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Migration and Home Affairs
  • 19 September 2025

Trainee in Czechia

Are you a non-EU citizen wishing to carry out a traineeship in Czechia? You can find information below on the conditions to fulfil and procedures to follow, as well as the rights you can enjoy during your stay.

Conditions

A third-country national who intends to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic for a period longer than 3 months as a trainee has to meet the conditions stated by the Law, i.e. he/she has to be a holder of a degree of higher education or he/she has to participate in an educational activity that could be considered as studies and that leads to a higher education degree and, concurrently, the purpose of his/her stay in the territory of the Czech Republic has to be a training programme for gaining knowledge, practice and experience in a professional environment. Moreover, the training programme has to be realised based on a training agreement with a host entity in the territory of Czechia.

If a third-country citizen meets these conditions, he/she is entitled to apply for a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship directly.

Procedures

Where and how to apply

A residence permit for the purpose of study (traineeship)

In general, the application for issuing the residence permit for this purpose can be lodged at the Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad. However, a third-country national is entitled to lodge this application in the territory of Czechia at the office of the Ministry of the Interior as well, if he/she has been already residing in the territory based on a long-term visa or a residence permit issued for another purpose. The application for a residence permit has to be submitted in person.

In case a third-country national has been residing in the territory based on a long-term visa or a residence permit issued for another purpose, he/she is entitled to lodge the application until the very end of validity of such residence permit.

The application has to be filed in an appropriate form. Submission of the application for the residence permit is charged with the administrative fee. This administrative fee is equal to 2 500 CZK and has to be paid in the form of a revenue stamp(s) if the application is lodged in the territory of Czechia. In case the application is lodged at the Embassy abroad, this fee is generally paid in the foreign currency.

According to the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals in the territory of Czechia, a standard deadline for processing the application for a residence permit for the purpose of studies is 60 days from the day the application was lodged.

If the application has been lodged at the Embassy of Czechia abroad and if it has been approved, a third-country national is obliged to present a proof of medical travel insurance. Moreover, a third-country national is obliged to submit a proof of payment of the insurance premium upon request. If the application was lodged in the territory of the Czech Republic, a third-country citizen is obliged to submit this proof right away (at the moment of submission of the application).

Upon arrival in Czechia, a third-country national has to visit an appropriate office of the Ministry of the Interior in person to provide biometric data that are necessary for the production of a residence card. The residence card will then be issued at latest within 60 days.

Documents required

To obtain a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship, a third-country citizen must submit:

  • a valid travel document;
  • a document confirming availability of accommodation;
  • a photograph showing the current appearance of the applicant;
  • sufficient financial means;
  • if required, an extract from the Penal Registry record and a document proving that he/she fulfilled the conditions set out by the interim measures of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic on the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases;
  • a document confirming gaining a degree of higher education (e.g. diploma) or a proof confirming the applicant is pursuing a course of study that leads to a higher education degree (e.g. a confirmation about studies);
  • a training agreement with a host entity confirming that the traineeship consists of theoretical and practical preparation and that meets the conditions stated by the Law.

Further requirements

Originals or other officially authenticated copies of all of the attached documents must be submitted. Travel documents must be submitted in original. All submitted documents in foreign languages must be submitted in their original version and with an officially certified translation into the Czech language. The required attachments to the applications must not be older than 180 days, except for travel documents and the photograph of the third-country national, provided that corresponds to his/her current appearance.

The training agreement with a host entity shall contain:

  • the description of the training programme, incl. the educational objective or learning components;
  • the duration of the traineeship;
  • the placement and supervision conditions of the traineeship;
  • the traineeship hours;
  • the legal relationship between the trainee and the host entity.

Duration of validity of permits

A residence permit for the purpose of traineeship is issued for the duration of 2 years, eventually for the duration stated in the document confirming the purpose of stay in the territory (if the duration stated there is shorter than 2 years).

Conditions for renewal

The validity of the residence permit can be repeatedly extended, provided principally that the same conditions applicable to the issue of a permit are met. The validity of this residence permit can be extended for a period stated in the document confirming the purpose of stay in the territory of Czechia, however, for a period not longer than 2 years.

The application for an extension has to be lodged in the territory of Czechia at the office of the Ministry of the Interior. A third-country citizen is entitled to lodge this application before the expiration of the validity of the previous residence permit at the latest, but not sooner than 120 days before the expiration of its validity.

Detailed information about an extension of a residence permit

Appeals

If the application for issuing or extending the residence permit is not approved, a third-country national can appeal by requesting that the Ministry of the Interior reassess his/her application within 15 days of the original decision being delivered to him/her.

A special Commission at the Ministry of the Interior will examine and make a decision about the request.

Further information

Detailed information about residence permits for the purpose of studies

Rights

Change of status

A third-country national who is a holder of the residence permit in the territory of Czechia and who intends to reside in the territory for another purpose than the one that he/she was granted the permit is obliged to apply to the Ministry of the Interior for a new residence permit.

Detailed information about the change of the purpose of residence

Family members

Family members of a third-country national who is a holder of the residence permit are entitled to apply for a visa for a stay of over 90 days (a long-term visa) for family purposes as well. This application has to be lodged at the Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad.

Detailed information about long-term visas for the purpose of family reunification.