Brno, Sept 14 (CTK) – Czech firms can employ up to 5,000 refugees from Syria if they have required qualification and observe law, according to a survey conducted by the Confederation of Industry, its president Jaroslav Hanak said at the International Engineering Fair yesterday.
“In our firms, we are immediately able to admit up to 5,000, but on condition they have the required education, are willing to work and respect the laws and rules of living in the Czech Republic,” Hanak said.
The Confederation conducted the survey among several dozen big industrial companies.
There might be even more vacancies for migrants than the promised 5000.
“We expect the demand for refugees to be many times higher,” Confederation of Industry spokesman Milan Mostyn said.
The Confederation will discuss with Labour and Social Affairs Minister Michaela Marksova the possibility to establish a retraining agency for refugees that would also offer Czech language courses.
Czech firms are short mainly of technical staff. This is why they prefer foreign workers with technical qualification and English language knowledge who are willing to undergo a retraining.
However, a language barrier as well as a very lengthy process of obtaining work permit might be obstacles to their employment, according to a CTK poll among employers and human recruitment agencies.
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