Over the last decade, the Czech public has primarily perceived migration as a threat. “According to our respondents, politicians and representatives of relevant public administration institutions emphasize in particular the connection between migration and various security risks and economic problems. The benefits of migration, especially for the Czech economy and other spheres of life, are entirely sidelined, as is the acceptance of migration as a regular feature of the globalized world and its demographic aspects,” said Robert Stojanov from the Faculty of Business and Economics of MENDELU, who specializes in migration research and leads the research project that resulted in the publication of this new study.
Although the number of migrants coming to the Czech Republic for work, study, or to join their family members for both short or long-term stays has been growing since the 1990s, the prevailing official Czech approach to migration has been significantly influenced by security concerns. According to the respondents interviewed for this study, migration in the Czech Republic is perceived through a national perspective, reflected, for example, in the refusal to accept EU quotas for refugee resettlement.
In practice, however, the political anti-migration discourse that prevailed in the aftermath of the migration crisis in 2015 was accompanied by the admission of a large number of migrants in several industrial sectors facing labor shortages. “This created a fundamental discrepancy between the prevailing negative political discourse on migration and the actual policies enabling large-scale labor immigration, pointing to the de facto recognition of migration as a necessity for the Czech economy,” states the study, co-authored by Robert Stojanov, Radka Klvaňová and Aneta Seidlová from Mendel University and Oldřich Bureš from Metropolitan University Prague.
Data provided by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic shows that the share of short-term labor migration has been growing unprecedentedly in recent years. In 2019, 49,343 short-term work permits were valid, compared to only 3,283 in 2016. According to the authors of the study, the Czech state should strive to change the public discourse on migration. Instead of the prevailing emphasis on security risks, the economic, demographic, and cultural benefits of migration should also be communicated.
“We should see migration as a normal part of the contemporary global world. The Czech Republic lacks a comprehensive and long-term migration policy strategy based on rigorous analysis of international commitments and labor market needs that would support its international competitiveness as an attractive place to work and live in the wider European context,“ suggests the recently published study Risks and Challenges of Czech Migration Policy in the Context of the “Migration Crisis”.
Contact for further information: Dr. Robert Stojanov, robert.stojanov@mendelu.cz
Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University
More news
-
Generation Z, meaning people born between 1995 and 2010, wastes food according to their estimates more than the previous generation, a total of 43.4 grams per person per day. This number drops almost by half for young people living with their…2. 10. 2024
-
EU Commission selects HEROES as new European University alliance to boost smart…
The HEROES Alliance unites nine universities of applied sciences across the EU under one common objective: to strengthen the resilience of the regions they are located in through digital innovations. 120,000 students and 14,000 staff spread over 22…4. 7. 2024 -
The student competition MENDELU Boost was won by the project Citymind: AI…
The winner of the first edition of the MENDELU Boost student entrepreneurial competition was the project Citymind, which serves as an AI assistant for cities and municipalities. The second place was awarded to a project focused on identifying hidden…20. 6. 2024 -
The addition of insects can improve the nutritional value of meat products.
Insects are being discussed as a potential protein source for the future. Small larvae contain high amounts of proteins and healthy fats. Compared to other livestock, insect farming also seems to be more environmentally friendly. Therefore,…17. 6. 2024 -
EURAF conference sets the direction for agroforestry in Europe for the coming…
At the international agroforestry conference EURAF 2024, the institutions jointly concluded the Brno Agroforestry Declaration on the implementation of agroforestry in Europe. The Declaration focuses on the knowledge and actions needed in the field…3. 6. 2024 -
The national round of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize was won by a student of…
Tadeáš Fryčák from the Jan Opletal Grammar School in Litovel won the third year of the national round of the global competition Stockholm Junior Water Prize. In his presentation he introduced the Root Tracker software, which he programmed himself.…30. 5. 2024 -
World experts address current challenges of agroforestry at MENDELU
This week, experts from all over the world are meeting at Mendel University in Brno to discuss agroforestry - growing trees together with crop production or livestock breeding. The EURAF 2024 conference deals with both research and practice and is…28. 5. 2024 -
An exceptional figure of our university, Vojtěch Adam, has passed away
With deep sorrow, the university rector received the sad news of the passing of Emeritus Vice-Rector and prominent scientist Prof. RNDr. Vojtěch Adam, Ph.D., who succumbed to a short severe illness yesterday.22. 5. 2024 -
Project SPOT from MENDELU was chosen for the 20 years of EU enlargement article
Project SPOT which is coordinated by Milada Šťastná and also led on behalf of the Faculty of AgriSciences at MENDELU has beed selected for the European Research Executive Agency article dedicated to the 20 years of EU enlargement.3. 5. 2024 -
In the MENDELU Ph.D. talent competition, five students succeeded
The third edition of the MENDELU Ph.D. Talent competition for supplementary talent scholarships for doctoral students has announced its winners. Ten talented students advanced to the second round of the MENDELU Ph.D. Talent competition, where they…2. 4. 2024