Czechia allows its citizens to hold dual or multiple nationalities, in line with EU regulations, and does not enforce a policy of single nationality. As a result, the country has seen a notable increase in the number of foreign nationals over the years.
According to official statistics, by the end of last year, 1,065,740 foreigners resided in Czechia, marking a fourteen-fold increase since 1993. One of the primary factors behind this surge has been Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to the arrival of around half a million Ukrainian refugees in 2022 alone.
Russians have also been a significant part of the growing foreign population. Between 2019 and 2022, Russian nationals accounted for approximately 20 percent of all foreign nationals granted Czech citizenship. Last year alone saw a nearly five percent increase in Russian citizens obtaining residency or citizenship in the country.
However, despite the growing presence, the Russian minority remains relatively small, with around 40,000 Russian nationals holding temporary or permanent residence permits, representing less than 0.4 percent of the population.
This demographic shift has raised concerns about loyalty, particularly in light of Russia's ongoing political tensions. According to Czech politician Pavel Exner, there are concerns that some Russian nationals may view Czechia as an enemy state, raising the potential for political manipulation by Russia in the future. Exner emphasized that these individuals might need to decide where their allegiance lies—Czechia or Russia.