The Czech Republic had the lowest unemployment rate in the EU in 2025 – 2.8% – and a minimum wage of CZK 22,400 a month (2026). Employers look for engineers, builders, programmers, health professionals and machine operators, but most of them expect you to speak Czech. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply and what to arrange in your first weeks.
The Czech Republic is a country of 10.9 million people with the lowest unemployment rate in the EU in 2025: 2.8% (EU: 6.0%). Its employment rate is also well above the EU average: 82.9% of people aged 20–64 have a job (EU: 76.1%).
Unemployment has crept up – from 2.2% in 2022 to 2.8% in 2025 – and youth unemployment has risen faster, from 6.8% to 10.4% among people aged 15–24. That is still well below the EU average of 15.2%.
As an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen you do not need a work permit – you can move, look for a job and start working on the same terms as Czech citizens. What you do need for most jobs is Czech: the overwhelming majority of employers require it.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.