The strongest migration heading to the Czech Republic goes from Slovakia. The official data suggest 210 foreign workers of which 70 thousand Slovaks working in CR. The Czech authorities admit some 30 thousand Slovaks working in CR illegally in addition to the official figures.

The Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs admits that the work migration from SR to CR significantly differs from the common international movement of labour. History , quality and the scope play major role. That's why the original idea from the time of the split hasn't materialised. It gave the Slovaks a number of above average privileges: they don't need work permit, their employer has only a single temporary duty to register them with the authorities. The idea further intended to give the Slovaks working in CR gradually the same criteria as to other foreign nationals. Possible conflict with Slovakia based on the idea stopped its implementation.

The Slovaks working in CR are and aren't foreigners

Although the Slovaks in CR are subject to a law on stay as any other foreigners from a non-visa country, the objective to bring the Slovaks working in CR to the level of other foreign workers hasn't materialised even after 7 years. Why? Aside of the undesired conflict with Slovakia also because of the large number of people who cause the smallest problems because of cultural proximity and comprehension. Most importantly the Slovaks working in CR don't tend to settle there with families. They don't pose a problem to CR which it would have to deal with sooner or later (such as Germany today). The Slovaks just make money in CR which they either spend there or bring to Slovakia. In any case they help to build CR a richer and more pleasant neighbour that won't pose any economic threat to SR. Geographic proximity, historical and present ties, different economic environment and softer legislation on employment of the Slovaks different from the other foreign nationals create a potential for long and permanent increase of work migration from SR to CR. Increasing pressure on the Czech labour market includes the growth of the black Czecho-Slovak labour market. It is a benefit for the Czech businesses to hire the Slovaks illegally and it's not even a problem to observe the legal 30 days for the tourist stay applied to al foreigners permitted to stay without visa in CR. Illegally employed Slovak is very beneficent also because he is always available, he has to deal with no family matters and thus can work according tot he employer's needs. In turn he then gets longer vacation to visit the family. The labour migration of the Czechs abroad is currently much smaller than the arrival of the foreign workers to the Czech market with the first weakening. It's largely due to restriction measures protecting the labour market of the EU member states against the migrants from non-member countries. In CR the work migration grows from East Europe. The market remains artificially saturated in spite of 6% unemployment.

The Czechs refuse hard manual labour that is however attractive. It represents better paid work opportunities than the labour markets in other CEE countries. There are no sufficiently strong barriers to the migration of foreign workers. Since they haven't been developed by the right wing cabinets, it's not expected that they would be imposed by the socialists of Milos Zeman.

Possible consequence will be the currently obvious increase of unemployment in CR. The offer of cheap labour force from the East pushes aside less qualified portion of the local work force. Competition increases along with the number of persons difficult to employ. Unavoidable measures of the Czech businesses leading to increasing labour productivity will soon reduce the number of staff that might be reflected in animosity against foreigners. The analysts in CR recently concentrate on regular monitoring of development of the labour market in order to immediately notice a moment when it exceeds the tolerated limit. We can't speak of specific portion, as CR would apply similar measures against the foreigners as Germany. It's already clear that a Slovak doctor wouldn't find a job in CR, as there is excess of them from local sources. Should CR remain completely benevolent on the employment of foreigners, the sociologists warn against opening xenophobia. That would complicate the integration of CR in the EU.

Slovak Trade FORUM