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Summary for: Number of foreigners in Czechia continues to rise: Where are they from?The number of legal foreign residents in Czechia reached 1,131,197 by the end of 2025, marking a 3.4 percent increase over the previous year, according to new data released by the Czech Interior Ministry. Overall, foreigners now account for more than 10 percent of the national population.
Ukrainians remain the largest group of legal foreign residents in the country, followed by Slovaks, Vietnamese, and Russians. Prague continues to host the highest concentration of foreign residents.
Prime factors behind the rise include the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has led to the granting of temporary protection to more than 393,000 Ukrainians, giving them access to healthcare, education, and employment in Czechia.
Ukrainian presence drives growth
The ministry noted that temporary protection measures introduced by the EU in March 2022 remain a key factor. Since the start of the Russian invasion, Czechia has hosted over 470,000 Ukrainians under this status, and nearly 351,000 people applied for extensions last year alone.
By the end of 2025, almost 613,000 Ukrainians were legally residing in the country, accounting for more than half of all foreigners.
Czechia continues to lead EU countries in proportion of Ukrainian refugees relative to population size. “The Czech Republic has long been the EU country hosting the most Ukrainian refugees in relation to its population,” the ministry said.
Diversity beyond Ukraine
Slovaks formed the second-largest group, numbering over 125,000, followed by roughly 70,000 Vietnamese and 37,500 Russians. Citizens from outside the EU made up nearly 80 percent of foreign residents, while one-fifth came from EU, EEA, or Swiss countries.
Applications for international protection declined slightly last year, with 1,197 submissions, down 166 from 2024. Vietnamese nationals led in applications with 210, followed by 172 Ukrainians, 132 Uzbeks, and 86 Moldovans.
Czech authorities approved 197 claims in 2025, granting asylum to 70 and subsidiary protection to 127 applicants.
Authorities emphasize that the statistics exclude short-term Schengen visitors and unregistered EU citizens. The data reflect a long-term trend of growing foreign presence in Prague and across the country, largely shaped by geopolitical events and Czechia’s role as a host nation for displaced Ukrainians.
The Czech Interior Ministry's quarterly report on migration can be found here.
