1. Living and Working in The Czech Republic Jana Kačenová

2. General information about the Czech Republic
Situated in the ´heart´ of Europe
Bordering countries: Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Austria
Three historical regions: Bohemia, Moravia and the Czech part of Silesia
Population: 10,3 million (Italy 58,5 million)
Area: km2 (Italy km2)
Currency: Czech Crown (Kč/CZK) 1€= CZK 25
Internet domain: .cz

3. Regions in the Czech Republic 77 Labour Offices - of which 14 are regional

4. Main economic indicators
GDP ,6% (Average Annual in 2007)
Inflation ,8% (Avrg. Annual Consumer Price Indices 2007)
Unemployment rate 5,9% (31st March 2008)
EUROSTAT data – unemployment (February 2008):
Czech Republic 4,8%
EU27 7,1%

5. Useful numbers (31st March 2008)
Wages
Current minimum monthly wage CZK €320
Average gross monthly wage CZK €937
(4th Q 2007)
Jobseekers x vacancies
(moving average workforce )
Unemployed (5,9%)
Registered vacancies (labour offices)
Average number of applicants per 1 vacancy 2,4
(March 2007: 4,3)

6. Regional unemployment (31st March 2008)
6,0%
10,9%
4,5%
7,4%
9,3%
2,2%
6,9%
5,5%
4,2%
4,4%
5,7%
6,8%
6,1%
4,6%

7. Foreign labour force from EU in the Czech Republic (March 2008 – total workforce - moving average )
Slovakia
Poland
Bulgaria
Romania
Germany
United Kingdom
France
Austria
Italy
10. Netherlands

8. Foreign Labour force from non-EU countries – workpermits (March 2008 – total workforce - moving average )
Ukraine
Mongolia
Vietnam
Moldavia
Russia
USA
Uzbekistan
China
Macedonia
Bosna Herzegovina

9. Working in the Czech Republic
Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not need a work permit
Registration at Labour Office –
obligation of the employer (latest on the first day of the employment)
Residence permit – entitled to apply when staying more than 3 months
– Ministry of Interior – Information for foreigners of M.o.I.

10. Looking for work EURES EURES part of the Public Employment Services,
provides information about job offers,
living and working conditions etc.
15 EURES advisers
in labour offices in regional towns and in Prague
More information on:

11. Looking for work Labour offices
Services of Labour Offices
wide range of service open to public:
job placement, retraining, consultation,
counselling, services to schools,
control activities, protection of employees
Vacancies displayed in all labour offices (77)
- on information boards
(paper form, leaflets)
- on-line on website of labour offices
(clients can use PC self-service kiosks)

12. Looking for work Media Main newspapers for advertising vacancies:
Mladá fronta DNES
special supplement Zaměstnání on Thursdays
Hospodářské noviny
special supplement Kariéra on Mondays
Job advertisements are published in all daily press in special supplements or columns.

13. Looking for work Internet
see list of other job servers

14. Looking for work Recruitment agencies
Private personnel agencies must have
a licence for mediatory services issued by
the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Database of licenced agencies:
Personnel agencies are not allowed to ask
for any charge from job seekers!
(Employment Act No. 435/2004)

15. Looking for work Recruitment agencies
Nearly licenced agencies in the CR
Biggest recruitment agencies:
MANPOWER
ADECCO
GRAFTON
START
Agencies can be specialized in recruiting:
at certain educational/professional levels
in target countries or target groups

16. Looking for work Personal contacts
Web sites
companies have their own web sites
with job offers (on-line application forms)
Yellow pages (available in English)
Browsers
see list of other browsers

17. What is needed when looking for work?
Language skills
Curriculum vitae
typed, structured, EUROPASS form,
common to attach pictures
Cover letter, references
Interview
get details of the company
Extract from the criminal register (when working with money, children)
Health certificate (when working with food)
Psychological tests

18. Living in the Czech Republic
Registering in the territory of the CR
(accommodation provider, automatically)
Residence permit EU citizens do not need a special permission to stay
Stays longer than 3 months - entitled to apply for
´permission to stay for a citizen of a European Communities member state´
(Application is submitted to the Foreigner's Police in the CR)
– Ministry of Interior
– Information portal for foreigners

19. Social and Health Insurance
Social Security Administration
Health Insurance Company
EU workers do not need to register with
tax/social security authorities –
employer does so on their behalf
No special fiscal or social number
health insurance: (compulsory) health care
social insurance: illness, unemployment and
other social situation (maternity, old age, etc.)

20. Deductions from earnings (in %)
employee employer
Health insurance 4, ,0
Social insurance , ,0
Change in income taxes for fiscal year 2008: flat income tax 15%
(for fiscal year 2009: flat income tax 12,5%)
- Ministry of Finance

21. Healthcare
General medical services are free - compulsory health insurance (In 2008 – patients´partial contribution for hospital stays, visits to GP, prescriptions etc.)
When employed in the Czech Republic employer registers employees with Insurance Institution
Charges are usually made for
non-standard treatments

22. Working conditions Working time:
40 hours a week (reduced to 38,5 in 2 shift work operations
and 37,5 hrs in 3 shift work operations)
8 hours a day (in shift work operations 12 hrs shifts)
30 minutes break after 6 hours of work
Holidays:
basic annual leave is 4 weeks (many employers offer 5 weeks)

23. Employment Required content of work contract work position
place of work
work starting date
Other arrangements
salary, description of work position, benefits etc.
Conclusion of employment contract
2 months notice period (if not arranged otherwise)
trial period of 3 months

24. Employee´s Rights and Obligations
State Labour Inspection Authority
regular open hours at local labour offices
Trade unions Czech - Moravian Confederation
of Trade Uninons

25. Unemployment
Unemployed people can register with Labour Office as job seekers
Entitled to unemployment benefits if they prove at least 12 months of work within the past 3 years preceding the submission of application
Amount of benefits:
50% in first 3 months and 45% for the remaining months of the average monthly salary in the last job
Unemployment benefits paid for 6 months (longer under certain criteria, eg. over 50 yrs, special needs, etc.)

26. Accommodation
Availability of accommodation and prices depend upon geographical location
Deposit is often charged if you rent a flat
(usually a 3-months rent)
A lot of rent and sales offers can be found
in local or national newspapers or internet:
Average rental of one bedroom flat around
7000 CZK/month (€280)
(Flat shares are cheaper, Prague – most expensive)
To find suitable long-term accommodation use estate agencies!

27. Banking Salaries are almost always paid into a bank account
To open up a bank account, you need a
valid ID/passport and some amount as the entrance deposit
Most banks have a help line to provide information

28. Recognition of qualifications
Recognition of qualification is necessary
for work in any of the regulated professions
List of regulated professions in the Czech Republic is available on the website of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

29. EURES Czech Republic national website http://portal.mpsv.cz/eures

33. Labour market – labour force -Shortages-
Mechanical engineering technicians
Electrical Engineering technicians
Civil engineering technicians
CNC operators
Teachers of technical subjects
Tool-makers
Joiners, carpenters
Welders, fitters
Plastic processing machine operators
Manufacturing operators
Drivers

34. Labour market – labour force -Shortages-
Medical staff
Sales representatives
Sales staff
Security agent lower
Chefs, waiters/tenders
Traditional vocational trainees (apprenticeship leavers)
Workers in food-processing industry
Assembly lines operators
Workers for shift work in general

35. Labour market – labour force +Surpluses+
Administrative workers
Agricultural workers
(livestock, plant production)
Seasonal unemployment – gardeners, forestry workers, construction workers

36. Thank you for your attention!
Any questions?

37. Jana Kačenová
EURES adviser – Central Region
Labour Office in Příbram
The Czech Republic