Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

5. Erasmus+ traineeships

An Erasmus+ traineeship is not automatically treated in the same way as a study exchange. Your Czech residence permit may allow you to travel, but it does not automatically give you the right to carry out a traineeship or work in another country.

The most important rule Entry permission, residence permission and permission to perform the traineeship are separate questions. This may apply even when the traineeship is unpaid, required by your studies or supported by an Erasmus+ grant.

5.1 Check three separate requirements

Question	What it concerns	What may be required
May I enter?	Your nationality, passport, Czech residence document, destination and planned duration.	Visa-free entry, use of a valid Czech residence document, or a national entry visa.
May I stay?	The legal basis for remaining in the destination country for the full traineeship period.	Short-stay status, national long-stay visa, residence permit, trainee permit or another authorisation.
May I perform the traineeship?	National employment, labour, trainee and professional rules.	Work permit, trainee authorisation, employer notification, approved training agreement or professional clearance.

Do not rely only on the host organisation. The host should help you, but the competent embassy, consulate, immigration authority or labour authority determines the applicable legal procedure.

5.2 Traineeship of up to 90 days

In the Schengen Area, a valid Czech residence permit or long-term visa may normally cover entry and a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This does not authorise the traineeship itself. National rules may still require permission or notification.

Check the 90/180-day calculation, including your previous travel in other Schengen countries.
Ask whether the traineeship is considered work, training or another regulated activity under national law.
Confirm whether the host organisation must submit a notification or obtain approval.
Check whether paid and unpaid placements are treated differently.
Do not begin the traineeship until all required permissions are in place.

For the short-stay calculation and travel documents, also read Section 3 - Short stays of up to 90 days.

5.3 Traineeship longer than 90 days

A traineeship longer than 90 days normally requires a national long-stay procedure, such as a trainee visa, residence permit or work authorisation.

Do not automatically use the study-mobility procedure The intra-EU mobility procedure described in Section 4 is designed for students carrying out part of their studies. A Czech study residence permit does not automatically transfer to another country as authorisation for a traineeship. The destination authority must confirm the correct category.

Directive (EU) 2016/801 has a separate category for trainees. Conditions may include a formal training agreement, higher-education evidence, sufficient resources, relevance to your studies and proof that the placement does not replace a regular job.

If the traineeship is formally integrated into your curriculum and the host university considers it part of a study mobility, ask the host university and immigration authority to confirm in writing whether it can be processed under a student route. Do not make this classification yourself.

5.4 Paid and unpaid traineeships

Paid traineeship Payment by the host may cause the activity to be treated as employment or another remunerated activity. Work authorisation, payroll, tax and social security rules may apply.

Unpaid traineeship The absence of salary does not automatically remove immigration, labour or trainee requirements. Some countries have a specific legal category for unpaid training.

An Erasmus+ grant is financial support for mobility. It does not itself prove that the destination country considers your placement paid, unpaid, employed or exempt from a work permit.

Ask the host to confirm your contract type, payment or benefits, working hours, legal relationship and whether it has previously hosted non-EU trainees resident in another country.

5.5 Your Training Agreement is essential, but may not be sufficient

The Erasmus+ Learning Agreement describes the placement, but authorities may require a separate national agreement or additional information.

The documentation should clearly identify:

the host organisation and workplace;
the educational objectives and learning outcomes;
the exact start and end dates;
working or training hours;
tasks and practical activities;
supervision arrangements;
the legal relationship with the host;
any salary, allowance or other financial contribution; and
insurance and responsibility for workplace risks where required.

The destination authority may require its own form, official translations, certified copies or additional clauses. The Erasmus+ agreement does not override national immigration or labour law.

5.6 Documents commonly required

The exact requirements differ by country, but prepare to provide:

a valid passport;
your valid Czech residence card or Czech long-term visa;
confirmation of enrolment at CZU or proof of a recent higher education degree;
an Erasmus+ nomination or grant confirmation;
the Learning Agreement for Traineeships and any national training agreement;
an invitation or contract from the host organisation;
a detailed description of tasks, supervision, hours and remuneration;
proof of sufficient financial resources and accommodation;
health, accident and travel insurance;
professional liability insurance where relevant;
a work permit, trainee authorisation or proof of employer notification where required; and
criminal-record, medical, qualification or professional documents if required for the sector.

5.7 Regulated and sensitive sectors

Additional checks may apply in healthcare, veterinary care, laboratories, work with children, regulated professions, food or animal work, and activities involving confidential data. Ask about qualification recognition, medical checks, vaccinations, background checks and professional registration before booking travel.

5.8 Ask the host organisation these questions

Under national law, is this placement treated as employment, a traineeship, practical study or another activity?
Do I need a visa, residence permit, work permit or trainee authorisation?
Does the host organisation have to submit a notification or application?
Are the rules different because the traineeship is paid or unpaid?
Which authority can confirm the procedure in writing?
Must I complete any registration after arrival?
Are there sector-specific, insurance, tax or social security obligations?

Recommended wording:

“I am a non-EU citizen holding a Czech [exact type and purpose of document], valid until [date]. I will complete an Erasmus+ traineeship at [host] from [date] to [date]. The traineeship will be [paid/unpaid]. Please confirm which immigration, residence, trainee or work authorisation is required, who must apply and whether I must wait for approval before starting.”

5.9 Special situations

Seek individual advice if:

your Czech document expires or its extension is pending;
you hold protection or a non-study Czech status;
the traineeship continues after graduation or termination of studies;
you combine it with another job or remote work; or
the destination or transit country is outside Schengen.

For expiring documents and pending extensions, read Section 7 - Special situations. Holders of protection status should also read Section 6.

5.10 Quick checklist before departure

Identify the exact type, purpose and expiry date of your Czech residence document.
Confirm the exact traineeship dates, host, tasks, hours and payment conditions.
Check the entry and residence rules for the full duration.
Check whether the activity requires a work permit, trainee authorisation or host notification.
Obtain the required visa, permit or written confirmation before starting.
Arrange health, accident, travel and professional liability insurance as required.
Check local registration, tax, social security and sector-specific obligations.
Keep copies of all approvals and host confirmations.
Carry your passport, Czech residence document, Training Agreement and immigration documents when travelling.

Do not start the traineeship until both your stay and the activity itself are legally authorised.

Where to continue: Check your destination in Section 8 - Destination-specific rules. Also complete Section 9 - Document checklist and Section 10 - Timeline and responsibilities.

Official sources

This section provides general orientation only. The competent authorities of the destination country decide whether you may enter, stay and carry out the traineeship.

SECTION 5 - Erasmus+ traineeships