You may have just arrived in the Czech Republic, but it is not too early to begin thinking about the day you return home, perhaps with a new research position in hand and the prospect of a new beginning, that of your professional career. Preparing for the surprises that often greet travellers after an extended period abroad will enable you to turn what is often a very awkward timo into a productive one.
- Keep in touch with home
- Build your networking groups
- Take advantage of your experience in the Czech Republic
- Prepare for reverse culture shock – it can be as powerful as the shock of your first months in the Czech Republic, but there are ways to prepare yourself.
Checklist for Researchers Departing the Czech Republic
Please make sure that before your departure, you check the following:
- Termination of your employment contract – please visit your HR Officer and discuss with him/her what is necessary. Make sure you obtain all relevant records. Take unused vacation days.
- Health insurance - your VZP health insurance will cease at the end of your employment contract at CZU. Please make sure you have then valid health insurance:
- EU/EEA and Switzerland citizen - if you stay in the Czech Republic and you are not employed, we recommend registering with the health insurance company as an “OBZP - Osoba bez zdanitelných příjmů” a person without taxable income and pay for the insurance yourself. More information is here: https://www.vzp.cz/platci/informace/obzb on https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=563.
- third-country nationals: you are advised to purchase commercial health insurance for you and your family members for the whole duration of your stay in the Czech Republic after the termination of your employment.
- Social security insurance - CZU contributes mandatory payments to your social security system, and this payment will be terminated when you end your employment at CZU. Please contact CZU HR department and obtain your Pension insurance documents (Evidenční list důchodového pojištění. For more information, please contact CZU Welcome Centre or the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ).
- EU/EEA and Switzerland citizens: your coverage will continue. It is important to check your A1 certificate for relevant country legislation. For more information, please https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/index_en.html and https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/social-security-forms/index_en.html.
- third-country nationals: please check if the bilateral agreement between your country and the Czech Republic exists here: https://www.cssz.cz/web/cz/prehled-smluv-uzavrenych-cr. If such an agreement does not apply to your country, you are not entitled to apply for any refund. However, if you continue to stay in the EU region, you can apply to transfer your funds. Please contact CZU Welcome Centre or CZU HR Department for more information.
- Accommodation – make sure that you terminate your housing contract, notify your landlord/CZU Residence Halls in writing of your departure that you intend to leave, ask for the deposit to be returned (if any), and hand over the keys. Cancel utility payments, get water, electricity, and gas meter readings, and make a photo.
- Notify your telephone/internet and property insurance providers when to discontinue your services.
- Bank account - make sure that you have a valid bank account in order to receive your last salary and any income tax returns.
- Stay in Touch – leave your forwarding address (reliable address in the Czech Republic or your home country), telephone number and email with the Welcome Centre and CZU HR Office in order to forward you all the necessary documents.
- Return all borrowed books, articles, and any CZU keys/cards to your supervisor.
- Return your long-term residence permit card to the Ministry of Interior or send it via post. (third country nationals only)
The CZU Welcome Centre team wishes you all the best in your future endeavours and hopes you will have nice memories of Prague and the Czech Republic. Please stay in touch!