In the Czech Republic record low unemployment. As experts say, who wanted a place you already found. However, there is another side to the coin. Enterprises lack of workers with professional qualifications. This situation can lead to a lockup of economic growth, warns the President of the Economic chamber of the Czech Republic, Vladimir Dlouhy. He believes that currently, the rate must be made for foreign skilled first and foremost Ukrainian.
The head of the Economic chamber advocates greater openness of the Czech labour market and the acceleration of the process of obtaining work permits.
— “The fact remains that the Czech economy successfully building momentum. However, it goes on for very long and not for all parameters. Wages are not growing as quickly as you’d like, and we need to increase volumes of production with high added value. Third, we need sufficient number of its own, the Czech qualified personnel.
The export of foreign labor, with regard to long-term, not solve the problem, and the Ukrainians will not save us. But the short-term effect due to the foreign personnel can be achieved. They are able to help in industries where the shortage of workers has reached a critical level. I don’t see any obstacles in order to “patch a hole” short-term opening of the channel for the inflow of professionals from Ukraine. Temporary respite can be used to rebuild our own system of education and training, and to develop the research segment to create a source of its own personnel.”
We need 100 thousand, and take 5000
According to the Economic chamber, without quick launch mechanism for the influx of personnel, the situation in some industries may worsen. And the main role in this process is played by the government, stressed Vladimir Dlouhy:
“Already taken enough. We are talking about it constantly. The government, obviously under pressure, including trade unions, are not too inclined to open the Czech labour market for workers from Ukraine. And Czech entrepreneurs are constantly stating their desire to hire Ukrainians. This is due to cultural and linguistic proximity. In addition, the education level of immigrants from Ukraine is quite high. They simply have no work at home.
Why not to use it in the short term?
“But now the situation is such that demand conditions per 100 thousand employees, we are implementing a program that allows us to make only 5000 Ukrainians. Besides, after the initial processing of Economic chamber and the Union industry of applications received from businesses, even five months the registration of necessary permissions, engaged in interior, foreign Affairs and the Lviv Consulate. Something’s wrong here!”
What are the consequences of the company due to the lack of qualified employees?
— “It must be emphasized that we are talking about qualified personnel! And then, as soon as speak about Ukrainians, many imagine a laborer, sweeping the yard, or performs other secondary duties. In addition, based on such perception, the unions say they want firms to pay the Ukrainians the minimum wage. And it is supposed to slow down the growth of wages of the Czech workers. But it’s not true!
Given my personal experience of traveling to different corners of the country and the results of the research, it seems to me that in the first place there is a demand for people with professional qualifications. Need workers from fitters, mechanics and drivers to staff complex machines. People of Ukraine did it all, and Czech businessmen are very often ready to pay them salaries in excess of 20 million kroner (at the current exchange rate — more than 740 euros)”.
Vladimir Dlouhy doesn’t see the government the necessary support of the idea of opening Czech market for Ukrainian staff.
— “The real barrier is lack of employees in the interior Ministry and the foreign Ministry in processing the application. Prevents the employment of Ukrainians “call the law”. However, I do not discuss how good or bad. The law was passed, and it contains limitations. I believe, however, that if desired the problem can be solved, for example, through temporary exclusions. I don’t want to act as the main defender of the influx of Ukrainians to the Czech Republic, but is a short-term way of solving pressing problems.”
According to the rules of the state
The inflow of the Ukrainian labour force in the Czech Republic will help manufacturing firms to overcome the crisis of shortage of staff. However, to make foreigners the state may need additional funds, for example, the extension of kindergartens, as migrants have families. Another important issue is also health care.
— “Ten years ago, in Prague, in the seventh Metropolitan area at the exhibition complex “Vystaviste” there were illegal “labor exchange”. On Saturday morning there gathered hundreds of Ukrainian workers, and dealers “dismantled” them depending on needs. But today the situation has changed.
About Ukrainians, we can say, though, of course, not all, but most of them get a job in the Czech Republic legally. Employers for them to make contributions to the social system, the workers themselves in the Czech Republic pay taxes. They gradually become our citizens, though of foreign origin. They live here and pay all required contributions in the social system and medical. Why would their children not to live here under the same conditions as the native Czechs? In addition, in the case of Ukrainians, probably, there is no danger that they will create a large Diaspora, which will be under our culture and will destroy historical roots”.
The President of the Economic chamber of the Czech Republic Vladimir Dlouhy also emphasizes that the question of the influx of foreign workers from Ukraine, it is mandatory to engage in public structures. Otherwise threatens the expansion of illegal employment and the emergence of pressure on the lockup of wage growth, which argue its negative position on this question of the Czech trade unions.
“If you retain restrictions on or provide the opportunity to work mediation agencies, they are always someone here brought. In some cases it is illegal and some legally. But always with earnings of the Ukrainian working they take for themselves the margin. And in this case, if the government isn’t the market to regulate and not open it, there will be pressure on lower wages. As a result, the Ukrainians will be much less and the result will be unpleasant.
In addition, we expect visa-free travel relations with Ukraine, that is under 90 days. And if we did not introduce regulatory mechanisms for inflow of a labour from Ukraine, in this case, it is necessary to be afraid of increase of volumes of illegal employment and, as a consequence, again increasing pressure on the reduction of salaries,” — said the head of the Economic chamber of the Czech Republic Vladimir Dlouhy.
