Expat Centre Prague — City Hall's Official One-Stop Service for International Professionals

The Expat Centre Prague is a free public information and consultation service operated by the International Relations Unit of the Chief Executive's Office of Prague City Hall. Launched in 2020, it is the Czech capital's official one-stop service dedicated to helping foreign professionals, students and entrepreneurs navigate every phase of relocating to and settling in Prague.

What it does: The Centre offers individual consultations (in-person at Charvátova 6, Nové Město, or by email at [email protected]) covering four main areas: (1) work and employment — job market navigation, work permit and employment registration guidance; (2) residency and administrative formalities — visa categories, long-term residence permits, municipal registration and healthcare enrolment; (3) business start-up — company registration procedures, tax identification and banking introductions; (4) community integration — a regular programme of networking events and workshops that connect new internationals with established expat communities and local employers. All services are provided free of charge to any national regardless of country of origin.

Results: Prague ranked 7th out of 57 cities in the InterNations Expat City Ranking 2021, 4th in the Urban Work Life Index and 5th in the Quality of Urban Living Index — reflecting the city's broader attractiveness as an international talent destination. As of end-2024 the Czech Republic hosts approximately 1.1 million legally residing foreigners, with Prague as the primary destination. The Centre has maintained uninterrupted service since 2020, including through the COVID-19 period, demonstrating operational resilience. No programme-specific consultation-count statistics are publicly disclosed.

Why it's a good practice: For Central and Eastern Europe, a city-government-led, fully free, multi-service centre for international professionals launched in 2020 was a pioneering model. By anchoring the service within Prague City Hall's official mandate and housing it in a central, accessible location, the Centre provides credible, authoritative and language-barrier-reducing guidance that private or civil-society alternatives cannot fully substitute.

Read the full analysis: https://expat.praha.eu/