We can safely say that interest in working in the Czech Republic is unlikely to decrease in 2021, since the standard of living and salaries are slightly higher compared to neighboring countries. This is the main reason why niche citizens choose the Czech Republic as a country for employment. In the Czech Republic there is a lot of work on construction sites and in factories.
If you do not speak Czech, the employment process in the Czech Republic will not be more difficult than in other countries. Czech is a Slavic language, which means you will understand some words without problems. This will make your task easier and enhance interaction in work situations. Therefore, finding a job without knowing the language is possible and real. The only thing is that while working and living in the Czech Republic, it is still advisable to learn the Czech language if you want to move up the career ladder and generally improve communication in the work environment.
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Some statistics, figures and important information for those who are seriously looking for work in the Czech Republic
A person coming to work, a labor or economic migrant, as it is pleasant to say in Europe, will find the following information about the Czech Republic useful.
According to statistics (in real life, multiply by two) in the Czech Republic, every twentieth person is a labor migrant (ten and a half million inhabitants, more than half a million migrants), no one will look askance. Yes, soon there will be no one to joke about visitors!
Two organizations and two laws are the first thing that those who want to work legally in the Czech Republic should familiarize themselves with; they regulate all issues of staying in the territory, including visas and employment, protect the foreigner, and determine his position:
- MinisterstvovnitraČeskérepubliky - Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- ÚřadpráceČeskérepubliky Ministry of Employment, also known as the labor exchange;
- Zákon o pobytucizincůnaúzemíČeskérepubliky – law on the stay of a foreigner in the Czech Republic;
- Zákon o státnímobčanstvíČeskérepubliky – the law on citizenship in the Czech Republic.
Working in the Czech Republic without knowledge of the language is officially permitted for many vacancies. In the Czech Republic there is a practice of dual (triple) citizenship. The salaries of Czechs are indexed annually, so a small increase in prices in stores is not noticeable to them:
- 8,000 CZK is the minimum, which, as in the Russian Federation, does not promise anything tasty;
- CZK 30,000 – average before taxes (up to 40%, where half is paid by the employer and half by the employee).
After five years of legal work in the Czech Republic, you can obtain permanent residence.
Salaries in the Czech Republic
The highest paid professions in the country are company directors, top managers, and officers. The monthly income of these categories of workers can reach up to 6,000 euros. Salaries in the Czech Republic for professions that foreigners can count on are distributed as follows (indicated in euros):
- doctors – up to 2500;
- programmers – 1400-2400;
- accountants, economists – 1200-1900;
- engineers – 1200-1400;
- cooks – 500-800;
- waiters – 340-390.
Unskilled workers, depending on the scope of their abilities, can count on an amount from 300 to 700 euros. It should be noted that the currency in the republic is the crown, its exchange rate to the euro is 1:27.
The main reasons for choosing the Czech Republic as a place of work:
- Small, at first glance, salaries are more than compensated for by state support for mortgages, tax cuts, special attention is paid to young families, and increasing the birth rate.
- In the Czech Republic, medium and small businesses are very developed, opening your own business is quite easy, and bureaucratic obstacles are minimal.
- If the business and work of a foreigner is beneficial to the Czech Republic from an economic point of view and brings income to the country’s treasury, then there is a high probability of quickly obtaining a residence permit and permanent residence permit.
See also: Work in Germany 2021 for Belarusians
The advantages of working in the Czech Republic include low taxes compared to other European countries, free education, and low loan rates for the development of entrepreneurship.
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Foreigners, when choosing the Czech Republic as a country for work, often think about how comfortable life is there, whether it is convenient to move a family, and what awaits children. In general, the Czech Republic is a country with a low crime rate, well-developed transport links, inexpensive accommodation, and a favorable environmental situation - this is also a definite plus in favor of working in the Czech Republic.
Independent job search and intermediaries
Before going to work, many people have a question: should they do it on their own when looking for a job or turn to intermediaries? This issue is worth paying attention to:
- Intermediaries.
Russian or Czech intermediaries, as a rule, have a license for such activities. Naturally, finding employment in European countries through an intermediary is very convenient. When a person arrives in the country, he already knows where he will be employed, what salary awaits him, and where he will live.
Typically, companies completely take care of the preparation of all necessary documents, including a work permit, but this often costs quite a significant amount.
- Independent search.
For Russians who decide to go to work in the Czech Republic, searching for work on their own will not be difficult, since the country also has a kind of labor exchange called Urad prace. To find a suitable job, you just need to visit this office or go to their official website, where new vacancies are published every month. Here everything will be explained to you in great detail. In addition to the Czech Republic, you can also find out about vacancies throughout Europe.
When searching on your own, you shouldn’t be afraid of any fraud on the part of a potential employer; everyone here respects the law, so you definitely won’t be deceived.
A person faces some difficulties only at the initial stage of job search, so it is worth knowing some nuances:
- You need to find a job, on this basis get a work visa, only after that you can travel to the Czech Republic.
- Although some professions do not require knowledge of the language, it is worth mastering at least a certain minimum, otherwise the officials, although they will understand you, will not agree to take responsibility.
- It is also worth preparing the necessary package of documents and translating them from a Czech notary.
Even if the chosen job does not live up to expectations, you can always get a job at a low salary, for example, in a large store. Moreover, such work usually does not require knowledge of the language, and employment is completely official with all that it implies.
Job search sites in the Czech Republic
Jobs.cz is the most popular job search site with AlexaRank 15,667. The site is in Czech and English. The main page displays the logos of companies that post the most vacancies: O2, DHL, BOSCH, SAP, ŠKODA AUTO, etc.
In the English version, 1852 vacancies are vacancies where knowledge of the Czech language is not required at all. IT specialties and economic vacancies in international companies are most often available in English.
There are many more vacancies in the Czech version. How is the search carried out? In the Jakouprácihledáte field, enter the name of the profession, and in the Kde field, indicate the city where you are looking for a job. For example, we ask for a PHP programmer in Prague, and as a result of the search we are shown 99 full-time vacancies with a salary of 50,000 – 100,000 CZK per month.
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Prace.cz is the second largest job search site in Prague with AlexaRank 33,476. On the main page you see companies with the largest number of vacancies and a search field. In the search field you need to indicate your profession and city. You can also specify the salary and type of employment (full-time, part-time, crew).
At the request of a PHP programmer in Prague, I was offered 46 vacancies. As you can see, the number of vacancies is slightly less than on Jobs.cz
Linkedin is a social network for finding and establishing business contacts with 590 million users. I know that sometimes people find work here because... Using the questionnaire on the website, you can already draw up some portrait of the applicant.
Indeed.com is another international site with a Czech version, where a large number of vacancies are presented.
Company websites are a great opportunity to find work without intermediaries. This method of finding a job is especially popular among narrow specialists who are well versed in their field and know the main players in the market. I have more than once encountered the fact that some large international companies do not post their vacancies anywhere, but only publish them in a special section on their website.
Dating is also a good opportunity to find a job in the Czech Republic. This method, again, is good among narrow specialists, and friends who know your skills, level of education and abilities will help you pass the interview with minimal effort. And in neighboring Germany, moreover, an employee who brings a good specialist to the company, and the specialist gets a foothold in the workplace, is given a bonus of approximately 2000-2500 euros.
Relocation is the transfer of a company employee to a company office located abroad. This method is common in large IT companies. Those. a person gets a job somewhere in Belarus, so that he is then sent to work in an office in the USA or at least in Poland.
Open Day (OpenDay) at universities. If you are studying at a university in the Czech Republic, then some companies themselves organize special days where they present the company and a list of available vacancies. You can have an interview and get an internship and job right in the university building. Why do companies do this? And it’s simple: if a company needs to quickly hire 5-20 employees, then it is much faster and cheaper to do this in the bowels of a specialized university.
But, the main website for job seekers in the Czech Republic - citizens not from EU countries - is the website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic Mpsv.cz, where they post vacancies for which work permits have been issued for hiring foreigners.
What about the language? Is it possible to find a job in the Czech Republic without knowing the language?
Czechs have a neutral attitude towards migrants’ lack of language proficiency.
Firstly, this is politically correct, what if we are talking about refugees? By the way, refugees have every right to speak their own language and not have to take Czech when obtaining citizenship. If you reproach a refugee for something, you can get real punishment.
Secondly, the EU has blurred the boundaries of individual states, and labor flows come from all countries, not just poor ones or those with weak economies.
Thirdly, the group of Slavic languages has common roots and, in principle, Czechs can understand Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, unlike Syrian, Peruvian, and Chinese.
Jobs that require language
An employer may require language proficiency (passing an exam) for the following professions:
- bank employees;
- lawyers;
- sales managers;
- programmers;
- doctors.
Almost always, medical workers must pass a language minimum, otherwise they will not be allowed to practice.
In professions such as salesman, waiter, taxi driver, realtor, language is primarily necessary for the worker himself.
Jobs where language is not required
There are many jobs where knowledge of the language is not required, perhaps only everyday language for communication. We are talking about low-paid professions (washers, laborers, helpers, cleaners) or working for compatriots (in production, construction, in a company).
As an option, it is fashionable to replace the Czech language with English, but, of course, it all depends on the characteristics of the profession.
How can a foreigner obtain a work permit in the Czech Republic?
Stage 1. Draw up and sign an agreement with the employer.
See also: Work in Poland for Belarusians with accommodation vacancies 2020
Stage 2. Write an application for a particular card, having studied the list of documents and nuances on the website of the Czech Ministry of Labor.
There are two types of cards: labor and blue. Both are valid for no more than 2 years. But the first one is issued to those who get a job without a higher education (required - a salary level not lower than the minimum, as well as at least 15 hours of work per week). The second is with higher or special education (the duration of study is at least 3 years), and only in popular specialties. Both allow you to live and work in the country for the duration of the agreement. So what's the difference? If all requirements are met, the blue card is often issued faster and is also valid for another 3 months after the end of the contract.
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Labor and blue cards are more “high-quality” substitutes for a work permit, which obliges you to additionally obtain a residence permit for the purpose of work.
Stage 3. The next step is to obtain a work visa. Documents are submitted for a long-term visa type D. To apply, you need to contact the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in your country (you will also find a list of required documents there) and pre-register in the Visapoint system. The review period is no more than 3 months.
Stage 4 . After receiving a permit or card, as well as a visa, you come to the country to work. Within 60 days you will receive a residence permit card, and if desired, after 5 years - permanent residence.
Employment in the Czech Republic: features of the labor market
The Czech Republic is famous for its loyalty towards labor migrants, including those coming from Russia and other CIS countries. The basic rules for employment at any enterprise are standard: it is necessary that the employer legally registers the applicant for work, which will be confirmed by an employment contract or contract concluded for both short-term and long-term periods, as well as the issuance of an employment card.
Obtaining a long-term national visa for foreigners will not be a requirement. But it is prohibited to work without special permission in the country, so any ways to resolve this issue bypassing legal rules are fraught with deportation and a ban on visiting the country in the future.
Just as in other countries, in the Czech Republic the greatest prospects are for those applicants who speak the state language well. Many companies, especially international ones and those related to tourism and the service sector, welcome employees who speak English. Applicants who do not know the Czech language can only count on unskilled work that does not require communication with others.
Due to the fact that such work is much less valued and does not present any prospects, future labor migrants are advised to prepare in advance and also find out whether the educational diploma obtained in their home country will be accepted in this country. The fact is that in the Czech Republic there is a rule according to which diplomas in many cases require a nostrification procedure, that is, confirmation that the quality of knowledge obtained by a candidate for a vacancy meets the requirements in force in the country.
Based on the results of nostrification, the diploma holder has the opportunity to receive additional education in the Czech Republic or continue training in his field, as well as undergo retraining in a similar field on the basis of the local labor exchange
Despite the fact that Russians are willingly accepted for many vacant positions, there is a rule that all employers follow: having found a suitable vacancy through an advertisement or through the labor exchange, the applicant submits his candidacy for consideration. As a rule, he needs to wait for a decision for about a month, and if a Czech or a citizen of the European Union does not apply for this position, the Russian applicant will be officially admitted to the staff.
Minimum and average salary in the Czech Republic
Despite its rather long membership in the EU, the Czech Republic lags far behind other countries in terms of wages. Today, Czech incomes remain among the lowest in Europe. The minimum wage in the country at the beginning of 2021 was 9,900 crowns (approximately $400). However, only 4% of the population receives this much. The average in the Czech Republic is noticeably higher: 26 thousand crowns (about $1,100).
According to official statistics, financiers and insurers earn the most: approximately 53 thousand crowns per month ($2,200). In second place in terms of income are IT specialists and engineers: about 48 thousand crowns per month ($1,990). Workers in agriculture and the hotel business close the salary ranking: 19 thousand crowns per month ($790).
The average wage in the capital is approximately $1,350, which is 1.3 times higher than in the provinces. There are noticeably more high-income jobs in Prague and Brno. However, in small towns the requirements for foreign workers are much lower than in a metropolis, so getting a job there is not so difficult.
Taxes in the Czech Republic
- The employer contributes 25% of the wage fund to social insurance, and the employee another 6.5% of his salary.
- For medical support - 9% and 4.5%, respectively.
- The income tax that the employee is required to pay is another 15% of the salary.
A convenient online net salary calculator will help you understand how much you will have to pay in taxes each month.
Tax benefits are available to working students, disabled people and pensioners, parents with children, and specialists who have a dependent non-working spouse.
Employment requirements
In order to obtain the right to work in the Czech Republic, you must first obtain a special work permit. This can be a short-term or long-term work visa (for seasonal work) or a labor or Blue Card.
To obtain these permits, a foreigner must prepare the following documents:
- passport;
- confirmation of the availability of housing in the Czech Republic for the period of the planned stay;
- 1 photo;
- work contract or prior permission from the employer for employment;
- a document confirming the level of qualifications for obtaining the selected vacancy (nostrification is required for a diploma);
- summary;
- certificate of no criminal record;
- insurance.
Employment using a biometric passport
It is prohibited to work without a special labor permit in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, you can take advantage of the visa-free regime (for Ukrainians), come to the country with a biometric passport and apply for a labor or “Blue Card” upon arrival in the Czech Republic at one of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Russians and other citizens of CIS countries must obtain a long-term visa in advance to work in the republic.
Employment using the Blue Card
A prerequisite for working under the Blue Card is a diploma of completed higher or specialized education. Moreover, the period of study to obtain a Blue Card must be at least three years.
At the same time, the card is issued only to highly qualified specialists in in-demand areas. The maximum validity period of the card is 2 years, but it can be extended.
An application for an “EU Blue Card” can be submitted by a foreign citizen to the Czech embassy or – in certain cases – to the office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the territory of the Czech Republic, if you are already in the Czech Republic on a long-term visa, long-term residence permit or a “Blue Card”, issued by another EU state. An application for a card must be submitted in person.
Popular questions
When applying for a job abroad, many questions may arise. We recommend considering the most common ones that arise when finding employment in the Czech Republic.
Is it possible to get a job in the Czech Republic without knowing the Czech language?
Without knowing the language in the republic, you can get a job in logistics, manufacturing, gift wrapping and other work positions that do not require the use of language at work. In addition, many managers and curators working with immigrants from the CIS countries know Russian.
How can a student earn extra money in the Czech Republic?
Students can find available vacancies on the Internet and through employment agencies. In addition, they can also get information about work on the notice board at their university (most often such notices are posted at the department). Students can work as waiters, administrators, guides, builders, translators, and also earn extra money directly in their future specialty.
Do I need a work permit if I have an EU passport?
Citizens with an EU passport do not need a visa or other permission to travel, work or live in the Czech Republic. The only thing you need to do is to report your presence in the country to the Police Department for Foreigners at your place of residence within 30 days of arrival.
How much can migrant workers earn in the Czech Republic?
Salaries are highest in Prague. It is in this city that there are the most vacancies. The average salary in the Czech capital is about 2,300 euros. In Brno you can earn slightly less, on average almost 400 euros less. In third place is Ostrava, where there are fewer vacancies, and the pay for work is not as much as in Prague or Brno. The average salary in this city is 1,730 euros.
A qualified general practitioner can earn around 1,500 euros, while the salary of a practicing surgeon will be a thousand more. We are talking about take-home pay after deducting all taxes. A nurse in a Czech hospital earns between 600 and 850 euros. The orderly can count on a stable 550–600. Foreign doctors are also allowed to work on ambulances, where there is a substantial surcharge for difficult conditions.
Representatives of technical professions (engineers, metallurgical or chemical production technologists, etc.) can count on a net salary of 1,500–2,200 euros per month. In many ways, its size depends directly on the enterprise where the migrant worker works.
Information technology specialists can earn from 1,700 euros. In this case, the system administrator will be paid about 1,200 euros, and the project manager or software developer will be paid a thousand more.
Representatives of other professions can receive the following average monthly salaries:
- waiters - 400 euros;
- service workers of public catering establishments - from 400 to 500 euros;
- sellers in supermarkets and hotel staff - 450–650 euros;
- workers in the agricultural sector - from 500 to 800 euros.