Study: Czechs See Language and Respect for Laws as Key to Integration

Despite differing attitudes towards foreigners, there is broad agreement in the Czech Republic about which factors are crucial for successful integration. Respect for laws, language skills and legal employment are considered particularly important.

The Czech population is divided on the issue of immigration. While 61 per cent perceive immigration to the Czech Republic as a threat, 39 per cent see it as a benefit to the country. This is according to a study by the STEM polling institute, conducted as part of a research project supported by the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

Despite these differing attitudes, there is broad agreement on the basic requirements for successful integration. For 98 per cent of respondents, compliance with existing laws is particularly important, while 97 per cent expect foreigners to respect local customs and ways of life. The ability to communicate in Czech and having legal employment are also considered essential requirements for successful integration into society.

Respondents attach less importance to active participation in social life, obtaining Czech citizenship, friendships with locals or an interest in Czech culture and traditions.

"What we see is that the public primarily expects foreigners to follow the rules, rather than necessarily becoming more deeply integrated culturally or socially," explains Jitka Uhrová, Research Director at STEM.

Slovaks and Vietnamese Viewed Particularly Positively

The study also reveals significant differences in perceptions of different nationalities. Slovaks are viewed most positively. Vietnamese people also enjoy a comparatively high level of acceptance among the Czech population.

In general, respondents are more willing to accept foreigners as neighbours or colleagues. However, many are more reserved when it comes to closer relationships, such as friendships or family ties. This is particularly true of people from countries perceived as more culturally or geographically distant.

How open someone is towards foreigners depends largely on their personal attitudes. While open-minded people have few reservations, other sections of the population show considerably greater reluctance. An exception, even among the open-minded, is people from Russia. STEM attributes this partly to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The findings highlight how widely attitudes towards immigration differ in the Czech Republic. At the same time, they reveal a shared understanding across different sections of the population of the basic requirements foreigners should meet for successful integration: respecting the law, being able to communicate in Czech and being legally employed.