Czech Republic suspends work visas for Vietnamese

The Czech Republic has stopped processing new applications for work or business visas by citizens of five countries, including Vietnam, for several weeks to curb the influx of cheap labor.

The affected countries are Moldova, Mongolia, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam, AFP quotes Czech foreign ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova as saying.

The suspension, which goes into effect on April 1, does not extend to tourist visas or to any visa applications already filed, she said.

The number of foreigners working legally in the Czech Republic started to fall last November as the global crisis began to pinch.

In early March, the Czech Republic resumed granting visas to Vietnamese nationals after halting them in November because of bribery complaints and fears of crime.

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