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Can a student from Kazakhstan work in Czechia?
Yes. A student enrolled full-time on an accredited programme at a Czech university, with a valid basis for residence, does not need separate authorisation for a specific job. For a preparatory or language course, check its legal status and study mode: the label “student course” is not enough (Czech Ministry of the Interior: labour-market access, Checked: 2026-10-12).
How to check work eligibility for a particular programme
For the university-study exemption, the starting point is enrolment (zápis) on a full-time accredited programme, with a valid basis for residence. An admission decision gives the right to enrol; university-student status begins on the day of enrolment. Obtain confirmation of that status before relying on this work exemption (Higher Education Act 111/1998, § 51(1) and § 61(1), Employment Act, § 98(j) and § 5(d), Checked: 2026-10-12).
| Situation | What to check before taking a job |
|---|---|
| Full-time accredited programme at a Czech university | Confirmation of current enrolment and a valid basis for residence |
| Daytime study at a language school authorised to hold state language examinations | The school’s authorisation and whether the specific studies fall within the statutory category |
| Language or preparatory course at a university | The course’s legal category, study mode and basis for labour-market access, separately from the basis for residence |
| Another study mode or a change in study status | Whether the study-based exemption applies or another basis for work is needed |
The basis for this check is the Employment Act, § 5(d), § 98(j) and the Interior Ministry’s list, Checked: 2026-10-12.
Ask the institution to provide the programme name, study mode and enrolment date in writing. For a preparatory course, also obtain its legal classification. Use these details to request written confirmation of the work basis from Úřad práce, the Czech Labour Office. Check residence validity and purpose separately with the Interior Ministry.
Can students work during a preparatory year?
A preparatory course offered as lifelong learning (celoživotní vzdělávání, CŽV) does not itself confer university-student status. Ask the provider directly: “Is this a celoživotní vzdělávání programme?” Higher Education Act 111/1998 § 60(3) sets this rule; a university’s name on the course is not enough to establish the university-study work exemption (§ 60(3), Checked: 2026-10-12).
The Interior Ministry’s IPC study-residence page expressly says that people staying for studies can work without an additional permit. It also includes certain language and professional preparation among study-residence categories. This wording is broader than the educational categories in Employment Act § 5(d), which underpin the exemption in § 98(j). IPC’s linked labour-market page sets out the more specific categories (IPC: residence for studies, IPC: labour-market access, § 5(d), § 98(j), Checked: 2026-10-12).
Before accepting a job during preparation, send Úřad práce the provider’s written course description, study mode, CŽV status and residence details. Ask for a written answer identifying whether this course qualifies for the study-based exemption or whether another work basis is needed.
Some language study does qualify: the law expressly includes daytime study at language schools authorised to hold state language examinations (§ 5(d), § 98(j), Checked: 2026-10-12). CŽV participation does not rule out an independent right to work, for example with permanent residence under § 98(a) or a qualifying family-reunification long-term residence permit under § 98(l) (§ 98(a), (l), Checked: 2026-10-12). For course content and subsequent admission, see the Czech preparatory-year guide.
Is there a 20-hour weekly limit?
The study-based free-access exemption does not impose a general 20-hour limit on all students. Working time depends on the agreement and applicable labour-law rules; the absence of a general student limit does not mean unlimited working hours (Employment Act, § 98(j), Labour Code, § 75, § 76 and § 79, Checked: 2026-10-12).
| Arrangement | What the limit means |
|---|---|
| DPP, dohoda o provedení práce | Under the general DPP rules, at most 300 hours per calendar year for the same employer. Hours under multiple DPP agreements with that employer are added together |
| DPČ, dohoda o pracovní činnosti | An average of no more than half the applicable statutory weekly working time: with the standard 40-hour week, at most 20 hours on average. Assessed over the agreement’s term, up to 52 weeks |
| Employment contract, pracovní smlouva | The agreed schedule and applicable working-time rules must be checked. DPP and DPČ limits cannot be applied to every contract |
DPP/DPČ figures and rules: Labour Code, § 75, § 76 and § 79, Checked: 2026-10-12. Some statutory working-week schedules are shorter, so the DPČ calculation uses the standard applicable to the job.
DPP and DPČ must be in writing, and the employee must receive a copy (§ 77, Checked: 2026-10-12). Before signing, ask for an explanation of the work, schedule, pay, deductions and termination terms in a language the student understands.
What to check before the first working day
Before the first shift, have your current study and residence documents, agreed work terms and confirmation that the employer has completed the required registration.
- Obtain an up-to-date study confirmation with the programme name and study mode.
- Check the residence document and its validity. If an extension is pending or circumstances have changed, have the current residence basis checked individually.
- Obtain the proposed contract or agreement and discuss hours and pay. Ask whether the quoted amount is before or after deductions.
- Ask the employer to confirm that the mandatory registration has been completed before your first shift.
- Compare shifts with classes and exams; do not make the family’s essential budget depend on a job that has not yet been found.
The employer must register this foreign student employee before work begins, even though the student does not need a separate work permit. The pre-start requirement is tied to Employment Act § 5(j), alongside § 87. Since 1 April 2026, reporting is handled through employee registration (REGZEC) in JMHZ (§ 5(j) and § 87, current MPSV registration guidance, MPSV FAQ, Checked: 2026-10-12).
The national Study in Czechia portal also reminds students to choose work they can manage alongside their studies, Checked: 2026-10-12. Plan education and living expenses separately: study budget for Czechia.
What to do when study or residence status changes
After a study interruption, the end of enrolment or a change of study mode, check the basis for work again. Do not rely on an old study confirmation: the study-based exemption depends on the actual status, while residence rights require a separate check (§ 5(d), § 98(j), Interior Ministry: labour-market access, Checked: 2026-10-12).
A holder of a residence permit for studies must fulfil that purpose throughout the permit’s validity (Interior Ministry: obligations during study residence, Checked: 2026-10-12). Keeping a job does not by itself resolve the question of continued residence.
Residence applications are covered in the Czech student visa and residence-permit guide. EEC’s information about the educational route is on the Czechia page, and information about visa-document support is on the visa support page.
This guide covers employee work and is general information, not an individual assessment of work or residence rights.