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Since the 2008 global financial crisis, out of all OECD countries the Czech Republic has seen the largest drop in immigration levels.
In 2007, prior to the financial crisis, over 100,000 people immigrated to the Czech Republic to find work. By 2009, that figure had dropped to 40,000, a larger percentage drop than Europe's worst hit economies.
An OECD report, 2011 International Migration Outlook, stated that migration into OECD countries in general fell by about 7 percent in 2009, to 4.3 million people.
According to recent data the trend continued in 2010.
"The decline is particularly marked in Asian OECD countries and in most of Europe, notably the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Switzerland," the report stated.
The study also found that movement between European Union countries fell by 22 percent in 2009. Germany was the only country to not see a decline in immigration numbers in 2009.
However, permanent immigration to Australia, Canada, and the United States increased during the same year. In 2007 and 2008, the Czech Republic was one of the most popular countries for immigration, ranking 12 amongst OECD countries.
The drop in immigration levels since then is blamed on lower demand for labour as well as Czech bureaucracy. Immigrants are required to provide a range of documents from a number of agencies, including from the applicant's home Country's embassy. Moreover, the process can take months.
