Foreigners legally residing in the Czech Republic now constitute ten percent of the total population, according to the latest figures published by the Czech Statistical Office on Wednesday. 

The number of foreigners with legal residence at the end of last year rose by 455,305 year-on-year to 1.12 million people.

Ukrainians were the nationality that saw the biggest increase in number, and they also make up over half of the total number of foreigners in Czechia, with over 630,000 registered in the country at the end of 2022.

Slovak and Vietnamese citizens respectively make up the next largest groups.

CSO Chairman Marek Rojíček highlighted that the surge was primarily attributed to foreigners with temporary residence, constituting 70% of the total, while 30% held permanent residence permits. Notably, 2,456 foreign citizens sought asylum in the Czech Republic.

The demographic landscape underwent significant changes, with an influx of mothers and children from Ukraine. Women’s representation among foreigners reached a historic high of 51.1%, up from 43.5% in 2021. Additionally, the proportion of children under 14 rose from 10.6% to 16.5% during the same period.

Despite these shifts, the ranking of the most represented nationalities remained stable. Ukrainians topped the list, experiencing a remarkable increase from 196,875 to 636,282 year-on-year, followed by Slovaks and Vietnamese. Russians, Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians, and Germans rounded out the top positions.

While the number of Romanians increased by 5%, Russians saw a slight decline of about 1,870. Citizens of the Philippines, Kazakhstan, and India recorded a notable increase in presence among foreigners in the Czech Republic.

According to labor and industry ministry statistics, approximately 905,000 foreigners were employed in the Czech Republic last year.

Ukrainian citizens, in particular, played a pivotal role in the job market, with 270,000 registered as employees, marking a 38% YoY increase.