Czechia ranked eighth most welcoming country for expats, Prague sixth among cities

Czechia has been named the world's eighth most welcoming country for expats in a new ranking by insurer William Russell, while Prague placed sixth among cities worldwide.

The study assessed countries using indicators such as foreign-born employment, migrant populations, visa openness, safety, and survey data on expat experiences.

The result may surprise some foreigners living in Czechia, a country often viewed as reserved rather than outwardly friendly. However, researchers found Czechia performs particularly well on practical measures of integration, including employment opportunities for foreign-born residents.

The country recorded a foreign-born employment rate of nearly 80 percent, among the highest in the study. Prague also outperformed cities including Dubai, Seoul, and Hong Kong.

The ranking comes as Czechia's foreign population continues to grow. More than one million foreign nationals now live in the country, according to Interior Ministry data, accounting for roughly one in 10 residents. Ukrainians remain the largest foreign community, followed by Slovaks and Vietnamese.

According to the study, Czechia’s position was supported by its strong employment outcomes for foreign-born residents. The country recorded a foreign-born employment rate of 79.5 percent, one of the highest figures among the countries included in the ranking.

The study found that countries where expats can participate in the workforce and build stable careers tend to perform better overall. Czechia ranked ahead of several popular relocation destinations, including Portugal and Austria.

The country’s migrant population was listed at 9.5 percent of residents, below the study average of 15.5 percent. However, researchers noted that a large international population is not the only factor determining whether expats feel welcome.

The report also highlighted the importance of practical integration, including access to work, safety, social connections and the ability to establish a long-term life after moving abroad.

“Being welcoming often goes further” than simple friendliness, say the authors of the study, pointing to factors such as finding employment, navigating systems and feeling part of everyday society.

Prague ranked sixth in the study’s city comparison, behind Zürich, Singapore, Tokyo, Copenhagen and Munich.

The Czech capital scored ahead of other major international cities including Dubai, Warsaw, Seoul and Hong Kong. The ranking considered factors such as safety, happiness and social acceptance.

William Russell said city-level experiences can differ significantly from national trends, with larger urban centers often offering stronger international networks, services and communities for newcomers.

The study’s overall ranking was topped by Iceland, which scored 8.94 out of 10, followed by Luxembourg and New Zealand. Iceland’s high position was linked to its strong foreign-born employment rate of 84.2 percent and positive expat experiences.

Other countries in the top 10 included Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, Colombia, Portugal and Austria.

While Czechia scored highly overall, other international surveys have produced mixed results. InterNations' annual Expat Insider survey has previously found expats praise the country's safety and central location but often report difficulties forming local friendships and integrating socially.

The William Russell ranking suggests that welcoming newcomers may depend less on friendliness and more on practical factors such as finding work, feeling safe, and navigating daily life.

But while work rates may be high, workplace integration remains another area where Czechia faces challenges. A recent survey by staffing agencies Gi Group and Grafton Recruitment found that while 84 percent of Czech companies employ foreign workers, 76 percent provide no structured support to help international employees integrate.

That report identified language barriers, differences in workplace culture, and limited cross-cultural training as some of the main obstacles to building more inclusive workplaces.

The William Russell study notes that feeling welcome is only the first step in settling abroad. Building friendships, learning local systems and becoming involved in community life often determine whether expats move from simply living in a country to feeling they belong there.