In a significant move reflecting both national pressures and broader European trends, the Czech Senate on Wednesday approved a far-reaching amendment to the country’s asylum and migration laws. The new legislation, which now awaits the president’s signature, introduces stricter controls over the movement, identification, and legal status of asylum seekers and migrants, aligning Czech policy more closely with the European Union’s Migration and Asylum Pact.

A Dual Response: Domestic Pressure and European Commitments

According to Interior Minister Vít Rakušan, the amendment responds to two major challenges: the ongoing illegal migration crisis and the impact of the Ukrainian refugee influx following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Rakušan stressed that the law is a necessary step to ensure Czechia is not left behind while other European nations take more aggressive measures to manage migration.

“A number of European countries are taking more effective action,” he said. “We must act now to maintain control and credibility.”

However, not all lawmakers agree. Opposition Senator Jana Mračková Vildumetzová accused the government of hypocrisy, claiming the need for such legislation stems directly from the migration pact that the government endorsed two years ago. “You are using the law to put out the fire that you started,” she told Rakušan during the Senate debate.

Key Provisions of the Amendment

The new legislation introduces a suite of changes designed to tighten asylum procedures, accelerate decision-making, and enhance state control over migrants’ movements:

• Expelled migrants will no longer be able to apply for asylum, curbing what the ministry calls „opportunistic applications.”
• Decisions on expulsion made by other EU member states will automatically apply in Czechia.
• The asylum and deportation processes will be merged to speed up removals.
• Migrants can now be identified through mobile phone data and will be subject to mandatory epidemiological testing.
• Authorities will be able to designate residence locations for asylum seekers and restrict access to labor markets and public services.
• The Ministry will have shorter deadlines for handling cases and appeals.
• A foreigner who commits three offenses within a year, such as theft or violence, may have their residence revoked or not extended.

These changes also empower authorities to limit social support and introduce stricter compliance requirements for asylum seekers, including providing documentation and reporting obligations.

Ukrainian Refugee Policy Tightened

A notable component of the amendment is a revision to „Lex Ukraine,” the legal framework governing the status of Ukrainian refugees. The new provision responds to a ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court, which barred Czechia from rejecting temporary protection requests from Ukrainians who had previously received similar protection elsewhere in the EU.

Under the new rules, Czech authorities will regain the ability to reject such applications — but only after notifying the European Commission that the state’s refugee support capacity is at risk of exhaustion. This provision reflects growing concerns in Prague about the sustainability of its refugee response systems amid continued arrivals.

Regional and Political Context

The move aligns Czechia with a broader trend across Central and Eastern Europe, where countries like Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia have adopted increasingly stringent immigration and asylum policies in response to public sentiment, security concerns, and institutional pressures from Brussels.

The EU Migration and Asylum Pact, adopted in 2023 after years of debate, requires member states to share responsibility for managing asylum seekers — either by hosting them or by contributing to enforcement and deportation efforts. While the pact aims to unify and streamline EU asylum policy, it has also sparked domestic backlash in several countries, including Czechia, where sovereignty and migration remain politically sensitive issues.

Looking Ahead

With the president expected to sign the bill into law, attention now shifts to its implementation. Civil society groups have already voiced concern over potential violations of human rights, particularly regarding surveillance, due process, and access to legal assistance for migrants.

The Interior Ministry insists that the reforms are necessary to maintain public order, national security, and the integrity of the asylum system. But the law’s effectiveness — and its legality under EU norms — will likely be tested in courtrooms and public debates in the months ahead.

The Czech Senate will reconvene on August 27, though no major legislation is scheduled. Instead, senators will review annual reports and address a petition calling for equal access to medicine across pharmacies — another issue highlighting inequalities in the Czech social system.