The number of foreign doctors and medical staff in the Czech Republic is increasing. Demand among hospitals and medical facilities is constantly growing, and foreigners are becoming a natural part of the Czech healthcare landscape. According to data recently published by the Czech Medical Chamber, 52,218 doctors were active in 2015, of which 2,557 were foreigners, mostly Slovaks (1,963), Ukrainians (246) and Russians (133).

However, there is still a critical shortage of medical professionals in the Czech healthcare system. ‘Many hospitals are dependent on the work of foreigners. Key departments such as paediatrics are being closed due to lack of medical staff,’ Milan Koubek, the Chamber´s president, said. The shortage remains despite a governmental plan implemented to attract foreign medics with a simplified and faster work permit procedure.

A good knowledge of the Czech language is one of the requirements for foreign healthcare professionals aspiring to have a medical license in the Czech Republic. The Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies of Prague´s Charles University offers a specialised Czech for Medics course as of September 2017.

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