Prague, June 8 (CTK) – The Foreign Ministry’s project to attract Ukrainian qualified workforce to the Czech Republic will newly focus on doctors and nurses as well, who could gain a work permit faster, Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (Social Democrats, CSSD) told reporters yesterday.
The pilot programme was designated for IT experts.
Only 69 people have joined the project in the first six months.
Zaoralek said the perametres of the programme had been changed in cooperation with the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry.
The programme will also include healthcare workers.
“The interest will be high. We have modified the programme to apply not only to nurses in hospitals. We have decreased the number of workers whom an employer must employ from five to three, so this can be used in medical offices as well,” Zaoralek said.
The offered pay conditions should correspond to the healthcare sector, he added.
Employers criticise the cabinet and offices for too slow processing of work permits for Ukrainians.
According to the Chamber of Commerce, the project has been a flop.
Firms ask for being able to employ even less qualified Ukrainian workforce, but trade unions are opposed to it.
The unemployment rate reached 5.7 percent in the Czech Republic with the population of 10.5-million in April, which means that some 415,000 people were jobless. Labour offices registered over 124,000 vacancies.
Analysts point out that unemployment even dropped in May.
Employers complain that they are not able to find workforce in the Czech Republic. They would like to employ Ukrainians, even those qualified for some manual professions, such as drivers, welders and metal workers.
However, trade unions are against it, saying local workforce should be preferred.
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