Why work for UP
· We offer competitive salaries, personal development opportunities and a stable working environment.
· Non-academic staff employees enjoy 30 days of holiday and academics 8 weeks.
· We have a modern infrastructure. Our employees work at state-of-the-art centres, in new or renovated buildings, located primarily in the city centre.
· We conduct top-notch science. Our flagships are our excellent scientific centres – Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnology and Agricultural Research, and research centres.
· We support the further education and international mobility of all employees. Over the last five years alone, more than 890 academic staff and 200 non-academic staff have travelled abroad with Erasmus+ in order to upgrade their qualifications and gain experience abroad.
· We take care of our employees. We provide discounts in university facilities and shops, free access to libraries, advantageous mobile phone and data plans for employees and their families. The UP employee benefit plan naturally also includes insurance, savings, and leisure benefits. We continue to expand our range of benefits.
Living and Working in the Czech Republic/Olomouc
Visa and Residence Permits
EU Citizens
Citizens of the EU/EEA and Switzerland have the same legal status as Czech residents. No distinction is made between long-term and short-term stays, and you do not need to apply for any permit to study or work in the Czech Republic.
Non-EU Citizens
‘Third-state nationals’, as they are called here (in Czech: občan třetí země), can apply for a short-term visa (less than 90 days) or long-term visa/permit (more than 90 days). Foreign nationals travelling to the Czech Republic to conduct scientific research apply for a long-term residence permit. Be warned that the processing time takes 60 days. For details on how to obtain a long-term residence permit for the purpose of scientific research please click here. Information about other types of permit/visa also available here.
Different Types of Employment Agreements
Three types of employment agreements are used in the Czech Republic: an employment contract for a definite or indefinite period, a fixed contract for a specific task (DPC) or a fixed contract for work activity (DPP), entered into for even less than one year.
Social Security/Health Insurance
Your employer covers your social security and health insurance for the duration of employment. You do not need to take out any additional insurance related to standard health care in the Czech Republic. The amounts are determined based on the relevant social security legislation within the EU. If you are employed in multiple EU countries or run your own business outside the Czech Republic, you need to complete the A1 form (applicable to EU citizens) before coming to the Czech Republic. Citizens outside the EU are subject to Czech legislation in this respect (your employer will notify you about applicable exceptions).
Medical Care
As a legal employee of a company based in the Czech Republic, you qualify for free public healthcare. After signing the employment agreement, you will receive a health insurance card from one of the health insurance companies. It will enable you to use the services of any medical centre contracted with your health plan. Health care is free of charge, except for dental treatments, where only basic care is covered by the public health care system. If you have unexpected health complications outside normal surgery hours of a general practitioner or specialist, you can refer to the emergency department. Call 112 or 155 for emergency medical services.
Bank Account in the Czech Republic
We recommend opening a bank account prior to arriving in the Czech Republic, if possible. Some banks enable opening an account online. Schedule an appointment with a bank of your choice immediately after your arrival. All you need is a passport (although you may also be required to submit your residence permit). Most employers wire (monthly) salaries only on condition the employee has a bank account.
Accommodation
Palacký University provides accommodation in its halls of residence and staff housing in the wider city centre. The list is available at Accommodation and Dining Facilities. Hotel-style accommodation is available at the Generál Svoboda Halls of Dormitory (Šmeralova 12) and the Vančurova Dormitory (Vančurova 2). The latter boasts a central location. The UP halls of residence and housing provide short-term accommodation for individuals; early booking is required.
Olomouc is a university town and as such offers a broad selection of sublets. The supply is always highest before the beginning of the semester (July and August), when you can find tenancy within a day. Some of the housing is advertised on commercial websites such as sreality.cz/en and a number of Facebook groups. You can also arrange both short-term and long-term accommodation via airbnb.com.
The City of Olomouc
The University is based in Olomouc, a city of Baroque gems and modern culture. The city holds a broad range of cultural and sport events and promotes a family-friendly policy. The current population of Olomouc is a little over 100,000, which makes it the sixth largest city in the Czech Republic. It is the regional seat of all major state and local administration, including the regional authority, the district and the regional court, the tax office, the Czech social security administration and the labour office. Most of the documents needed while living in Olomouc can be arranged at the Olomouc Municipality.
Travelling to Olomouc
By air
The nearest international airports are in Brno (75 km) and Ostrava (80 km). The largest Czech airport, Václav Havel Airport Prague, is easily accessible by bus and train within 3 hours.
By train
Olomouc boasts excellent train service to Prague as well as other large cities (Warsaw, Cracow, Moscow etc.). See idos.cz.
By car
A motorway connects Olomouc to Brno (45 min), Bratislava (2 hrs), Vienna (2 hrs), and Prague (2.5 hrs).