Czech Unemployment Rate Rises to 5% in July

Czech Republic’s unemployment rate rose to 5.0% in July 2026 from 4.8% in June, exceeding market expectations of 4.9% and marking the highest level in recent months. The number of unemployed increased by 7,162 from the previous month and by 2,896 year-on-year to 367,000. Women accounted for 54.5% of the total, while men represented 45.5%. Meanwhile, 35,386 applicants left the records, 6,768 fewer than in June but 5,720 more than a year earlier. A total of 23,975 applicants found new jobs. At the end of July, employment offices registered 16,379 school graduates and young people, accounting for 4.5% of total unemployment, up from 4.4% in June and 3.9% a year earlier. Job vacancies rose by 1,078 to 100,932.

The Czech unemployment rate stood at 4.8% in June 2026, the lowest since December 2025, unchanged from May and in line with market expectations. This was attributed to continued seasonal hiring and the ongoing economic recovery. The number of unemployed people decreased by 2,718 from the previous month to 356,134, although it was up by 40,669 compared with June 2025. Women accounted for 53.6% of all registered job seekers. Recent graduates and young people represented 4.4% of total unemployment, down from 4.9% in May, while 12.7% of registered unemployed were people with disabilities. A total of 42,154 job seekers left the unemployment register in June, down 1,360 from the previous month but up 7,423 from a year earlier. Of these, nearly 30,000 found new employment during the month, with 49.3% being men and 50.7% women. Meanwhile, the number of registered job vacancies rose to 99,854 in June, up 5,474 from the previous month and 1,177 from a year earlier.

The Czech unemployment rate edged down to 4.8% in May 2026 from 4.9% in the previous month, in line with market expectations. It marked the lowest level since December 2025, driven by continued seasonal hiring and the ongoing economic recovery. The number of unemployed persons fell by 5,620 month-on-month to 358,852, though it remained 42,792 higher than in the same month a year earlier. Meanwhile, nearly 42% of newly employed job seekers started their own businesses, with men accounting for 76.5% of the total and women for 23.5%. The number of registered job vacancies declined by 103 from the previous month to 94,380.