Job search through the Labor Office

Would you like to search for a job in the Czech Republic in cooperation with the Labor Office? In this article, we will tell you what you are eligible for, how you should proceed and what you should watch out for.

1. Registration at the Labor Office

There are two ways to register at the Labor Office ー either as a “job applicant” or as a so-called “person interested in a job“. We will explain the difference between these terms below.

A. Job applicant

This type of registration is open to foreigners with permanent residence, asylum, supplementary or temporary protection, as well as EU citizens and their family members. When you are registered as a “job applicant”, the Czech Republic pays for your health insurance. In addition, if you can prove that you have been employed for at least one year during the last two years, you will also receive unemployment benefits.

Please note: the Czech Republic pays for the health insurance of EU citizens only if they are also receiving unemployment benefits.

To register as a job applicant you will need:

  • Your residence permit
  • Fill out a Jobseeker Registration Application (Czech version, Ukrainian version)
  • Fill out an Unemployment benefit Application (if you are eligible)

If you have been employed in the last two years, you will also need to submit the following documents from all of your employers in the last two years: 

  • Employment contract
  • Confirmation of employment (employment record, so called “zápočtový list”)
  • Personal records for pension insurance (so called “evidenční list důchodového pojištění”)
  • A termination letter (notice, mutual agreement)
  • Confirmation of the average net income (filled out by the employer)

During the registration, the Labor office’s employee will process your application, instruct you about a job applicant’s rights and obligations, and schedule your first meeting with your contact person.

B. A person interested in a job

Regardless of your type of residence, you can register as a so-called “person interested in a job“ at the Labor Office. With this registration, you are not entitled to public health insurance paid by the Czech Republic or unemployment benefits. Still, you are entitled to the advisory services of the Labor Office and, in particular, to retraining courses (see below for details). To register, you only need to bring your residence permit and fill out a short form.

If you need help filling out forms, you can book a free consultation with one of our social workers.

2) Regular meetings

Show your initiative

The main purpose of registering at the Labor Office is to find a job as soon as possible. Regular meetings at the Labor Office will help you to do this. At first, you will have a chance to look for jobs on your own, but you will always be asked what is new and how your job search is going at the regular meetings. Show the Labor Office’s employee your initiative and bring them your CV, nostrification of your diploma or a list of companies you have contacted or interviewed with since the last meeting. These meetings are very important, so keep in mind that you will be removed from the register if you don’t show up for your appointment without an excuse.

Our tip: You can search for a job not only on the MSPV website, but also on the job portals such as www.prace.cz, www.jobs.cz, expats.cz/jobs or www.workania.eu.

Communication is the basis of everything

During the first meeting with your contact person at the Labor Office, agree with them on the rules and method of communication ー whether you prefer to communicate via email, by phone or in person. If you don’t speak enough Czech yet, choose communication via email and always use Google Translate or Deepl.com. Do not forget to start your email with a greeting and always sign your name at the end.

You can ask our intercultural workers for help with interpretation during the meeting. Or you can come to the meeting without an interpreter. Even though the Labor Office’s employee can be annoyed with you, they can never remove you from the register due to the fact that you came to the meeting without an interpreter. If you decide to go there on your own, try to prepare for the meeting by writing down using a translator how the job search is going and how you plan to proceed. This will show the Labor Office’s employee that you are actively looking for a job.

For easy communication with the Labor office’s employees, you can download our communication card, which contains the most common phrases that you may hear in the Labor office as well as the phrases that you may use yourself.

Printed job postings (so called “doporučenky’’) are binding

If your job search takes too long, the Labor Office’s employee may give you a printed job posting. These printed job postings are binding, and you must contact the company mentioned there within 3 working days (in person or by email). If you do not do so (and you do not have a serious reason for this), you will be removed from the register for a period of up to 6 months and thus, the Czech Republic will stop paying for your health insurance (i.e. you will have to pay for it yourself). If a company rejects you, bring back a printed job posting with their signature to the Labor Office as soon as possible.

Apologize for your absence on time

You can miss your regular meeting only if you have a serious reason (illness, injury, a sudden trip abroad, etc.). If you know that you cannot attend the meeting, inform your contact person in advance and arrange another meeting. In case of illness, it is necessary to notify the Labor Office within 3 calendar days and then provide within 8 calendar days a doctor’s note stating that you are unable to work.

Extra earnings

As the goal of your registration at the Labor office is to find a stable job, you cannot earn extra money while working as a self-employed person or having an agreement to complete a job (DPP). However, you can have an agreement to perform work (DPČ) or part-time employment. Keep in mind that your maximum earnings in 2023 cannot exceed half of the minimum wage, i.e., CZK 8,650 gross. If you exceed this amount, you will be removed from the register.

3) Retraining programs

During registration at the Labor Office, you have the opportunity to acquire new skills or update your education through retraining programs. In addition to the Labor Office, these courses are also offered by various organizations that have accreditation for this.  If you find an accredited course that suits you, you have to explain why you want to take that course in a form (Czech version, Ukrainian version) and bring it to the Labour Office at least 30 days before the start of the course. If the course is approved and you successfully complete it, the Labour Office will pay the total cost of the course for you. You can even take more courses, but the overall cost cannot exceed CZK 50,000 over three years. You can find a basic overview of retraining programs here or here.

You can also take an (intensive) Czech language course as part of a retraining program. For instance, in Prague the Business Academy offers such courses for both beginners and more advanced students!

General recommendations

  1. Take photos of the documents you sign. Never sign what you don’t understand.
  2. Remember that all significant changes, such as a new address, phone number, a new job or if you plan to leave the Czech Republic for a longer period of time, must be reported to the Labor Office within 8 calendar days.
  3. The Labor office often sends formal notices by post. Therefore, keep your mailbox marked with your name and remember to check it regularly. However, if you have a data box, the Labor Office will always send you documents there and not by post.

Do you have any other questions?

If this article did not answer everything you were wondering about, do not hesitate to make a free appointment with one of our social workers. To book an appointment call us at +420 252 543 846.