In August, the number of job seekers totaled 373,891, which is 40,267 more than last year, and the unemployment rate remained at 5.0%. The number of newly registered individuals was 645 lower compared to the previous month, and 9,517 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 (7.1%). Compared to July, the unemployment rate remained at the same level in the Ústí nad Labem Region; in all other regions, it increased by 0.1 percentage points.
At the district level, the highest unemployment rates were recorded in the districts of Karviná (10.6%), Most (10.3%), Bruntál (8.4%), Chomutov (8.2%), followed by Sokolov and Ostrava (both 7.8%). Conversely, very low unemployment—below 3%—is reported by the Czech Labour Office only in the districts of Prague-East and Prague-West. Women accounted for 54.6% of the total number of job seekers (a total of 204,203).
August's unemployment rate remained stable. Conflicting forces clashed in the labor market and balanced each other out. On one hand, seasonal demand for workers in construction, agriculture, and tourism continued, preventing a more significant rise in unemployment. On the other hand, companies significantly scaled back their recruitment activities due to company-wide vacations, postponing the onboarding of new employees until September. Furthermore, the first graduates are beginning to register with the Labour Office after the summer transition period.
Employers are more cautious in recruitment this year compared to previous years. Overall unemployment is higher than in the comparable period of 2025. Companies are monitoring events surrounding Volkswagen, whose restructuring also affects the Czech industrial network of suppliers in the automotive and engineering sectors, and are evaluating the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East, which could raise energy prices again in the autumn. In such a situation, they often prefer waiting over rash team expansion.
In the coming months, we expect a recovery: companies traditionally start autumn recruitment and begin preparing for the pre-Christmas season in retail, logistics, and e-commerce.
As of the end of August, employers offered a total of 99,274 vacancies through the Czech Labour Office, which is 1,658 less than in July and 4,157 more than a year ago. The highest number of job vacancies is repeatedly offered by employers in Prague (22,519 positions) and the Central Bohemian Region (14,506 positions).
On average, there are currently approximately 3.8 applicants per vacancy in the Czech Republic, with the highest ratios in the districts of Karviná (19.2), Ústí nad Labem (16.9), Děčín (16.4), Sokolov (15.2), and Most (11.6).
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