A bundle of regulatory tweaks taking effect on 1 May will speed up several mobility-related procedures in Czechia. Chief among them is a legal obligation for immigration authorities to rule on EU ‘Single Permit’ applications—combining work authorisation and residence—within 90 days. The deadline brings Czech practice in line with amended EU Directive 2021/1883 and should reduce uncertainty for employers awaiting start dates for non-EU hires. The change was flagged in the government’s monthly “Everything Changing in May” bulletin published on 30 April. HR departments have long complained that Single Permit processing could previously run to six months, jeopardising project timelines and prompting some firms to post staff to neighbouring Poland or Slovakia instead. The Interior Ministry says it has doubled case-officer head-count since January and is piloting an online document-upload portal to hit the new clock. Other May adjustments include the reopening of the Muzeum metro entrance—important for commuters to Prague’s central business district—and the expansion of cross-border health-care reimbursement, allowing Czech residents to access dental treatment in adjacent EU states without prior approval. For mobility professionals, the 90-day limit offers greater predictability when budgeting project lead times, although peak-season surges could still cause bottlenecks. Companies are advised to submit complete documentation at least three months before the intended assignment start and to monitor for any Interior Ministry guidance on digital filings.
Source: Expats.cz
