I study and want to do business

Anyone with a valid long-term residence visa or permit in the Czech Republic can do business and apply for a business license. Even if you are a student from non-EU country, you can get a business license and run a business in the Czech Republic, in addition to your studies. It is unrelated to your residence permit – as long as you actively continue your studies, and you don’t need to inform the Immigration office about starting/running a business.

You have two possibilities to become an entrepreneur.

1. Getting a business license „živnost“ as a physical person and becoming a self-employed freelancer is quite a straightforward and quick process. You can get the business license within a week and provide your services to clients worldwide. This is the preferred option for small, freelance businesses. Read more about how to get the business license here: www.brnoexpatcentre.eu/im-an-expat/become-self-employed
2. Starting a company as a legal entity takes more preparation, time, and money than simply becoming self-employed. This is the preferred option for a scalable business. Read more about the pros and cons of setting up a company here: www.brnoexpatcentre.eu/im-an-expat/setting-up-a-company

If you’re considering ending your studies in the Czech Republic and would like to switch to a residence permit for the purpose of freelancing or running a business, please note that changing the purpose of your stay to “business” is only possible after you have legally resided in the country for at least five years.

For more detailed information on long-term residence permits for business purposes, visit the official website of the Czech Ministry of the Interior: Long-term residence permit for the purpose of doing business.