The statistics in the chart above are based on Eurostat's Non-national population by group of citizenship, 1 January 2023. The next update is expected in March 2025.

According to Eurostat's Migration and migrant population statistics, as of 1 January 2023, there were about 675 000 third-country nationals (TCNs), representing 6.2% of the population, and another 179 800 EU citizens (1.7%) living in Czechia at the time.

By the end of February 2024, Czechia counted a total of 385 075 non-EU citizens who had fled the war against Ukraine and were under temporary protection – see monthly updates of the numbers of temporary protection beneficiaries on Eurostat.

In 2022, according to the European Migration Network (EMN)’s 2022 country factsheet for Czechia, there were also a total of 1 685 international protection applications (including asylum), compared to 1 405 in 2021, 1 160 in 2020 and 1 915 in 2019. The top three countries of origin of first-time applicants include Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. In 2021, in addition, 55.9% of all first-time permits were issued for work, 22.2% - for family reasons, 17.2% - for education and 4.7% - for other reasons. The most represented countries of origin among foreign citizens living in Czechia are Ukraine, Slovakia, Vietnam and Russia .

In terms of naturalisation, 3 429 TCNs received Czech citizenship in 2021, as opposed to 2 130 and 2 301 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Other detailed statistical data is available in the EMN 2022 country factsheet for Czechia, with insights into the age and gender of TCNs, the most common types of residence permits issued and international protection statistics.

In addition to the foreign population, over 91 000 Czech nationals of migrant background have acquired Czech citizenship since the country joined the EU in 2004, and 5 842 of them were naturalised in 2022. The available statistics on naturalisation however do not differentiate between those of EU and non-EU national origin.

The recent OECD/EC Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2023: Settling In report provides further breakdowns of the composition of the migrant population and households in Czechia, including in terms of immigration flows by legal category, concentration in densely populated areas, duration of stay and household composition.

To foster the inclusion of the growing population with migrant background, the interior ministry drafted the first Czech immigrant integration policy in 2000. It focused on equal opportunities and non-discrimination, as well as measures to provide long-term residents with rights like those of Czech citizens. The integration policy was fundamentally updated in 2006, 2011 and 2016, with an increased emphasis on promoting good relations between migrant communities and the local population.

In addition, since 2012, the Czech government published annual action plans which set:

• Priorities, such as proficiency in the Czech language, orientation in society, economic self-sufficiency, increased interactions within migrant and local communities, the gradual acquisition of rights, and more.
• Goals, including migrants’ active participation in society, prevention of conflicts, exclusion and segregation, integration of second generations, regional and local integration, and more.
• Means to achieve the above, including practical cooperation among stakeholders, support for civic society, and more.

Both the policy documents and the action plans target all TCNs, including recepients of international protection, mainly after their arrival but also during the pre-migration period. The host society is also named as a target group for some of the integration measure.

All integration programmes set up by the Czech government target specifically the beneficiaries of international protection. The first support programme provided to persons granted international protection was introduced in 1994, 6 years before the first Policy for the Integration of Immigrants was established. Language and training courses, as well as help for access to the labour and housing market were main priorities.

The second State Integration Programme was published in 2000, while the third integration programme was designed in 2015 as a response to the expected increase in the number of asylum seekers due to the war in Syria.

The State Integration Programme now includes 3 parts:

• an individual integration plan to help secure housing, employment, appropriate education, health care, as well as guidance on applying for social benefits
• Czech language courses with 400 hours guaranteed
• A compulsory civic education course with 8 hours of attendance

The integration programme is, however, optional.

Beneficiaries of international protection may enroll within a year after their protection status has been granted and are encouraged to use each tool available, as relevant for their individual case.

Adaptation and integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection displaced from Ukraine

In April 2022, the Ministry of Interior of Czechia defined the strategic priorities of the government in dealing with the wave of new arrivals from Ukraine following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

The Czech integration strategy was officially assessed in 2009. The assessment report describes changes in the migration situation (a decrease in the migration flows) and a re-orientation of integration measures to specific localities with high concentration of immigrants. As of 2011, the assessment is part of the Report on Migration and the Integration of Foreign Nationals.

In addition, a system of indicators on the integration of TCNs was established by the Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs in 2010. The same institute assessed the role of the integration centres in 2015.

The State Integration Programme was also evaluated by the Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in 2012.

In addition, the international Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) points out that while Czechia's integration scores are average, the country is a leader in integration among Central and Eastern European states. With 50 out of 100 points on the MIPEX 2020 scale, the country is deemed to have a comprehensive approach to integration which overall guarantees equal rights, opportunities and security to immigrants.

In 2021, the Consortium of Migrant Assisting Organisations mapped and assessed integration projects which benefitted from EU funding in the period 2014-2020. It concluded that systemic integration support had been mainly financed through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), while the systemic potential of the European Social Fund (ESF) had been little used.

Law on foreigners

The Czech law on foreigners was adopted in 1999 and is among the most amended laws in the country. In 2017, a complex amendment was adopted, introducing new procedures for issuing residence permits. Another amendment adopted in 2020 introduced, among other things, a legal obligation for TCNs to attend welcome courses. A most recent 2023 amendment brought significant changes for children with a long-term residence permit in Czichia, as it ensured their inclusion in the public health insurance system.

Asylum law

An asylum law was adopted in 1999 to complement the law on foreigners and to regulate specific areas of international protection. Following multiple amendments, a comprehensive reform came into effect in 2016. Among other changes, it shortens the period of stay prior to which asylum seekers gain free access to the labour market from 12 to 6 months. It also provided for the individualised approach of the current integration programme.

Integration law

Czechia does not have a self-standing integration law.

Measures in this field are based on resolutions of the government.

Nationality Law

The 2013 citizenship law fully repealed law 40/1993 Coll. Among other changes, it allows dual citizenship and added new categories of people entitled to citizenship. This resulted in a significant spike in the number of people applying for and obtaining citizenship. At the end of January 2021, an amendment to the law passed on first reading, tightening the conditions for obtainining Czech citizenship on several points.

Anti-discrimination

Czechia’s first anti-discrimination law was adopted in 2009. It implements the EU legislative framework but anchors only limited procedural safeguards against discrimination. It has largely remained intact since, although amendments are currently being drafted.

Lex Ukraine

On 17 March 2022, a package of three government bills related to the Russian war against Ukraine and the influx of displaced people entering Czechia entered into force. The bills are collectively referred to as ‘Lex Ukraine’

Lex Ukraine responds to the invocation of the EU temporary protection directive and modifies Act No. 221/2003 Coll. on the temporary protection of foreigners and other laws in order to allow for a more flexible response to the large number of people arriving from Ukraine.

This legislation has been amended several times since March 2022. The fifth and most recent amendment of Lex Ukraine  came into force on 1 April 2023.

The Czech interior ministry has played a coordinating role in the field of integration since 2000, with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs temporarily responsible during the 2004-2008 period. The interior ministry's Department for Asylum and Migration Policy is responsible for the coordination of both the State Integration Programme and the Policy for the Integration of Immigrants.

The interior ministry's Refugee Facilities Administration implements the State Integration Programme and operates 10 out of the 14 regional integration centres. Three other integration centres – the Centre for the integration of foreigners in Usti, Caritas in Hradec Králové and Integration Centre Prague – are managed by NGOs. The remaining 1 is under the auspice of the South Moravia Regional Authority.

On the regional and municipal level, the integration agenda is usually covered by those responsible for education, housing and social services. Although local authorities are not obliged to develop their own roadmaps, the Region of Prague designed its integration strategy in 2014, updated in 2022. Other cities such as Brno also designed their own strategies, in cooperation with a wide range of public and civil society organisations.

The inter-ministerial Strategic Group for Coordination of Adaptation and Integration of Refugees from Ukraine, headed by a government-approved national coordinator, is responsible for the implementation of the governmental strategic priorities and creating synergies between the health, social, education and security sectors and strengthening cooperation with regions, municipalities, regional integration centres and the non-governmental sector. Finally, Regional Assistance Centres for Ukraine (KACPU), managed by the interior ministry, coordinate support for Ukrainian temporary protection holders.   

In addition to managing 3 out of 13 regional integration centres, civil society organisations are also represented in the Committee on the Rights of Foreigners of the Government Council for Human Rights. Their role is mainly to review and comment on upcoming legislation and policies. In addition, certain migrant communities have representatives at the Council on National Minorities, which also exists at the municipal level. 

Overall, civil society plays an important role in the integration of migrants in large cities, especially in the capital Prague. Prior to 2022, most integration-focused NGOs were members of an umbrella organisation, the Consortium of Migrant Assisting Organisations.

The arrival of many people displaced from Ukraine in 2022, however, led to dynamic developments in service provision, as well as to the emergence of a large number of new organisations dedicated to helping displaced people. At the same time, many established organisations focusing on other target groups have expanded their scope to also offer services for foreigners. Integration services (especially for those displaced from Ukraine) are now available in virtually all administrative districts.

Non-profit organisations and local authorities can apply for financing through several funds. The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the national budget are the most important sources of financing. In addition, national and private funds are available for service providers and other stakeholders to carry out projects aiming for the better integration of the migrant population.

EU Funds

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in the Czech Republic

• Details: The national integration priorities under AMIF reflect the Czech integration policy and include language education, social orientation and support to regional integration centres and other service providers. The allocation for Czechia for the 2021-2027 period is €69 983 153. See the full Czech AMIF programme here.
• National managing authority: The national managing authority for AMIF is the interior ministry's Department for Home Affairs EU Funds.

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) in the Czech Republic

• Details: For the 2021-2027 period, ESF+ is contributing €2.4 billion through two operational programmes that collectively provide €4 billion in funding. Social inclusion is the thematic priority of both operational programmes.
• National managing authority: The national managing authorities for the European Social Fund (ESF+) in the Czech Republic are the Operational Programme Employment Plus (OPZ+) at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Operational Programme Jan Amos Komensky (OP VVV) at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Other EU funds for integration available in the Czech Republic

ERASMUS+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe

National managing authority: Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS)

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting regional imbalances

National managing authority: Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic, Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP)

Other Funds

Other public funding in the Czech Republic

• EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021
• International Visegrad Fund
• The Interior Ministry’s integration grants
• The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports’ educational programmes
• The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs' social services grants for regional authorities: regional authorities are responsible for distribution of the grants to individual social service providers in the following regions:
  • City of Prague
  • Ústecký Region
  • Central Bohemian Region
  • Liberecký Region
  • Plzeňský Region
  • Jihočeský Region
  • Karlovarský Region
  • Vysočina Region
  • Pardubický Region
  • Královehradecký Region
  • Olomoucký Region
  • Zlínský Region
  • South Moravian Region

Private funding in the Czech Republic

• Open Society Fund (OSF)
• Civil Society Development Foundation
• Nadace VIA
• Česká spořitelna Foundation
• Other financial resources for integration

Providing integration services

• National Pedagogical institute
• Edu.cz
• Consortium of Migrants Assisting Organizations
• Counselling Centre for Integration
• Organization for Aid to Refugees
• Association for Integration and Migration
• Centre for Integration of Foreigners
• InBáze
• Most Pro
• Meta o.p.s.
• Slovo 21
• People in Need
• Diaconia of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (DECCB)
• Caritas Czech Republic

International organizations providing integration services

• International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Czech Republic
• United Nations International Children´s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in the Czech Republic
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the Czech Republic

Implementing Integration Programme

• Regional Integration Centres

Campaigning

• Slovo 21 – Bulletin
• Agency for Social Inclusion
• Consortium of Migrants Assisting Organizations
• InIustitia

Publishing statistics and research

• Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs
• Labour Office
• Ministry of Education
• Institute for Health Information and Statistics
• Ministry of the interior of the Czech Republic
• Czech Statistical Office
• Public Opinion Research Centre
• PAQ Research