Information for healthcare job seekers

What we do

Medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists and general medical personnel from abroad have the potential to apply for job in the Czech Republic. Experts, specialists and qualified employees have a career perspective. However, to fulfill your career in the Czech Republic, you must meet the conditions and orientate yourself in the highly regulated healthcare industry. The career center was created to facilitate access to work for health workers who received medical education in countries outside the European Union. Through our center, you can learn about the entire process of relocation, starting with entering the territory, passing the approbation exam, and signing a contract with a potential employer.

The career center operates with the financial support of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Who can contact us?

Our assistance is intended for all those interested in employment in the healthcare sector in the Czech Republic who received a diploma in the following fields in their home country:

  • Medical Doctor
  • Dentist
  • Pharmacist.

Information for applicants whose qualifications rank among other non-medical healthcare professions can be found here: https://www.nconzo.cz/en/.

Why choosing the Czech Republic?

The Czech Republic is ranked among the best places to live in quality-of-life indexes and other surveys, which are published regularly and repeat what its residents already know: life is good in the Czech Republic. Salaries of medical doctors in state institutions start at 41,380 CZK (1,600 Euros) according to valid tables. According to the Czech Statistical Office, the average salary of a doctor ranges from CZK 70,000 to CZK 80,000 (EUR 2,800 – EUR 3,200) per month.

What are the requirements to work in Czech Republic?

The basic condition for being able to practice the profession of doctor, dentist or pharmacist in the territory of the Czech Republic is passing the approbation exam in one of the member states of the European Union. Another condition is to obtain a long-term residence permit, which is a residence permit intended for citizens of third countries who want to stay on the territory of the Czech Republic for a certain purpose for more than one year. It is only possible to obtain a work permit together with a valid residence permit, an employee card or a blue card for a specific job position with a specific employer.

 

Recognition of professional qualifications

You are applying for the recognition of a professional qualification if you are going to pursue a regulated profession in the Czech Republic and your qualification comes from another Member State of the European Union, the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) or Switzerland. Professional qualifications can be obtained through study, practical training within professional practice or a combination of both. The result of the process of recognizing professional qualifications is a decision that you have sufficient knowledge and skills to be able to pursue a specific profession or activity in the Czech Republic.

Nostrification of foreign certificates

The Education Act provides for two general ways of recognising a document of education from abroad in the Czech Republic:

  • issuing of a certificate of recognition of the equivalence of a foreign certificate in the Czech Republic; and
  • decision on the recognition of validity – nostrification – of a foreign certificate in the Czech Republic.

Nostrification is performed if a certificate from a abroad does not have equivalent status to a certificate issued by an elementary, secondary or higher vocational school on the basis of an international treaty on mutual recognition of educational documents.

Nostrification is carried out based on an application by the competent regional authority according to your place of residence. Only in exceptional cases is nostrification carried out by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, in cases where the foreign educational programme is conducted in agreement with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPROBATION EXAM

Every medical doctor, dentist or pharmacist who received their education outside the European Union (EU) and wants to practice the profession of medical doctor, dentist or pharmacist within the territory of the Czech Republic or in one of the EU member states must pass the approbation exam.

More information can be found here: http://foreigner.ipvz.cz/en/basic-information-about-approbation-exam

Czech language courses

 

In accordance with the amendment to Act No. 95/2004 Coll., from 1 July 2017, the entire approval exam will be held only in the Czech language. Every medical doctor, dentist or pharmacist who received their education outside the European Union (EU) and wants to practice the profession of medical doctor, dentist or pharmacist in the Czech Republic or in one of the EU member states must take the approbation exam. Our educational center has prepared intensive Czech language courses for healthcare workers from third countries. Courses are available for language levels A1 – beginners to B2 – advanced. The courses are intended for healthcare workers who are applying for a job in the healthcare sector in the Czech Republic and need to improve their Czech language. The courses are conducted online under the guidance of native speakers. The content is not only the grammar of the Czech language, but also medical terminology. Participants are provided with learning materials. The majority of course costs are covered by UNICEF, so it is possible to participate in individual modules for an almost symbolic fee of CZK 1,000.

Registration for courses here: https://www.ipvz.cz/vzdelavaci-akce/2400

 

Entry and stay in the Czech Republic

The stay of citizens of third countries is subject to a visa requirement, unless they are citizens of a country listed on the list of third countries, nationals are exempt from the visa requirement (see here: https://mzv.gov.cz/jnp/en/information_for_aliens/short_stay_visa/list_of_states_whose_citizens_are_exempt/index.html)

In order to cross the border of the Czech Republic, citizens of third countries (i.e. citizens from countries outside the EU) must meet the following conditions:

  • be a holder of a valid passport.
  • be a holder of a short-term Schengen visa, if required.
  • or be the holder of a valid long-term or permanent residence permit or a valid long-term visa.
  • justify the purpose and conditions of stay in the territory of the Czech Republic.
  • have sufficient financial resources for subsistence.

If you are already in the territory of the Czech Republic, have a valid residence permit and want to return to your profession and work in the healthcare sector, we will be happy to advise you on where to start.

Our achievements

In 2024, the Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education is organizing another series of Czech language courses for healthcare workers from abroad. These courses are very popular, and more than 400 healthcare workers have already passed these courses during their existence since the second half of 2022. A large part of them, after passing all levels, move on to take the approval exam. Even though the process of teaching the Czech language, the mandatory practice under supervision and the preparation for the approval exam itself are time-consuming, we already have dozens of successful graduates of our courses. These successful graduates can now practice their profession in the territory of the Czech Republic.

The Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education educates, helps and connects.