Illegal work in Czechia: fines for workers and companies, expulsion and the new rules since 2025

Updated: 13 November 2026

“Just start working, we’ll sort the papers later” — a sentence that costs foreigners in Czechia their residence permits. Controls were tightened in October 2025. Here is what counts as illegal work and what it can lead to.

What counts as illegal work

• Working without the required permit (employee card, Labour Office permit) or outside its terms — for another employer or in another position.
• Work the employer did not report before it started.
• Working while on a language course or tourist visa without a permit.
• Working through an agency without proper authorisation.

The new rule since 1 October 2025

The employer (and also the user where the person actually works) must report every foreigner — including EU citizens, people with free labour-market access and temporary protection holders — before work starts. Reporting on the same day is fine, as long as it is before the first shift. Since April 2026 this is done via the single monthly employer report JMHZ.

A foreigner may not start working until the employer has reported them.

Consequences for the worker

• A fine of up to CZK 100,000.
• Administrative expulsion and a ban on entering the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland — up to 3 years, or up to 5 years if combined with illegal stay.
• Risk of the residence permit being cancelled or an extension refused.
• The employer must pay outstanding wages (the law presumes at least the minimum wage for 3 months unless proven otherwise).

Consequences for the employer

• Up to CZK 3 million for an unreported worker, up to CZK 10 million for a legal entity for illegal employment.
• Back pay, insurance contributions and penalties.
• Covering the costs of expulsion, listing as an unreliable employer, exclusion from economic migration programmes.

How to protect yourself

• Do not start work without a signed contract and confirmation that the employer has reported you.
• Check that your status allows you to work in that specific position.
• When changing employer on an employee card, wait for the Ministry’s confirmation.
• Keep copies of contracts and payslips.

Sources

• MPSV — nový přestupek nehlášené práce (od 1. 10. 2025)
• MPSV — od 1. října se zefektivní potírání nelegální práce u cizinců
• ARROWS — následky nelegálního zaměstnávání cizinců

This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Check the current rules before making a decision, or contact us.