The Czech embassy in New Delhi, India, has implemented a new appointment booking system for nationals of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives applying for employee cards. Under this system, only 33 employee card applications will be accepted between January and March 2020.
Employers are advised to apply for one of the government programs with a larger quota of employee card applications and no appointment booking.
New Delhi Appointments Lottery
Prospective applicants must register in person at the VFS Global visa application center on the mezzanine floor of the Shivaji Stadium metro station. A representative carrying a standard authorization signed by the applicant may appear on the applicant's behalf (a power of attorney is not required).
Registrations take place on December 11, 13 and 16 2019 between 9am and 12pm (noon) local time. An applicant can only register once, on one of these dates, and authorized persons can only register one applicant.
The applicant must submit their identity document and a copy of the data page of their passport, and pay a non-refundable administrative fee of INR 3100, confirmed by a registration coupon bearing a unique registration number which will be entered into a lottery. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will then draw 33 registration numbers and the lucky applicants will receive an appointment date for the personal submission of the employee card application between January and March 2020.
However, the successful registered applicants will not be informed directly – the 33 chosen registration numbers will be published on the website of the Czech embassy before December 31, 2019.
Government Programs
Applicants whose occupation and future Czech employer qualify for one of three government programs can apply for an employee card at the Czech embassy in New Delhi without registering in advance for an appointment. The programs were introduced on September 1, 2019 and include quotas for visa and employee card issuance from selected countries – 600 applications per year can be accepted in India under the programs and only 100 outside the programs.
The "Qualified Employee" program is intended for newly-hired employees from Ukraine, Mongolia, Serbia, Philippines, India, Belarus, Moldova, Montenegro and Kazakhstan occupying positions in classes 4-8 of the CZ-ISCO Classification of Occupations in manufacturing, services or the public sector and employed by companies which have operated in Czechia for at least two years, without any tax, health or social insurance arrears or penalties and which employ at least six people.
The "Highly Qualified Employee" program is intended for newly-hired employees from any non-EU country occupying positions in classes 1-3 of the CZ-ISCO Classification of Occupations in manufacturing, services or the public sector and employed by companies which have operated in Czechia for at least two years, without any tax, health or social insurance arrears or penalties and which employ at least three people.
The "Key and Research Staff" program is intended for newly-hired employees or intra-company transferees from any non-EU country occupying positions in classes 1-3 of the CZ-ISCO Classification of Occupations in manufacturing, services or the public sector (except medical professions) and employed by investors, research organizations, tech companies and start-ups.
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