In September, the number of job seekers totaled 368,377 and the unemployment rate remained at 5.0%. The number of newly registered individuals was 10,632 higher compared to the previous month, and 1,292 higher year-on-year.
Among the regions, the highest unemployment rates remain in the Ústí nad Labem Region (7.3%) and the Moravian-Silesian Region (7.0%). Compared to August, the unemployment rate remained at the same level in the Karlovy Vary Region and the Ústí nad Labem Region; in all other regions, it decreased by 0.1 percentage points.
At the district level, the highest unemployment rates were recorded in the districts of Karviná (10.5%), Most (10.4%), Bruntál (8.4%), Chomutov (8.0%), followed by Sokolov and Ostrava (both 7.7%). Conversely, very low unemployment—below 3%—is reported by the Czech Labour Office only in the districts of Prague-East, Prague-West, and Rychnov nad Kněžnou. Women accounted for 54.0% of the total number of job seekers (a total of 198,746).
The September unemployment rate remained stable. The labor market is currently balancing between two opposing forces that have offset each other. On one hand, numbers are being pushed slightly upward by the traditional September influx of high school and university graduates registering at labor offices, alongside temporary workers whose summer seasonal jobs have ended.
Another factor is the growing anxiety in the automotive sector, driven by pressure from major car manufacturers to reduce costs, as well as ongoing restructuring and capacity cuts in German plants. However, despite this caution, domestic suppliers are not resorting to widespread layoffs—they are aware of the persistent shortage of qualified talent in the market and prefer to retain their key teams. Consequently, many companies are primarily focusing on cost optimization and considering new hires very carefully.
On the other hand, this pressure was successfully offset by the traditional kickoff of the autumn hiring wave. The e-commerce, retail, and logistics sectors have already begun hiring workers for the pre-Christmas season, which is getting underway in these weeks. In addition, some companies that postponed personnel changes during the summer due to vacations resumed recruitment in September.
As of the end of September, employers offered a total of 104,359 vacancies through the Czech Labour Office, which is 5,085 more than in August and 8,593 more than a year ago. The highest number of job vacancies is repeatedly offered by employers in Prague (23,875 positions) and the Central Bohemian Region (15,498 positions).
On average, there are currently approximately 3.5 applicants per vacancy in the Czech Republic, with the highest ratios in the districts of Karviná (20.4), Ústí nad Labem (17.8), Děčín (17.4), Sokolov (14.8), and Bruntál (11.2).
In the 2nd quarter of 2026, the average gross nominal monthly salary* (hereinafter “average salary”) was CZK 51,966. That is CZK 3,105 (6.4%) higher when compared to the same period of 2025. Consumer prices increased by 2.0% during this period, and real wages increased by 4.3% as a result. The amount of salaries increased by 7.1%, and the number of employees grew by 0.7%. Compared to the previous quarter, the seasonally adjusted average salary grew by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter of 2026.
source: MPSV, ČSÚ, ÚP ČR
* calculated to the number of employees in the national economy