How the Czech Republic manages refugee integration: FSV UK experts evaluate current measures and future challenges under the incoming government
Read an interview with sociologist Marie Jelínková from the Institute of Sociological Studies and political scientist Petr Jüptner from the Institute of Political Studies about migration from Ukraine and the integration of foreigners in the Czech Republic. Both have long focused on these topics in their research. Marie Jelínková is currently researching ways to support the strategic development of integration policy in the Czech Republic. Petr Jüptner’s current project examines the role of local municipalities in the long-term integration of Ukrainian refugees.
The interview was conducted as part of the faculty podcast De Facto. Once a month, thematic specials are published, in which several experts from FSV UK comment on topics important not only for the faculty, but also for society. In individual episodes, they offer their professional perspective and understandable explanations of topics that resonate in the public space.
This episode is hosted by Assoc. Prof. Alice Němcová Tejkalová.
Alice Němcová Tejkalová (ANT): How effective do you think the Czech Republic’s measures for integrating foreigners are?
Marie Jelínková (MJ): We currently have a new project in which we will try to answer this question, so detailed data will likely only be available in two to three years. Nevertheless, there are some existing monitoring indicators. The latest, published in autumn 2025, is MIPEX – the Migrant Integration Policy Index. It focuses more on the design of integration indicators than on their actual effectiveness. Among the 150 countries surveyed, the Czech Republic ranked roughly in the middle. So, we can say that integration works in some areas, but there is still considerable room for improvement.
ANT: Petr, you specialize in municipalities. How does it look from the perspective of your project, which you are conducting with Polish partners?
Petr Jüptner (PJ): I would say it’s similar to what Marie Jelínková described. Our project is just getting underway and we are still collecting data. At the moment, colleagues are conducting field research in Mariánské Lázně, which is the pilot municipality of our study. We cannot yet evaluate the situation because long-term integration will only become visible in ten to fifteen years. Nevertheless, looking at the current state, integration has so far gone relatively well. German colleagues often look to us as an example.
Language barriers and the fact that a Ukrainian diaspora existed here even before the war also play a role. Overall, I think we have coped reasonably well. On the other hand, our integration “piano” is somewhat out of tune and inefficient. From the data we have, public administration and the government are satisfied with the work done and have reasons to be proud. Small municipalities, however, often point to chaos, legislative changes, and poor communication. Integration is therefore costly and inefficient, but the overall outcome is relatively good. This is also supported by the fact that Ukrainians in the Czech Republic have favorable conditions for integration.
ANT: Do you see it the same way, Marie?
MJ: Yes, that is correct. About 200,000 Ukrainian citizens who were in the Czech Republic before 2022 have done an enormous amount of work, which is not sufficiently emphasized. Compared to Poland, we had the advantage of a strong civil sector and a functioning Ministry of the Interior structure, which included Integration Centers for Foreigners in each region. We need more time to fully evaluate, but in areas where support already existed – for example, education for children with a different mother tongue at primary schools – things work relatively well. In other areas, such as the transition of these children to secondary schools, the results are rather grim.
ANT: This is a very current issue. As a mother of two fifteen-year-old daughters, I see that the number of applicants for secondary schools in Prague and the Central Bohemian Region has been growing for years, which is particularly challenging with the arrival of new children from Ukraine.
MJ: I would say the biggest challenge is the transition to secondary school. The data we have unfortunately paints a rather bleak picture – more than half of these children and adolescents are not enrolled in any secondary school. Often, it is assumed that they will study online in Ukraine. And yes, some children do follow this path, but sustaining it long-term while achieving reasonable quality is extremely difficult. Partly because many of these young people must also work and participate in the labor market. So here, economic hardship combines with the necessity of their labor participation. I would say this is primarily the responsibility of the Czech state – to find ways to enable these children to access secondary education.
As is often the case in any crisis or challenging situation, it becomes clear what works in society and what does not. Now it is up to us whether we simply lament it or actively decide that structural changes are needed. Doing anything extra for newly arriving individuals is not yet particularly popular in the Czech Republic.
ANT: Petr, is the situation in Mariánské Lázně and its surroundings different from central regions of the country?
PJ: Differences across the Czech Republic are quite significant. The Ukrainian diaspora is unevenly distributed, and internal refugee movements also occurred due to legislative changes, such as housing support. Some people gradually moved from smaller municipalities to larger cities – today the largest concentrations of refugees are in Prague, Brno, and Plzeň.
At the same time, they are also significantly present in industrial regions, where they find employment. A typical example is western Bohemia, such as the Bor area near Tachov. It is no coincidence that a recent highly publicized death of a presumably illegally employed worker occurred in this region, where the concentration of industrial facilities is very high.
For our research, we therefore aimed to cover the widest possible range of cases and consider geographical differences. In addition to large cities and industrial areas, like Mladá Boleslav, we also focused on smaller municipalities, including regions in Vysočina and specific locations such as Mariánské Lázně. These can be compared to mountain areas, such as the Krkonoše, where refugees are primarily employed in spas, tourism, and related services. Without their involvement, the current operations in many mountainous and tourist regions would be difficult to sustain.
ANT: What are the possibilities for political participation for refugees arriving in the Czech Republic? Can we expect that some will seek Czech citizenship and gradually engage in political life?
PJ: Yes, this potential undoubtedly exists, although it is not directly part of our research. We can see it, for example, among Ukrainians who came to the Czech Republic twenty years ago as children. They arrived in an entirely new environment, often facing language barriers, and today they are fully integrated into Czech society. They speak Czech fluently, are educated, and in many ways are indistinguishable from the majority population.
However, it is important to recognize that the current situation is different. Pre-war migration was gradual and individual, whereas today we face rapid, crisis-driven adaptation for a large number of people. If scenarios such as those described by Marie Jelínková materialize – refugees remaining dependent on employment agencies and outside the education system – it could lead to serious problems. Right now, we are deciding whether to turn this situation into an opportunity or create a future crisis. Experiences from Western Europe show that failing to address these issues promptly leads to the escalation of illegal employment and social tensions.
For our field research, we plan to conduct dozens of interviews in each selected municipality with various stakeholders, including employers. At the same time, many refugees struggle to navigate the new environment, which is natural given language barriers and their vulnerable position. This situation is partly mitigated by an existing network of intermediaries that existed even before the war. In interviews, for example, misunderstandings arose regarding the Czech rental system and related fees, which refugees often accepted as standard without realizing their actual cost.
From this perspective, a critical look at the functioning of state authorities is also warranted. Research on local governance shows that, although small municipalities are often criticized, the state itself often fails in coordination. Public administration suffers from strong departmentalism and inertia – offices operate according to established routines without responding to new types of challenges. Issues such as illegal employment require cooperation between the police, state authorities, and local governments, as well as active field engagement, for which the authorities are not sufficiently prepared. Part of the responsibility therefore lies with a rigid and uncoordinated public administration system.
ANT: Marie, your research is funded by the AMIF Operational Program and conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior. What do you expect from a potential new government, and could its arrival affect your project?
MJ: That is a question I am personally interested in. It should be acknowledged that the Ministry of the Interior is committed to collecting data on both the attitudes of the Czech majority and the experiences of foreigners, as well as evaluating integration measures. Regarding our specific project, I do not expect a new government to directly intervene.
However, I am concerned about a potential shift in societal atmosphere. One of the most positive developments in recent years has been the gradual adaptation of Czech society to greater diversity and the increased recognition in policymaking that residents are not only Czechs but people with different needs. This progress could be threatened if a new government strengthens a climate of fear regarding migration.
Migration has long been an issue that polarizes Czech society the most, and political parties actively engage with it. At the same time, in crisis situations, it is easy to create an image of an enemy, and migrants are often the first group cast in this role. If this trend intensifies, decision-makers may hesitate to implement necessary measures for fear of being labeled as “supporting foreigners.” This shift in atmosphere is what I fear most.
Listen to the full podcast (only in Czech) below or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
