The Interior Ministry has proposed the creation of a digital information system to process applications from foreign nationals for residence in the Czech Republic. This system would be connected to the relevant state databases, thereby making the process of granting and revoking residence permits faster, said ministry spokesman Adam Rozler.
Rozler said the new system would enable consistent registration of foreign nationals and make it easier to revoke the residence permits of people convicted of crimes.
The ministry has submitted the proposed bill to the electronic library of the legislature. The draft amendment also includes a number of other proposals, including more responsibilities for organisations sponsoring foreign nationals to come into the country, such as employers, universities, and sport clubs.
According to the ministry, the new legislation should enable the government to better determine why and how many foreign nationals come to the Czech Republic.
“The proven system of government-set quotas from 2019, which has been used mainly in the area of labour migration, will now be extended to stays for other purposes. The state will thus have full control over which countries foreign nationals will be allowed to enter the Czech Republic from,” the ministry stated in its report on the proposal.
The proposals also introduce new conditions that will allow the revocation of residence permits for people with criminal convictions, or people deemed to be a threat to public order and internal security. European Union citizens will be required to register.
“Thanks to digitalisation, the new law on foreign nationals will speed up processes, contribute to better registration of foreign nationals, and enable the relevant authorities to focus on problematic cases. Digitalisation will thus lead to enhanced security,” said Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar (ANO) in a press release.
