Integration courses

ABOUT THE COURSES

Welcome to the Czech Republic! We know it is not always easy to begin a new life in a new country. This is why, we created this website which should help you – foreigners – find your way around in the new environment during your first months in Czechia, and to overcome potential obstacles. This is the purpose of the official integration courses financed by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic. The integration courses are a useful first step in the life in a new country, and, for this reason, the courses are provided free of charge to foreigners relocating to the Czech Republic as soon as they arrive.

WHAT ARE THESE INTEGRATION COURSES

Foreigners who relocated to the Czech Republic and plan to stay here for a longer period of time will receive plenty of practical information which will help them find their way in society and understand their rights and duties. The courses are also intended to enhance inter-cultural skills of foreigners who moved to the Czech Republic recently to ensure the easiest possible integration into the new environment.

These integration courses are provided to foreigners who moved to the Czech Republic recently in the form of regular open public courses at different locations of the Czech Republic. The courses are opened based on demand in NGOs, integration centers, migrant organizations etc. The list of upcoming courses can be found on this website; you can sign up online, and here you can also watch a short film entitled Welcome to the Czech Republic.

WHAT WILL I LEARN IN THESE COURSES?

The courses offer essential practical information from the following areas:

National holidays. Traditions and customs. An overview of culture. Interesting places in the Czech Republic and free time activities.
Practical daily life. Emergencies. Transport. Driving. Vehicle registration. Postal service. Official correspondence.
Housing: Renting a flat. Looking for a flat. Rent-related fees. Risks and protection. Reporting place of residence in the Czech Republic and its changes under the Czech Aliens’ Act.
Health care, health and social insurance: Health care system in the Czech Republic. Public and private health insurance. Social security system in the Czech Republic.
Education: Czech education system. Placing children in Czech schools. Czech language courses for adults and children. Recognition of previous education.
Doing business: Getting a business license in the Czech Republic. Duties – health insurance, social insurance, taxes. Residence of foreigners for the purpose of doing business.
Employment: Employee card. Typology of contracts. How to look for work. Taxes. Health and social insurance: Students and employment. Risks and employee protection.
Legislation to regulate residence: Visas, long-term residence permit, permanent residence permit, citizenship. Changes in residence status. Terms and deadlines. Biometrics. Attributes of an application, forms and fees. Traveling around the EU/Schengen zone. Invitation to friends and family. Family reunification. Conditions of study regarding legislation regulating residence. Change of school or termination of studies. Useful contacts.
Contact details of Czech institutions – Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, regional offices of the Foreign Police Service. Contact details of organizations providing assistance to foreigners free of charge – integration centres all over the Czech Republic and NGOs.

This information will help foreigners address their issues with Czech authorities easier. Contact details of legal and social services of integration centres for foreigners and NGOs will help them understand administrative procedures. Information, knowledge and skills obtained by foreigners will lower the administrative burden borne by Czech authorities and make foreigner integration easier.

WHO TEACHES THE COURSES?

All our courses are taught by certified lecturers – lawyers and social workers from integration centres (www.integracnicentra.cz) and NGOs working with migrants in the Czech Republic.

DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE COURSE?

Welcome to the Czech Republic integration courses are free of charge for the participants.

WELCOME TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC - video