Fresh statistics released by the Czech Foreigners Police show that 2,701 cases of illegal migration were recorded between January and March 2026—174 more than in the same period last year. Although the absolute numbers remain modest for a country of 10.8 million people, the 6.9 percent jump is the sharpest quarterly rise since the pandemic travel bans were lifted in 2022. Overstays continue to dominate the picture: 2,617 individuals (nearly 97 percent of the total) were caught living or working in Czechia after their visas or visa-free periods had expired.
![Czech Police Record 7 % Increase in Illegal Migration in First Quarter of 2026]()
For travelers and employers looking to stay on the right side of these rules, VisaHQ offers an easy way to verify visa requirements, track validity dates and submit extension requests online; its dedicated Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) consolidates up-to-date entry regulations, document checklists and reminder tools that can prevent costly overstays or compliance breaches.
Ukrainians, Moldovans and Vietnamese together accounted for roughly two-thirds of these cases. By contrast, only 84 migrants were intercepted attempting to cross an external Schengen border illegally, mainly Georgians and Moldovans flying in from Tbilisi and Chișinău. The most dramatic relative increase came in “transit migration”—people using the Czech Republic as a corridor to reach Germany or Austria. Ninety such cases were logged, up 165 percent year-on-year. Police say many of the transitees were Russians and Afghans who had first sought asylum in Croatia and were moving north by train through Slovakia and Austria. Officials link the uptick to a mix of factors: ongoing labour shortages that encourage visa overstays, the war in Ukraine pushing more people westward, and beefed-up roadside inspections connected to Germany’s extended internal border checks. The Interior Ministry is weighing higher fines for employers who hire undocumented staff and faster data-sharing with neighbouring border forces. For businesses the message is clear: make sure foreign employees carry valid residence permits and keep meticulous records of Schengen-day counts for short-term assignees. Logistics operators moving drivers through the Czech-Austrian and Czech-German corridors should anticipate more spot checks in the coming weeks, especially ahead of the summer festival season when passenger flows spike.
For travelers and employers looking to stay on the right side of these rules, VisaHQ offers an easy way to verify visa requirements, track validity dates and submit extension requests online; its dedicated Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) consolidates up-to-date entry regulations, document checklists and reminder tools that can prevent costly overstays or compliance breaches.
Ukrainians, Moldovans and Vietnamese together accounted for roughly two-thirds of these cases. By contrast, only 84 migrants were intercepted attempting to cross an external Schengen border illegally, mainly Georgians and Moldovans flying in from Tbilisi and Chișinău. The most dramatic relative increase came in “transit migration”—people using the Czech Republic as a corridor to reach Germany or Austria. Ninety such cases were logged, up 165 percent year-on-year. Police say many of the transitees were Russians and Afghans who had first sought asylum in Croatia and were moving north by train through Slovakia and Austria. Officials link the uptick to a mix of factors: ongoing labour shortages that encourage visa overstays, the war in Ukraine pushing more people westward, and beefed-up roadside inspections connected to Germany’s extended internal border checks. The Interior Ministry is weighing higher fines for employers who hire undocumented staff and faster data-sharing with neighbouring border forces. For businesses the message is clear: make sure foreign employees carry valid residence permits and keep meticulous records of Schengen-day counts for short-term assignees. Logistics operators moving drivers through the Czech-Austrian and Czech-German corridors should anticipate more spot checks in the coming weeks, especially ahead of the summer festival season when passenger flows spike.
