Bosnia and Herzegovina workers: Czech work visa route stays open through 2028

Czechia will keep its special work visa programme for foreign workers running until 31 December 2028, after the government approved the extension on 19 October 2026. The scheme lets employers in agriculture, food production and forestry recruit from five non-EU countries, and it had been due to expire at the end of 2026.

Key facts

• Runs until: 31 December 2028
• Annual quota: up to 2,500 visa applications
• Who qualifies: nationals of Ukraine, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and North Macedonia
• Sectors: agriculture, food production and forestry
• Visa length: up to one year, with no extension possible

Who is affected?

The annual quota stays at up to 2,500 applications. Of these, 1,500 are reserved for Ukrainian nationals, with a combined 1,000 for workers from Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and North Macedonia.

The programme covers specific jobs in agriculture, food production and forestry. Employers taking part must be enrolled in the relevant government programme, and employment agencies cannot act as employers under the scheme.

What are the visa conditions?

According to the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, the special visas are valid for a maximum of one year and cannot be extended. Workers may, however, apply again.

Why is the scheme being extended?

The Ministry of Agriculture proposed the extension to address persistent labour shortages in farming, food processing and forestry. Figures cited by the Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic put employment in Czech agriculture at approximately 90,000 people, with a shortage of around 5,000 workers.

The scheme has run since 2019 and was later expanded to cover additional countries as employers struggled to recruit. The extension allows employers to keep filling vacancies through a dedicated migration programme rather than relying only on the domestic labour market.

What this means for travellers

Nationals of the five listed countries who want to take up qualifying work in Czech agriculture, food production or forestry can continue to use this route through 2028. Anyone considering it should confirm the job is covered by the programme and that the employer is enrolled in it, and note that the visa lasts no more than one year and cannot be renewed.

The source does not state any application fees, processing times or how to submit an application. The programme now runs to the end of 2028 under the government's decision of 19 October 2026.