How do I register a foreign national with a Czech health insurance company and the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ)?

Contributions, Insurance, and Obligations
Self-Employed Foreigners in the Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, all self-employed individuals must pay social security contributions to the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ). Health insurance (ZP) is mandatory for all foreign nationals who wish to reside in the Czech Republic. Without it, it is not possible to obtain a visa or a residence permit. There are several health insurance companies in the Czech Republic.

In connection with insurance, entrepreneurs have certain legal obligations:

• After registering their business, they pay monthly advance payments for both types of insurance (with exceptions, which we will explain below).
• In the first year of business, the amount of the advance payment is based on the average monthly wage in the national economy. The amounts valid for the current year can be found on the websites of the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) and health insurance companies (for example, here for VZP).
• Each spring, the business owner submits a statement of income and expenses to the health insurance company and the ČSSZ. In this statement, they compare the advance payments made with the amount they should have paid based on their actual income. If they paid less than they should have, they must pay the difference.
• Based on this summary, they also determine the amount of advance payments for the next period.

In addition to insurance premiums, self-employed individuals must register with the tax office when starting a business. At the end of the year, they file a tax return and pay income tax.

Enrollment of Foreign Self-Employed Individuals in Social
and health insurance

Would you like to hire us to help you start a business? What we can do for you as part of this service depends on your specific situation.

You were employed in the Czech Republic

You’ve been living here for some time, were employed, have Czech health insurance, and your employer paid social insurance for you, so the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) has assigned you an insured person’s registration number. In that case, we’ll set up your sole proprietorship and report the start of your business to your health insurance provider, the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ), and the tax office.

You have not been employed in the Czech Republic

If you’ve just arrived in the Czech Republic and are starting a business right away as a self-employed foreigner (you don’t have Czech health insurance and aren’t registered with the Czech Social Security Administration), we’d be happy to help you set up your business and register it with the tax office, but unfortunately we cannot register you with the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) or a health insurance company.

Social Insurance

The administrative procedures associated with initial registration with the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) have several exceptions and specific rules:

• As a foreign national, you have been paying social insurance in your home country, where those payments count toward your pension.
• However, you can only pay social insurance in one country, depending on where you primarily carry out your gainful employment.
• If you earn most of your income in the Czech Republic, you must submit Form A1 to the authorities in your home country to request that you be covered by the Czech social security system.
• When you apply for a pension in the future, you will need to submit documents showing where you paid social security contributions and for how long.

Health Insurance

Health insurance also depends on several factors. You can register with a Czech public health insurance company only if you meet at least one of the following conditions:

• you are an EU citizen;
• you are employed by a company based in the Czech Republic;
• you have permanent residence in the Czech Republic.

If you meet any of these conditions, contact your health insurance provider in your home country to find out how to proceed, and you can then register with the Czech public health insurance system. However, this does not apply to foreign nationals who are self-employed and do not meet any of the above conditions.

If, as a foreign national, you are not eligible for public health insurance, you should purchase commercial health or travel insurance here—though this is not always mandatory, as the Czech Republic has concluded bilateral health insurance agreements with certain countries (e.g., Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey). You must therefore verify the conditions and the correct procedure for your country of origin.

Summary: What does our business registration service include?

Do you want to start a business in the Czech Republic?

Get your business off the ground in the Czech Republic and order our online business registration service. Email or call us, and we’ll take care of everything remotely.