When I arrived in the Czech Republic in 2004, there wasn’t much in the way of organized help for new expats to navigate the various aspects of life here.
Happily, things have changed and help is available.
Foreigners – Foreigners was established in 2009 and has 6 branches around the country. This agency hosts monthly meet ups of expats and offers a diverse set of services to foreigners in the Czech Republic.
Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners (CPIC) – CPIC is a European Union supported initiative for the integration of foreigners in the Czech Republic. It has several branches spread across 11 of the Czech Republic’s 14 regions.
Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) – OPU is a non-profit NGO for integrating foreigners into Czech society. This organization takes a particular, though not exclusive, interest in refugees. They have branches in Brno, Hradec Králové, Ostrava, Plzeň and Prague.
Caritas Czech Republic – The Czech branch of the international Caritas organization operates foreigner advisory centres in Brno, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové, Litoměřice, Plzeň and Prague.
Brno Expat Centre – If your target city in the Czech Republic is Brno, then taking out a free membership at the Brno Expat Centre website will certainly benefit you.
The BEC was established in 2010 and is a very well connected group. Membership on their website will give you access to many articles about living and working in Brno. BEC also organises a number of seminars relating to various aspects of living in Brno.
Centre for Foreigners of the South Moravian Region – An additional resource in Brno is the South Moravian Regional Centre to Support the Integration of Foreigners. This is a project created by the South Moravia region that offers a number of services to foreigners from both EU and non-EU countries living in Brno and the South Moravia region.
Brusinka Multicultural Centre – This is a Brno based organization that offers a range of activities to foster multiculturalism in the city. They offer courses in languages, art, music and acting. They also offer translation services between Czech, English and Russian.
Ostrava Expat Centre – If you are planning to live in or near Ostrava, the main city in the north-east of the country, the Ostrava Expat Centre is a valuable source of free information for expats there.
Centrum Cizinců – If you are a foreigner in the Ústí nad Labem region, in the far north-west of the country, Centrum Cizinců is an organization you can turn to there.
Beyond Prague 