As exciting as it is, relocating to a new country can be a very time-consuming and stressful process. Therefore, we have put together a list of things that need to be done before you pack up your things and hop on a plane directing to the Vaclav Havel Airport. Or do you prefer to go by your own car? Don't worry, we have you covered too. Read through the steps listed below to make sure your relocation goes smoothly.
- Visa & Residence
Entry conditions for a stay in Czechia depend on the country of your origin, the purpose and the length of your stay. The agenda of visa and residence permits for both you and your family memebers is ensured by Euraxess and once your FZU employment is confirmed, we will connect you with an Euraxess officer. All relevant information can be found at the Euraxess webpage https://www.euraxess.cz/czech-republic/information-assistance/visa-residence-permit.
Before the start of your employment, we will send you the original of your hosting agreement. This needs to be taken to the embassy to obtain your visa. Once you have the visa, we will agree on the date of you arrival and the first day of your employment. Please bear in mind that the visa process may take up to 2 - 4 months, depending on the country of origin.- Accommodation & Storage
Before looking for a long-term rental or buy, we recommend booking a room or a flat for short-term stays. You can search on common portals as Airbnb or Booking. Some hotels close to FZU premises are:
Na Slovance site
https://www.hotel-mazanka.cz/en/
https://www.rezidencemagnolia.cz/
Cukrovarnická site
https://www.pensionjana.cz/ode/indexen.html
https://www.hoteljelenidvur.cz/en/
After you have arrived and are able for visits, you can rent a long-term stay. The biggest offer by real estate agencies, both for lease and for sale, can be found at https://www.sreality.cz/en
Offer of flats and houses directly from their owners without real estate agencies is available at https://www.bezrealitky.com/
Before you find a long-term stay, you may need a place to store your items. For these, check out
https://www.perfectstorage.cz/en
https://www.parkujskladuj.cz/en/skladuj/- Travel Health Insurance
Once you become an FZU emloyee, you will obtain a health insurance. However, for the time period before all the paperwork is done, it is advisable and sometimes neccessary to have additional health insurance for you and your family.
EU citizens with their European Health Insurance Card are not obliged to have additional insurance. However, it is advisable to get one, as your current insurance may not cover all the needed care. More information on how health insurance within EU countries functions is to be found here:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/health/unplanned-healthcare/temporary-stays/faq/index_en.htm
Non-EU citizens must present a health insurance till the beginning of their employment. We would recommend arranging the Basic Foreigners’ Medical Insurance from PVZP, which complies fully with the valid legislation governing foreigners’ residence in Czechia:
https://www.pvzp.cz/en/subproducts/basic-foreigners-medical-insurance/- Car & Driving Licence
If you want to bring your car to Czechia, it surely is possible. The registration of vehicles imported by foreigners is not mandatory providing the vehicle does not stay for a period of time exceeding one year. If you plan to stay longer than that, check out this guide on how to register your car in Czechia:
https://pexpats.com/czech-car-registration
Also, if you plan to drive around the country, you may find useful some basic information on the road traffic rules:
https://mzv.gov.cz/file/4066992/Pravidla_Provozu_EN.pdf- Schools & Childcare
Public education for children in Czechia is free of charge. However, some pre-school facilities for children under 5 or private schools that teach in other langugaes than Czech require a school fee, the price of which may vary vastly.
Children 0 - 5 years (Nurseries)
In Czechia, parents usually stay at home with their children until they are 3 years old, therefore daycare facilities for younger children are not that common. You can either hire a nanny or look for Dětské skupiny (Children's Groups) or Jesle (Nurseries), private facilities that take in children usually from the age of 1 until they are ready to go to a pre-school.
Nannies for your kids (and even pets, elderly members of the family, or for house cleaning) can be found at https://www.hlidacky.cz/en
The Czech Academy of Sciences also offers its employees places in Children's Groups. Pluto and Ohm are right accross the street from the Na Slovance facility and more information can be found here: https://www.ssc.cas.cz/en/services/childrens-group/Children 3 - 6 years (Preschool)
Children from the age of 3 are entitled to three years of preschool care, before they start primary school at the age of 6. However, the only mandatory year is the last year before the start of primary school. Public preschools are commonly run in Czech, if you wish to find a different language preschool or a different type of facility (Montessori, Waldorf), you will be required to pay a higher school fee.More information on the system of preschool care can be found here: https://portal.gov.cz/en/informace/preschool-education-INF-93
A database of international schools for children of all ages: https://www.international-schools-database.com/
Children 6 - 15 years (Primary School)
The mandatory education starts at the age of 6 (or 7, in some circumstances) and lasts nine years. You can read more about the basic education system here: https://portal.gov.cz/en/informace/INF-94
Children 15 - 19 years (Secondary School)
Information about the types of secondary schools and other details can be found here: https://portal.gov.cz/en/informace/INF-95
- Animals & Pets
Czechia is very a very pet-friendly country. According to a 2023 statistics, around 42% of households own at least one dog. Dogs can ccompany their owners to many public places and a lot of families own also cats or other pets. If you don't want to leave your furry (or feathered) friend behind, check out the neccessary obligations for importing pets to Czechia here:
https://www.visitczechia.com/en-us/travel-info/travelling-with-animals- For PhD Students
If you come to FZU as a PhD student, you also have some administrative obligations at your university. Therefore, do not forget to arrange all the neccessary paperwork there.
Once you become our employee, you automatically obtain the public health insurance and therefore do not need any other commercial coverage.- First Visit at FZU
Congratulations, you have successfully arrived to Prague and are excited to start your new employment! However, before you sign your work contract, you need to go for a mandatory health checkup. These are provided by our contracted physicians whose contacts will given to you. Once you have signed your contract, you can also open a Czech bank account.
On your very first day at FZU, you will go through an induction training with your HR partner. You will get to know some basic information about the Institute and its people, you will be walked through the facility and complete the mandatory OHS & FP training. Later on, you will be guided to the Personnel & Payroll Department to go through some administrative tasks and then, your supervisor and/or buddy will come and introduce you to your team.
