The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic continues to decline, dropping by 0.1 percentage points to 3.6% in April, according to data released by the Czech Labour Office. The number of jobless people was 261,700, a decrease of 11,800 from the previous month. The number of job vacancies remained almost unchanged, with employers offering around 284,500 jobs in April, the same as in March. In April 2022, the unemployment rate was 3.3% in the country.
According to the latest available data from Eurostat, the European statistical office, the Czech Republic had the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union in March, 2.6% under its methodology, while the EU average was 6.1%. Regarding low unemployment, we still hold the best position in Europe. This gives us confidence that the Czech economy has a solid foundation and can face current challenges. The numbers show that the outlook for unemployment is optimistic for the future,” said Marian Jurečka, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.
In the previous month, 31,800 people registered with the Labour Office, while 43,600 people left, the highest number of departures in April over the past four years, according to the office. Many found employment in the retail and wholesale sector, engineering and construction, education, or plant and animal production.
Small businesses that temporarily suspended operations during the winter have also resumed their activities. At the same time, seasonal work, especially in construction, gastronomy, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and spa services, is in full swing.
The highest unemployment rate in April remained in the Usti Region, at 5.5%, followed by the Moravian-Silesian Region at 4.9%. In contrast, the lowest unemployment rate was in the Zlín, South Bohemian, Pardubice, Plzeň, and Vysočina regions, all of which had an unemployment rate of 2.7%.
Employers advertised 284,530 job vacancies through the Labour Office, five more than in March. On average, there were 0.9 job seekers per job vacancy. This was the highest number of job seekers in Karviná, with almost 11 job seekers. Employers are most interested in construction workers, high-lift truck operators and warehouse workers, assembly workers, truck and trailer drivers, chefs, bricklayers, stonemasons and tilers, and cleaners.