1. Work permit, residency permit
2. How to find a job?
3. Job application
4. Recognition of qualifications
5. Employment contracts
6. Minimum wage
7. Income tax
8. Social security
9. Loss of employment
10. Healthcare and insurance
11. Useful links
1. Work permit, residency permit
Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland do not require work permit or residency permit in the Czech Republic. If you wish to stay in the Czech Republic for longer than 3 months, you are entitled (but in no way obliged) to apply for a certificate of temporary residence.
Citizens of the EU must register their place of residency in the Czech Republic within 30 days of entering the country with the Foreign Police if they intended stay will be longer than 30 days. This obligation does not apply to you if the person accommodating you reports your place of residence.
2. How to find a job?
Many positions require active knowledge of the Czech language, which is often a key to successfully finding work.
EURES network
www.eures.europa.eu
European job mobility portal offers jobseekers not only information about living and working conditions and the possibility to search for vacancies from the database of Labour Office CZ, but users of the portal can also create their own account and post their CV.
www.eures.cz
Information about living and working conditions can be found on the Czech EURES portal or contact EURES advisers in the Czech Republic: www.eures.cz/kontakt
Job offers registered with the Labour Office: employment
Internet
Great sources of job offers are various internet portals. These sites often allow you to post your CV online and make it available to employers.
www.jobs.czwww.expats.cz
www.profesia.czwww.manpower.cz
www.prace.czwww.hyperprace.cz
www.hotjobs.czwww.jobmaster.cz
Private employment agencies
When looking for work in the Czech Republic through an employment agency, it is important to make sure that the agency is holding a licence to recruitment services.
Contact information for licensed agencies: employment-agencies
No fees may be charged for arranging employment. Many agencies have their own websites, where you will find the necessary information and job offers.
3. Job application
The common application procedure is to respond to job offers at the Labour Office and on the Internet. You should as soon as possible reply to a job offer you have chosen. Employers usually provide email address to which candidates are asked to send their CV and cover (motivation) letter. When you send your application, you can expect an answer within several days or weeks. Employers will usually invite you to a personal interview. It is not exceptional that you do not receive any answer if the employer is not interested in your profile. During the job interview, the applicants are required to submit their qualifications and educational documents (diploma, language courses, welding licence, etc.).
4. Recognition of qualifications
The recognition of foreign qualifications is required for certain professions in the Czech Republic. These are regulated professions and it will be necessary to have your qualifications recognized by the respektive authority in the Czech Republic. Regulated professions are jobs and activities, which are subject to special requirements that must be met (e.g. degree and type of education, prior experience, lack of any criminal conviction, etc.).
Database of regulated professions in the Czech Republic: www.msmt.cz/mezinarodni-vztahy/databaze-regulovanych-povolani
Database of regulated professions in the EU: ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/regprof/index.cfm
Recognition of foreign university education
Graduates of foreign colleges and universities can apply for the recognition of their foreign academic achievements and qualifications. Academic recognition takes place on the basis of a detailed comparison of study plans, resulting in a decision as to whether the education obtained abroad is equal with education provided in the Czech Republic.
Recognition of foreign academic credentials is decided by public universities. In some cases, certification for recognition is provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. A necessary prerequisite is possession of documentation concerning studies or the completion of studies. Recognition does not apply to specialist courses (e.g. massage, cosmetics, etc.) undertaken abroad since they are not degree courses.
5. Employment contracts
In the Czech Republic, employment negotiations include an employment contract, whether the job be for a fixed-term or indefinite period. The contract must be in writing. The employment contract must contain the type of work the employee is to carry out for the employer, the location at which work is to take place and the day when employment begins. Under normal circumstances, a trial period of three months will be included in the contract. During this period either you or your employer may terminate employment immediately without giving a reason. The employment relationship may be broken off only by agreement, termination, dismissal and dismissal during the trial period.
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
State Labour Inspection Office Inspection Office: www.suip.cz
6. Minimum wage
Minimum monthly wage in the Czech Republic is 18.900 CZK since January 1st 2024.
7. Income tax
The personal income tax rate has been set at a flat rate 15 % from the supergross wage. The employer deducts tax, social and health insurance from your salary.
Ministry of Finance: www.mfcr.cz
Czech Republic Administration Portal: www.portal.gov.cz
8. Social security
Every person working in the Czech Republic has social security insurance through the Czech Social Security Administration. 6.5 % is deducted from the gross pay of employees for these purposes.
Sick leave
If you become ill, you are required to notify your employer on the first day of your illness related absence and deliver a work inability note from your doctor to your employer.
Czech Social Security Administration: www.cssz.cz
State Social Support: https://www.uradprace.cz/socialni-tematika
9. Loss of employment
If you lose employment in the Czech Republic, you have the opportunity to register at the local labour office. You must register in person. When going to register, do not forget to bring your ID and documents verifying your last employment (employment credit sheet or the U1 form) and your academic achievements.
Unemployment benefits
Employment applicants are entitled to unemployment benefits if they prove at least 12 months of employment in last 24 months. Periods of employment in other EU/EEA countries and Switzerland will also be taken into account on the basis of submission of Form U1. Unemployment benefits are paid to job applicants for a time period of 5 to 11 months (depending on age). Unemployment benefits are paid in first two months 65 %, next two months 50 %, remaining period 45 % (of the average net monthly income). If you finish your job without serious reason or by agreement with employer, you are entitled only to 45 % at all times.
Export of unemployment benefits
If you are unemployed and have the right to unemployment payments in the country in which you last worked (EU/EEA or Switzerland) and wish to seek employment in the Czech Republic, you may request that your payment be exported to the Czech Republic.
10. Healthcare and insurance
Before leaving for the Czech Republic, you should remember to visit your medical insurance provider. This is because in order to receive medical care in the Czech Republic, you will need a special form or the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is issued by the medical insurance provider in your home country. You will need to obtain the form before travelling to the Czech Republic. The same applies to your family members.
Once you have settled in the Czech Republic and started work on the basis of an employment contract, your healthcare costs will be covered by the health insurance in the Czech Republic. Employer will register you. Public hospitals are used primarily in the Czech Republic. Healthcare is free of charge (regulated fees are charged, however, for visits to the doctor, prescription medications, hospital stays, etc.) if you are insured by a Czech health insurance company or hold an EHIC card.
Medicines prescribed by your physician are partially reimbursed by your health insurance. You must pay the full price of over-the-counter medicaments. 4.5 % is deducted from the gross pay of employees for health insurance. For more information on health insurance and disability payments, contact any local health insurance branch.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC): https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559
Health Insurance Bureau: www.kancelarzp.cz
Ministry of Health: www.mzcr.cz
11. Useful links
Official website of the Czech Republic: www.czech.cz
Ministry of Interior: www.mvcr.cz
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports: www.msmt.cz
Czech business web portal: www.businessinfo.cz