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Czech Republic: Entry to the Czech Republic after 9 July 2021 – Obligations of employers and employees

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In brief

From 9 July 2021, employers and employees will have certain obligations in connection with a return to the workplace following travel abroad. Below is a summary of these obligations.

Contents

  1. What are the obligations of employees?
  2. What are the obligations of employers?
  3. What are the obligations of individuals entering the Czech Republic?
  4. Country with low or medium risk
  5. Country with high or very high risk
  6. Country with extreme risk

What are the obligations of employees?

Employees must notify their employers about any period of travel abroad exceeding 12 hours (24 hours in case of neighbouring countries).

Furthermore, employees must comply with their individual obligations when entering the Czech Republic (see below).

What are the obligations of employers?

Employers must not allow employees who have returned from travel abroad to be physically present at the workplace before they have presented a negative COVID-19 test result unless the employee can prove that an exception from the obligation to undergo a test applies. Employees returning from countries considered low or medium risk, who take a COVID-19 test upon their return to the Czech Republic, may be allowed to enter the workplace, provided that they wear a FFP2/KN95 respirator at all times when they are obliged to wear such respiratory protection.

What are the obligations of individuals entering the Czech Republic?

Except for very specific and limited exemptions (e.g., children under 6 years old, diplomats, workers in international transport), any individual entering the Czech Republic as of 9 July 2021 must register in the Public Health Passenger Locator Form (in Czech Příjezdový formulář) available on the following website: https://plf.uzis.cz.

Further obligations may apply depending on the COVID-19 risk level of the country where the individual is returning from. The list of countries and their COVID-19 risk level is updated on a regular basis by The Ministry of Health. 

Commuters, i.e., individuals who cross the border with a neighbouring country regularly at least once per week for the purposes of performing work are exempt from all obligations in connection with their commuting.

Note that certain categories of non-EU citizens are prohibited from entering the Czech Republic unless they permanently or temporarily reside in the country. Please revert to us if you need further information.

Country with low or medium risk

Generally, any individual entering the Czech Republic from a country with a low risk must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR test not earlier than 72 hours or antigen test not earlier than 48 hours) before entering the country.

The following individuals may undergo the COVID-19 test within 5 days of their arrival to the Czech Republic, provided that they travel from a country with low risk, or a country with medium risk by individual transport1:

  • Czech citizens and their family members with a temporary residency permit in the Czech Republic, provided that they travel together
  • EU citizens with a temporary residency permit in the Czech Republic
  • Foreign citizens with a permanent residency permit in the Czech Republic

An exception from the obligation to undergo a COVID-19 test when returning from a country with a low risk applies (subject to certain exemptions) to:

  • Individuals who are fully vaccinated and were vaccinated in the EU
  • Individuals who have had COVID-19, and at least 11 but no more than 180 days have lapsed from the first positive test.

Country with high or very high risk

Generally, any individual entering the Czech Republic from a country with a high or very high risk must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR test not earlier than 72 hours) before entering the country.

The following individuals (i) may provide an antigen COVID-19 test not earlier than 48 hours instead of the PCR test, provided that they do not travel by individual transport, and (ii) do not have to provide a test before entering the Czech Republic if they travel by individual transport:

  • Czech citizens, and their family members with a temporary residency permit in the Czech Republic, provided that they travel together
  • EU citizens with a temporary residency permit in the Czech Republic
  • Foreign citizens with a permanent residency permit in the Czech Republic

Furthermore, any individual entering the Czech Republic from a country with a high or very high risk must undertake a PCR test at the earliest on the 5th and at the latest on the 14th day following their entry into the Czech Republic, and must self-isolate until they receive a negative test result.

An exception from the obligation to undergo a COVID-19 test when returning from a country with a high or very high risk and to self-isolate applies (subject to certain exemptions) to:

  • Czech or EU citizens with a temporary or permanent residency permit in the Czech Republic who are fully vaccinate
  • Czech or EU citizens with a temporary or permanent residency permit in the Czech Republic who have had COVID-19, and at least 11 but no more than 180 days have lapsed from the first positive test

Country with extreme risk

Generally, any individual entering the Czech Republic from a country with an extreme risk must (i) undergo a COVID-19 test (PCR test not earlier than 72 hours) with a negative result before entering the country and (ii) provide a confirmation of a reservation for a PCR test that will be done within 24 hours after their entry to the Czech Republic.

The following individuals may provide an antigen COVID-19 test not earlier than 48 hours instead of the PCR test:

  • Czech citizens, and their family members with a temporary residency permit in the Czech Republic, provided that they travel together
  • EU citizens with a temporary residency permit in the Czech Republic
  • Foreign citizens with a permanent residency permit in the Czech Republic

Any individual entering the Czech Republic from a country with an extreme risk must undertake a PCR test within 24 hours following their entry to the Czech Republic, and another PCR test at the earliest on the 10th and at the latest on the 14th day following their entry to the Czech Republic, and must self-isolate until they receive a negative result from the second PCR test taken in the Czech Republic.

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As a general comment, note that the rules regarding travel are subject to frequent changes. Please do not hesitate to revert to us in case you have any questions or comments.

1 Individual transport is any transport where only members of one household travel together.

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Author

Zuzana Ferianc practices mainly in the areas of employment and labor law, restructuring and corporate governance and mergers & acquisitions. She earned her Master’s Degree in Commercial Law at the Economics University in 2002, and her Master’s Degree in Law at the Law Faculty of Charles University in 2004.

Author

Kristína Bartošková heads the Firm’s International Commercial & Trade Department in Prague, focusing on trade and commercial law matters. She advises clients in relation to a range of trade and commercial law issues, litigation and arbitration, as well as regulatory proceedings.

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