Taiwanese citizens would be allowed to work in the Czech Republic without a work permit or employment card beginning early next month, a Czech government minister said.
Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladik on Wednesday reaffirmed that Taiwan would join Prague’s list of non-EU countries whose citizens can freely enter the central European country’s labor market, although he did not specify an exact date.
The measure was approved in December last year.
Photo: CNA
In addition to citizens from EU member countries, citizens of Australia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Israel and Singapore have been entitled to work in the Czech Republic since July last year.
Taiwan had initially been set to join the list last year, but could only be added after the Czech Republic changed the law to recognize it as an "independent judicial jurisdiction," rather than a "country," which Prague is unable to do as it observes China’s "one China" policy.
The Czech Ministry of Labor said that the countries on the list are global economic powers, and the Czech Republic seeks long-term cooperation with them.
Exempting Taiwanese jobseekers from work permits would reduce the administrative burden for prospective employers and encourage Taiwanese workers to enter the Czech job market, the ministry said.
However, Taiwanese citizens must still "apply for a residence permit according to standard procedures," according to a Czech government Web site, since "free access to the labor market does not provide foreigners with the right to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic."
According to data from the Czech Ministry of Labor, as of the end of June last year, 185 Taiwanese were working in the country.
Citizens of the Czech Republic currently require a valid work permit to legally work in Taiwan.
There were 108 Czech nationals residing in Taiwan last year, according to data from the National Immigration Agency published in February last year.
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