Following the governmental document “Concept of Integration of Foreigners”, Refugee Facilities Administration of Ministry of Interior gradually opened 14 Centres for Support of Integration of Foreigners (“CPIC” or “Centres”) since 2009. They are in 10 regions: Central Bohemia, South Bohemia, Karlovy Vary Region, Liberec Region, Moravian-Silesian Region, Olomouc Region, Pardubice Region, Plzeň Region, Zlín Region and Vysočina Region.

Other similar centres were established in the 4 remaining regions by different organizations – in Prague it is Prague City Hall, in South Moravia it is Regional Office of the South Moravian Region, in Ústí nad Labem Region it is non-governmental organization The Counselling Centre for Integration and in Hradec Králové Region, it is Diocesan Catholic Charity of Hradec Králové.

Goal of the Centres is to create space for a long term and conceptual support of the integration of foreigners into majority society. They form a complex network throughout the country, which ensures the implementation of the integration policy of the Czech Republic in relation to the target group.

Centres’ operation is covered from the state budget, respectively, from the budget of Refugee Facilities Administration of Ministry of Interior on the basis of the amendment to Act 326/1999 Coll., the Act on the Residence of Foreigners. Based on the same amendment, the Centres organize the mandatory adaptation-integration courses from 1 January 2021.

Between 2009 and 2020 the operation of the Centres was paid from the EU budget, specifically from European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals (2009 – 2015) and from Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2015 – 2020).

Target Group: 
Foreigners legally residing in the Czech Republic and other individuals who have been granted international protection – asylum or subsidiary protection.

Services:
All below mentioned services are offered for free in all Centers in support of the integration of foreigners; a current offer, including a timetable is available in tab pages of individual workplaces on these Internet pages.

The CPIC operation includes not only the regional capital but it also covers the whole region, in case of the Center workplaces in the Central Bohemian Region, they operate in the assigned region.

Activities for Clients:
– Social counselling
– Legal counselling
– Czech language courses
– Interpreting services
– Sociocultural courses
– Operation of the Internet station and library
– Community workers
– Education, cultural, and social events

Coordination Activities:
– Regular meetings of the platform
– Cooperation with all relevant partners in integration activities, especially regions, local administrations, and employers, in solving the impact of labor migration in individual regions

– Monitoring of the target group in the region