In a remarkable turn of events, the Czech Republic sees its unemployment rate drop below four percent after two months. As of the end of March, the unemployment rate had fallen to 3.9 percent, a significant decrease influenced by warmer weather, as the Czech Labor Office reported.
At the end of March, there were 288,623 individuals without employment, 7,484 fewer than the previous month. Concurrently, the number of available jobs increased by 81, totaling 268,660 positions. This is a marked improvement from the previous year’s period when the unemployment rate was marginally lower, at 3.7 percent, at the end of March 2023.
Interestingly, the reduction in unemployment was observed across all 14 regions and in 68 out of 77 districts in the Czech Republic. According to Daniel Krištof, the General Director of the Czech Labor Office, the unusually warm weather significantly affected the national unemployment figures as seasonal work, such as construction, began in earnest.
Furthermore, the Labor Office noted that self-employed individuals who had suspended their operations during the winter also returned to business, opting for registration at the employment office.
Despite having the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union, the number of registered available jobs in the Czech Republic has remained virtually the same for the fourth consecutive month. It is still lower than the number of job seekers. Krištof emphasized the importance of continuous education and requalification for people to secure better employment and earn more. As the job market rapidly changes, so does the demand for new skills and knowledge.
In conclusion, these figures confirm a trend in the job market – job seekers hold all the aces. On the other hand, employers looking for qualified workers are left empty-handed. In the HR field, significantly more effort is needed than a few years ago, commented Tomas Volf, an economist at Citfin.