Since the Czech Republic joined the European Union in 2004, migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina has formed a small but distinctive element of Czechia’s increasingly diverse migration landscape. This article explores the evolution, integration, and retention of Bosnian migrants within the broader framework of Czech migration governance, focusing on how institutional credibility and societal openness contribute to migrant attraction and long-term settlement. Although numerically modest, the Bosnian community represents an important case for understanding how smaller post-Yugoslav diasporas adapt within the context of a rapidly transforming Central European state. The analysis situates Bosnian migration within the national shift that turned Czechia from a country of emigration into one of immigration and examines the mechanisms that sustain this transition. Methodologically, the article relies on secondary sources and policy analysis rather than primary fieldwork. It synthesizes statistical data from the Czech Statistical Office and official reports issued by the Ministry of the Interior, as well as findings from relevant non-governmental organizations. This interpretative approach provides a comprehensive overview of institutional and societal dynamics, while acknowledging the limitations of secondary-data research. The analytical framework draws on Joseph S. Nye’s concept of soft power (1990, 2004) to explain how legal frameworks, integration centers, and civil-society actors function as indirect instruments of non-coercive influence in migration governance. Comparative references to Austria, Germany, and Slovenia highlight the differing strategies of integration and retention across Central Europe, showing how Czechia’s understated, institution-based approach has produced stable yet often invisible outcomes for smaller migrant groups. The article argues that while the Czech model demonstrates considerable inclusiveness and administrative reliability, the absence of targeted retention measures limits its long-term sustainability. Strengthening data collection, community representation, and retention-oriented initiatives could enhance Czechia’s position as a regional model of equitable and durable migration governance.

Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina, migration, soft power, European Union, Czechia