Czech Republic stops granting temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age

The Czech Republic has become the first EU country to announce it will stop granting temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age — effective August 5, 2026.

The announcement was made by Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar.

The new rules apply to men between the ages of 23 and 60. They will only be able to obtain temporary protection status if they can confirm they have fulfilled their military obligations — through the “Reserve+” application. The requirement applies to initial and renewed applications for the status, as well as applications made for the purpose of family reunification.

Metnar clarified, however, that the new rule will not affect Ukrainians who already hold temporary protection status in the Czech Republic and have maintained it continuously since the decision came into force. The minister also noted that the measures adopted “will reduce the number of new arrivals by tens of percent” and “ease the burden on the Czech healthcare and social welfare system.”

The country’s capacity is exhausted

According to the Czech outlet Novinky.cz, the Czech Republic leads the EU in the number of Ukrainian refugees per capita. The country’s authorities have repeatedly stated that “the country’s capacity is exhausted” and that a new influx of refugees could lead to a crisis.

As of today, more than 393,000 Ukrainian refugees are living in the Czech Republic. Up until 2025, women predominated among them, but last year men made up the majority of new applicants for temporary protection. Over the past twelve months, approximately 21,200 Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 65 arrived in the country, Novinky.cz reports.

The Czech decision is grounded in the EU’s position

The European Union has extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2028 — a status that allows them to reside and work in EU member states. At the same time, a Council of the EU decision indicates that newly arrived men who are unable to confirm they have fulfilled their military obligations under current Ukrainian law will no longer automatically receive the status.

The decision emphasizes that this requirement is being introduced “in view of Ukraine’s current defense needs.” EU member states must independently determine the list of documents that Ukrainian men are required to provide. The new rules apply only to applications submitted after August 5, 2026.