Abstract
This paper offers an analysis of the Czech migration policy since the so-calledEuropean Union (EU) migration crisis in 2015 and its key instruments when it comesto migrant workers from third (non-EU) countries. On the basis of semi-structuredinterviews with 80 experts on various aspects of migration policymaking, we identi-fied three key features of Czech migration policymaking: (i) perception of migrationas a threat, (ii) orientation on temporary labour migration and (iii) lack of coherentand systematic conceptual approach towards migration.
Jointly, these featuresexplain a central paradox of the contemporary Czech migration policy: the contradic-tion between a strong anti-immigration political discourse and the actual numbers ofimmigrants that has been rising steadily. Similarly to other European countries, therehas been a growing tendency towards selectiveness in Czech migration policy,manifested in recent instruments specifically focused on attracting highly qualifiedmigrants.
However, the selection criteria are mainly based on the country of origin,and the quotas for incoming migrants reflect the existing administrative capacitiesand short-term needs of the current Czech labour market for low- and middle-qualified professionals rather than long-term economic goals and demographic needs.Since the global economic recession (2008-2010), Czech migration policies have stillnot genuinely considered the fact that it is people, rather than just 'labour', whocome to the Czech Republic.