable.
For companies and individual professionals trying to secure the right Czech visas or residence permits, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) offers real-time requirements, digital application tools and courier support, helping HR teams and newcomers file correctly the first time—whether for employee cards, business visas or longer-term stays.
The positive fiscal balance is politically significant. A vocal populist bloc has pressed the Babiš government to cap refugee benefits and re-introduce border checks with Slovakia, but the new numbers bolster the cabinet’s argument that continued labour-market access is in the national economic interest. Analysts expect the figures to smooth passage of February’s draft law creating a five-year “special long-term residence” route for self-sufficient Ukrainians.
For multinational companies the message is clear: Ukraine-linked work permits and employee-cards are likely to be processed faster, not slower, as Prague courts immigrant labour to offset demographic decline. Mobility teams should therefore revisit Czech-based staffing plans for engineering and health-tech projects scheduled for Q3.
NGOs caution, however, that rising employment coincides with a drop in housing support, and they urge companies to assist staff with accommodation in tight regional rental markets such as Brno and Plzeň.
