Leaving a bad job is rarely straightforward. For some foreign workers in Czechia, the decision can also mean finding somewhere new to live, navigating residence paperwork and continuing to repay money borrowed to secure the job in the first place.
That combination raises a question often missing from debates about labor shortages: how much freedom do the people filling those vacancies have to walk away?
Magda Faltová, director of the Association for Integration and Migration, describes workers facing unclear contracts, deductions from wages and dependence on employers or intermediaries. She urges for a broader discussion about what successful integration should mean beyond having a job.
Needed at work, uneasy in public opinion
Czech attitudes toward foreign employment contain an apparent contradiction. A January 2026 STEM survey found that 58 percent of respondents considered foreign workers a solution to labor shortages in certain occupations. Yet 65 percent believed Czechia employed too many foreigners.
Want to continue reading the rest of this article?
Unlock full access, or continue for free
Become a Member
- Read all member articles on Expats.cz
- Enjoy an ad-free reading experience
- Attend unique community events
Interact with article
- Listen to audio versions of stories
- Customize alerts and save articles
- Catch up fast with quick summaries
Become a Member
Create a free account
- Read up to 3 member articles / month
Interact with article
- Customize alerts and save articles
- Catch up fast with quick summaries
Continue for free
Already a member? Sign-in now
Want to see more from us? Select Expats.cz as a
preferred source on Google.
Reading time: 4 minutes 
Summary for: Czechia needs foreign workers. So why is leaving a bad job so hard?
