Unemployment in the Czech Republic remained stable at 4.2% in June, mirroring May’s rate. Although the number of unemployed individuals slightly declined to 315,465, the labor market saw a modest increase in job openings, reaching nearly 98,700. Compared to the same month last year, unemployment rose by 0.6 percentage points, with over 42,000 more job seekers now registered.

This steady national trend masks regional differences. Prague continues to report the lowest unemployment at 3.2%, while the Ústí nad Labem Region remains the highest at 6.5%. Only minor month-to-month changes were observed in a few regions, but year-on-year increases were more pronounced in Karlovy Vary, Liberec, and Moravian-Silesian regions.

District-level data highlights even sharper contrasts. Areas like Most and Karviná face unemployment rates nearing or exceeding 9%, whereas several districts, including Prague-East and Rychnov nad Kněžnou, maintain rates below 3%. The number of newly registered job seekers dipped slightly from May but remains higher than last year, with many using online registration tools.

Despite the rise in job seekers, employers continue to post new vacancies, particularly in construction, logistics, and hospitality. On average, there are 3.2 applicants per job opening, though competition is much higher in some districts like Karviná. The labor office notes that its vacancy data doesn’t capture the full scope of the job market, as many positions are filled through other channels.

Source: ceskenoviny.cz

Author: CzechInvest and CzechTrade Office in New York