Czech lawmakers have moved a long-awaited overhaul of immigration legislation—the draft Act on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners—into the final stretch. According to the Chamber of Deputies’ legislative tracker, the bill (Sněmovní tisk 144) was placed on the agenda of the 24th plenary session on 8 July 2026, clearing the procedural hurdle for a third-reading vote later this month. If adopted, the 350-page statute will replace the current patchwork of amendments to Act 326/1999 and transpose the EU’s 2024 Talent Attraction Package. Key provisions include digital-first residence permits with biometric wallets, a new ‘Business Mobility Pass’ for intra-company transferees valid across Visegrád 4 states, and stricter compliance rules that allow the Foreign Police to revoke long-term visas when employers violate wage guarantees.
For companies and assignees trying to decode these forthcoming rules, VisaHQ can act as a one-stop concierge—its Czech portal guides users through document collection, online filing and appointment scheduling, all while providing real-time status alerts that dovetail with the government’s new digital workflow.
For multinational HR teams the headline change is speed: the Ministry of the Interior promises that the new on-line portal will cut average processing times for employee cards from 90 days to 45. The bill also harmonises the Blue Card salary threshold with the EU’s 1.0× average wage multiplier, lowering the 2025 Czech threshold by roughly CZK 10,000 per month. Conversely, spouses will be required to demonstrate basic Czech language skills (A1) before renewal. Business associations such as the American Chamber of Commerce back the reform, arguing it will help factories in Plzeň and Brno secure senior engineers. NGOs, however, warn that the proposed fast-track removal procedure for visa overstayers lacks adequate judicial oversight. Debate on 8 July lasted two hours, with opposition parties filing 17 amendments—mostly aimed at tightening background-check provisions. What’s next: the third-reading vote could come as early as 15 July; if the lower house approves, the Senate is expected to rubber-stamp after the summer recess with entry into force on 1 January 2027. Companies should map existing assignees to the new permit categories and budget for system-integration costs linked to biometric wallets.
For companies and assignees trying to decode these forthcoming rules, VisaHQ can act as a one-stop concierge—its Czech portal guides users through document collection, online filing and appointment scheduling, all while providing real-time status alerts that dovetail with the government’s new digital workflow.
For multinational HR teams the headline change is speed: the Ministry of the Interior promises that the new on-line portal will cut average processing times for employee cards from 90 days to 45. The bill also harmonises the Blue Card salary threshold with the EU’s 1.0× average wage multiplier, lowering the 2025 Czech threshold by roughly CZK 10,000 per month. Conversely, spouses will be required to demonstrate basic Czech language skills (A1) before renewal. Business associations such as the American Chamber of Commerce back the reform, arguing it will help factories in Plzeň and Brno secure senior engineers. NGOs, however, warn that the proposed fast-track removal procedure for visa overstayers lacks adequate judicial oversight. Debate on 8 July lasted two hours, with opposition parties filing 17 amendments—mostly aimed at tightening background-check provisions. What’s next: the third-reading vote could come as early as 15 July; if the lower house approves, the Senate is expected to rubber-stamp after the summer recess with entry into force on 1 January 2027. Companies should map existing assignees to the new permit categories and budget for system-integration costs linked to biometric wallets.
