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Summary for: How Czechia’s business services sector is reshaping roles for foreign professionalsCzechia’s expat-heavy business services sector is transforming. With 214,000 total jobs expected this year across 380 business services centers, the emphasis is no longer just on hiring more staff. Companies are focusing on raising productivity per employee by automating routine tasks and investing in AI-driven systems.
A new report from Czechia’s Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL) underlines how artificial intelligence is reshaping Czechia’s business services, boosting productivity and attracting higher-value foreign direct investment in R&D and advanced technologies.
However, sustaining this investment would benefit from legislation that better reflects the realities of a global workforce and the needs of companies operating in the sector. Here’s how the country’s sector is set to adapt.
Creating added value to attract investment
Over the past 15 to 20 years, foreign direct investment in Czechia has shifted from mainly large-scale manufacturing to higher-value sectors, including advanced technologies, research and development centers, and business services, data from CzechInvest shows.
This has led to the Czech business services sector showing continued expansion: in 2025, 68 percent of centers increased headcount, and the outlook for 2026 remains positive, with 64 percent planning further growth, according to ABSL.
At the same time, centers are increasingly focused on productivity rather than headcount alone. 80 percent seek greater productivity with their current people, while 73 percent are accelerating digital transformation, and over half are also improving analytical, modeling, and reporting capabilities, ABSL’s research shows.
Together, these priorities show how the sector is moving beyond hiring alone, focusing instead on value creation through optimized processes and intelligent use of technology.
Implications for expat professionals in Czechia
Czech business services centers are global operations. Over 40 percent of employees are foreigners, and hundreds of centers serve international clients in English and other languages. Many are also expanding; roughly two-thirds plan growth in the next two years, while 27 percent aim to stabilize and optimize operations.
These trends are reshaping opportunities for expats. Roles increasingly involve process design, analytics, and AI-enabled tasks rather than routine back-office work. For example, finance teams that once focused on manual invoice processing now oversee automated systems, resolve AI-flagged exceptions, and analyze spending patterns to improve efficiency.
Additionally, workforce upskilling, retaining, and cross-skilling programs prepare international staff for higher-value responsibilities. Employees with skills in AI deployment, digital transformation, and advanced analytics are particularly in demand, ABSL finds.
AI is now deployed by 80 percent of centers, making it the most widely adopted technology across the sector. This evolution ensures that careers in Czechia’s business services sector remain dynamic and forward-looking.
But legislation risks keeping Czechia behind
Despite its global operations, the sector is constrained by local labor legislation. Certain practices, such as working remotely from abroad for an extended period of time, are not permitted under Czech rules.
Complicated and long processes for obtaining visas or work permits for third-country citizens also constrain the sector’s growth, preventing talent from flowing into the country. This is compounded by a new law passed in October 2025 that imposed stricter employment rules on foreign workers in Czechia, including EU nationals, under standard contracts.
ABSL warns that companies combining advanced technologies and international teams may face barriers if rules do not evolve, emphasizing the need for policy that keeps pace with sector realities.
Why this sector matters for Czechia
IT and business services are a cornerstone of the Czech economy, employing 200,000 people and generating CZK 210 billion in annual wages.
Workers spend CZK 90 billion locally, pay CZK 24 billion in income tax, and help support a further 140,000 jobs in related industries.
These figures indicate that the IT and business services sector has become a truly important pillar of the Czech economy. In addition to creating highly skilled jobs, it also has a significant multiplier effect on other industries and public budgets," says Jonathan Appleton, director of ABSL.”
Productivity gains through AI and upskilling
Strategic priorities such as AI adoption, workforce development, digital transformation, and advanced analytics are central to sustaining long-term growth. This is best underlined in ABSL’s finding that seven in 10 firms want to increase their use and implementation of AI and Generative AI, for example. ABSL’s 2025 Diamond Awards, featuring tech giant Siemens, also underscored firms’ swiftness to pivot in a sector constantly changing.
The sector’s future depends on maximizing value from people and technology while ensuring local legislation supports a global workforce. For foreigners in Czechia, this means a thriving job market with opportunities in advanced roles at the intersection of AI, process design, and international operations.
