In October, the number of job seekers totaled 370,226 and the unemployment rate remained at 5.0%. The number of newly registered individuals was 2,855 lower compared to the previous month, and 7,252 higher year-on-year.
Among the regions, the highest unemployment rates remain in the Ústí nad Labem Region (7.4%) and the Moravian-Silesian Region (7.1%). Compared to September, the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points in the Hradec Králové, Karlovy Vary, Ústí nad Labem, Liberec, and Moravian-Silesian regions; in all other regions, it remained at the same level.
At the district level, the highest unemployment rates were recorded in the districts of Karviná (10.5%), Most (10.5%), Bruntál (8.5%), and Chomutov and Sokolov (both 7.9%). 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 53.8% of the total number of job seekers (a total of 199,065).
October unemployment stagnated. The labor market maintains stability, and the Czech Republic continues to be among the countries with the lowest unemployment in the EU. The influx of graduates, which traditionally increases the number of job seekers at labor offices in September, has now stabilized and had no significant impact on the figures. Favorable weather also helped. Thanks to it, outdoor work in construction, agriculture, and forestry was still winding down, so seasonal workers have not yet returned to labor offices in large numbers, keeping the figures in balance.
At the same time, companies are already hiring for Christmas, especially warehouses, e-shops, and logistics companies, with strong demand for dispatch operators. Logistics in particular has long faced a shortage of workers, and this deficit deepens even further during the pre-Christmas months. The Randstad Employer Brand Research survey showed that logistics employees perceive gaps in compensation and work-life balance. Therefore, companies that offer reasonably scheduled shifts and room for rest alongside an appropriate wage will have the upper hand in the pre-Christmas competition for staff.
Corporate demand is stable, but cautious. Employers are unsettled by news of layoffs in the automotive industry as well as geopolitical developments, and are therefore filling new positions deliberately. However, they are avoiding widespread layoffs, as skilled talent remains scarce on the market.
As of the end of October, employers offered a total of 106,252 vacancies through the Czech Labour Office, which is 1,893 more than in September and 12,253 more than a year ago. The highest number of job vacancies is repeatedly offered by employers in Prague (24,476 positions) and the Central Bohemian Region (16,422 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 (21.1), Ústí nad Labem (18.2), Děčín (17.9), Sokolov (17.6), and Bruntál (11.0).
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