The Czech Senate is expected to approve sweeping changes to the country’s migration and asylum laws during its session today.

The legislation was submitted by the ruling coalition and is framed as a response to long-standing concerns about system abuse and capacity constraints.

At the heart of the proposal is a set of measures that would give authorities greater control over the movement, identification, and accommodation of migrants and asylum seekers.

The Ministry of the Interior says the changes are necessary to streamline the process for granting international protection, reduce opportunities for misuse, and strengthen public order and security.

One of the most controversial aspects of the draft law is the use of mobile phone data by police and migration officers to verify the identity of migrants.

The proposal would also introduce mandatory health screenings for epidemiological purposes and expand the powers of authorities to determine where asylum seekers are required to live—potentially obliging them to stay in state-run facilities.

Another provision would allow the rejection of applications for temporary protection from Ukrainian nationals who have already been granted similar status in other EU countries.

Repeat Offenders Face Removal

Foreign nationals who commit three administrative offences in a single year—ranging from shoplifting and public order violations to aggressive behaviour or using pyrotechnics at sports events—could see their residency rights revoked. In cases involving foreigners convicted of a crime, Czech courts would be required to consider deportation as an additional penalty.

The legislation also seeks to limit repeated asylum applications, even if a deportation decision originated from another EU country. It simplifies the process for denying international protection and returning individuals to their country of origin by merging two previously separate administrative steps.

Reduced Rights and Faster Decisions

Under the proposed reforms, social support for asylum seekers could be scaled down to the most basic level. At the same time, government agencies would be allowed to assign housing and shorten the timeframe for both asylum decisions and legal appeals.

Applicants would also face stricter obligations to provide documents and comply with official requests from both the Interior Ministry and police.

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