Construction companies: Building cannot be done without Ukrainians, the visa process needs to be shortened

Prague - Construction companies in the Czech Republic cannot do without Ukrainian workers, and this is year-round. This follows from statements made by companies contacted by ČTK today. The recruitment process for Ukrainians takes about half a year, which is too long in relation to the duration of construction projects. Builders would therefore welcome an easier issuance of long-term visas. Ukraine is currently facing aggression from Russia, which has recognized the independence of two separatist republics in eastern Ukraine and sent its troops there.

Ukrainian workers are sought after in construction because they adapt well to the local environment and culture, said Strabag spokesperson Edita Novotná. "They occupy not only manual and skilled trades but also positions of technical and economic workers, where specialized secondary or higher education is required," she told ČTK.

Most workers from Ukraine are in the Czech Republic on long-term visas under the employee cards regime. "Given the truly desperate shortage of Czech workers in the local labor market, we would welcome if the process of issuing these cards could be as short as possible," the spokesperson stated.

Ukrainian workers are needed not only in construction but also in administration, added Vojtěch Kostiha, spokesperson for the Metrostav Group. According to him, the current legislation for their employment is in such poor condition that the recruitment process takes up to half a year, which is long in relation to the duration of construction projects. "In the Metrostav group, we therefore only employ so-called non-foreigners, which includes all EU citizens. Thus, we have Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, Hungarians, Poles, and recently, for example, Finns," Kostiha said.

General contractors usually utilize the services of subcontractors. Only they have the capacity to deal with the complex recruitment of Ukrainian employees for specific activities or to hire these workers through employment agencies. Vladimir Bešta, production and sales director of ground construction at Skanska, stated that in some professions at their subcontractors, Ukrainians make up to 80 percent of all employees.

The need for Ukrainian workers in the Czech construction sector is year-round, according to company representatives. "In road construction, which is more dependent on climatic conditions, the greatest need is from March to December, while in ground construction, seasonality practically does not play a role," Novotná added.

"If we were to talk about a certain form of 'seasonality', it would relate to connections with significant holidays, typically December and Christmas. During this period, there may be and is a certain slowdown in construction production," clarified Jiří Nouza, president of the Association of Entrepreneurs in Construction.

In Ukraine, St. Nicholas, who brings gifts to children, is celebrated on December 19. Christmas celebrations officially end only on the Epiphany, January 19. This applies to both Ukrainian Greek Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

Kostiha sees the year-round demand for labor also as a result of climate change. "There hasn't been a real winter in the Czech Republic for several years," he stated. However, according to him, the weather is not a factor that would negatively affect the timeline of construction work. If something delays projects, it is according to Kostiha the shortage of construction materials, inflation undermining construction budgets, and the lack of quality personnel, which should be resolved by simplifying work visas for Ukrainian workers.

The number of Ukrainians living or working in the Czech Republic has recently been increasing. In January 2022, Czech labor offices reported a total of 198,470, which is a quarter more year-on-year. Compared to pre-COVID January 2020, their number has increased by 38 percent.