TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Czech Republic will no longer require Taiwanese nationals to obtain a work permit to be employed in the country next month.

The Czech Republic's Environment Minister Petr Hladik confirmed Wednesday that Taiwan will be included on the list of countries whose citizens can work in the Czech Republic without requiring a blue card, employee card, or work permit, reported the Overseas Community Affairs Council. 

Starting in July last year, foreigners from nine non-EU countries could access the Czech labor market without a work permit. These countries included Australia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Israel, and Singapore.

Taiwan was initially included, but the Czech Republic does not officially recognize Taiwan as an “independent state.” Therefore, an amendment to the country's employment act was required to include "independent jurisdictions." 

The amendment was approved by senators in December and is expected to take effect in early March. 

However, Taiwanese nations are still required to apply for residence permits, according to the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) website. It explained that "free access to the labor market does not provide foreigners with the right to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic."

According to MoLSA, 185 Taiwanese citizens were working in the Czech Republic as of June 2024. Similarly, there were 108 Czech nationals living in Taiwan in 2024, based on National Immigration Agency data released in February last year. 

Czech citizens are still required to obtain a work permit to obtain employment in Taiwan.