Migration Statistics in the Czech Republic
Current Situation
Czechia hosts approximately 1.1 million foreign nationals, accounting for about 10% of the total population.
Currently, there are 391,909 foreigners with permanent residence, which is the last step before acquiring citizenship, so the number of new citizens is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
The largest foreign communities are:
Ukrainians
604,332 people
Slovaks
124,723 people
Vietnamese
69,486 people
Russians
37,574 people
Romanians
21,254 people
By residence status
Permanent residence
391,909 people
Temporary residence
343,332 people
Temporary protection
393,003 people
EU residents in Prague
According to official statistics, 71,703 EU citizens live in Prague. The actual number is probably much larger: official statistics only count people who registered their residency in accordance with Czech law.
Citizens of EU member states have a more political rights than citizens of so-called ‘third countries’. EU citizens can vote in local elections in Czechia, and for the Czech representation in the European parliament. In some Prague districts, EU citizens are more than 10% of the population. If they would use their right to vote in the local elections, they could influence how Prague is governed!
Largest groups of EU citizens in Prague
Slovakians 33,262 (46% of the total)
Romanians 6,079 (8.5% of the total)
Bulgarians 4,974 (7% of the total)
Italians 3,903 (5,5% of the total)
Hungarians 3,773 (5,2% of the total)
Citizenship Trends
Between 2019 and 2023, a total of 28,797 people acquired Czech citizenship. In 2023 alone, 6,389 individuals became citizens, with Ukrainians, Russians, and Slovaks being the most common nationalities.
Migration in Major Cities
Foreign nationals form a substantial part of the population in major cities. In Prague, more than 351,000 people have a migration background, which is roughly 25% of the city’s population. Similar trends are visible in Brno and Ostrava.
Source: iDNES
Projections for 2035
According to a study by Boston Consulting Group and Aspen Institute Central Europe, the number of foreigners in the Czech Republic could grow to 1.36 million by 2035. Up to 260,000 Ukrainian refugees may choose to stay permanently. At the same time, around 1.2 million Czechs are expected to retire, making migrants a crucial part of the future workforce and economy.