Living and Working in The Czech Republic Jana Kačenová Torino, Italy

1. Living and Working in The Czech Republic Jana Kačenová Torino, Italy

2. General information about the country • Situated in the´heart´ of Europe • Bordering countries: Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Austria • Three historical regions: Bohemia, Moravia and the Czech part of Silesia • Population:10,2 million (Italy 58,5 million) • Area:79.000 km2(Italy 301.338 km2) • Currency:Czech Crown (Kč/CZK) 1 € = CZK 28 • Internet domain: .cz

3. Regions in the Czech Republic77 Labour Offices (of which 14 are regional)

4. Main economic indicators • GDP+ 6,0%(2nd Q 2007) • Inflation2,8%(September 2007) • Unemployment rate 6,2%(September 2007) EUROSTAT data: CR5,3% - Italy5,7 %

5. Useful numbers (September 2007) Wages • Current minimum monthly wage8 000CZK €286 • Average gross monthly wage 21 462CZK €767 (2nd Q 2007) Jobseekers x vacancies(workforce 5 527 776) • Unemployed (6,2%)364 978 • Registered vacancies(labour offices)137 429 • Average number of applicants per 1 vacancy2,7 (September 2006: 4,7)

6. Regionalunemployment(September 2007) 6,2% 11,3% 4,7% 7,3% 10,2% 2,4% 6,7% 5,4% 4,4% 4,6% 5,7% 7,0% 6,1% 4,3%

7. Foreign labour force from EU in the Czech Republic(September 2007 – total workforce 5 527 776) • Slovakia 99 408 • Poland 21 823 • Bulgaria 3 667 • Germany 2 717 • Romania 2 574 • United Kingdom 1 619 • France 1 173 • Austria 684 • Azzurri – Campioni del Mondo 538 • Netherlands 455

8. Foreign Labour force fromnon-EU countries –workpermits(September 2007- total workforce 5 527 776) • Ukraine 51 644 • Moldavia 4 549 • Mongolia 4 502 • Russia 1 508 • Vietnam 1 318 • USA 998 • China 905 • Macedonia 845 • Belarus 837 • Japan 697

9. Working in the Czech Republic • Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not needa work permit • Registration at Labour Office – obligation of the employer(latest on the first day of the employment) • Residence permit – entitled to apply when staying more than 3 months http://portal.mpsv.cz/eures www.mvcr.cz– Ministry of Interior www.domavcr.cz– Info for foreigners of M.o.I.

10. Looking for workEURES • EURES part of the Public Employment Services, provides information about job offers, living and working conditions etc. • 15 EURES advisers in regional towns and in Prague More information on: http://eures.europa.eu http://portal.mpsv.cz/eures

11. Looking for workLabour offices • Services of Labour Offices wide range of service open to public: job placement, retraining,consultation, counselling, services to schools, control activities, protection of employees • Vacancies displayed in all labour offices(77) - on information boards (paper form, leaflets) - on-line on website of labour offices http://portal.mpsv.cz/sz (clients can use PC self-service kiosks)

12. Looking for workMedia Main newspapers for advertisingvacancies: • Mladá fronta DNES http://idnes.cz/http://jobdnes.idnes.cz/ special supplement Zaměstnání on Thursdays • Hospodářské noviny http://hn.ihned.cz/http://kariera.ihned.cz special supplement Kariéra on Mondays • Job advertisements are published in all daily pressin specialsupplements or columns.

13. Looking for workInternet • Internet www.jobs.cz www.jobsinprague.cz www.hledampraci.cz www.hotjobs.cz www.joblist.cz www.prace.cz www.jobpilot.czsee list of other job servers

14. Looking for workRecruitment agencies • Private personnel agencies recruitment agency must have a licence for mediatory servicesissued by the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Database of licenced agencies: http://portal.mpsv.cz/sz/obcane/zpr_prace • Personnel agencies are not allowed to ask for any charge from job seekers! (Employment Act No. 435/2004)

15. Looking for work Recruitment agencies Nearly 1 900 licenced agencies in the CR Biggest recruitment agencies: • MANPOWERhttp://www.manpower.cz • ADECCOhttp://www.adecco.cz • GRAFTON http://www.grafton.cz • START http://www.start.cz Agencies can be specialized in recruiting: • at certain educational/professional levels • in targetcountries or target groups

16. Looking for workPersonal contacts • Web sites companies have their own web sites with job offers (on-line application forms) • Yellow pages (available in English) www.zlatestranky.cz • Browserswww.seznam.czwww.klikni.czwww.centrum.cz see list of other browsers

17. What is needed when looking for a job? • Language skills • Curriculum vitae typed, structured, EUROPASS form, common to attach pictures • Cover letter, references • Interview get details of the company • Extract from the criminal register(when working with money, children) • Health certificate (when working with food) • Psychological tests

18. Living in the Czech Republic • Registering in the territory of the CR (accommodation provider, automatically) • Residence permitEU citizens do not need any special permission to stay Stays longer than 3 months - entitled to apply for´permission to stay for a citizen of a European Communities memberstate´ (Application is submitted to the Foreigner's Police in the Czech Republic) http://portal.mpsv.cz/eures www.mvcr.cz– Ministry of Interior www.domavcr.cz– Info portal for foreigners

19. Social and Health Insurance • Social Security Administration • Health Insurance Company EU workersdo not need to register with tax/socialsecurity authorities – employer does so on their behalf No special fiscal or social number • health insurance: (compulsory) health care • social insurance: illness, unemployment and other social situation (maternity, old age, etc.)

20. Deductions from earnings (in %) employee employer • health ins. 4,5 9,0 • social ins.8,026,0 • income tax(progressive)*12/ 19/ 25/ 32 *incomes up to 121 200 CZK (€ 4328) per annumTax rate is higher if a person earns more www.mfcr.cz- Ministry of Finance

21. Healthcare • General medical services are free - compulsory health insurance(In 2008 – patients´partial contribution for hospital stays, prescriptions etc.) • When employed in the Czech Republic employer registers employees with Insurance Institution • Charges are made usually for non-standard treatments

22. Working conditions Working time: • 40 hours a week(reduced to 37,5 and 38,5 hrs in shift work operations 12 hrs shifts) • 8 hours a day(in shift work operations 12 hrs shifts) • 30 minutes break after 6 hours of work Holidays: • basic annual leave is 4 weeks(many employers offer 5 weeks)

23. Employment Required content of work contract • work position • place of work • work startingdate Other arrangements • salary,description of workposition, benefits etc. Conclusion of employment contract • trial period of 3 months

24. Employee´s Rights and Obligations • State Labour Inspection Authority • regular open hours at local labour offices • www.suip.cz • Trade unions Czech - Moravian Confederation of Trade Uninons • www.cmkos.cz/eng/

25. Unemployment • Unemployed people can register with Labour Office as job seekers • Entitled to unemployment benefits if they prove at least 12 months ofwork within the past 3 yearsprecedingthe submission of application • Amount of benefits: 50% in first 3 months and 45% forthe remaining monthsof the average monthly salary in the last job • Unemployment benefits paid for 6 months(longer under certain criteria, eg. over 50 yrs, special needs, etc.)

26. Accommodation • Availability of accommodation and prices depend upongeographical location • Deposit is often charged if you rent a flat (usually 3-months rent) • A lot of rent and sales offers can be found in local or national newspapers or internet: www.bydleni.czwww.reality.cz www.annonce.czwww.sreality.cz • Average rental of one bedroom flat around 6000 CZK/month (€214) (Flat shares are cheaper, Prague – most expensive) • To find suitable long-term accommodation use estate agencies!

27. Banking • Salaries are almost always paid into a bank account • To open up a bank account, you need a valid ID/passport and some amount as the entrance deposit • Most banks have a help line to provide information

28. Recognition of qualifications • Recognition of qualification is necessary for work in any of theregulatedprofessions • List of regulated professions in the Czech Republic is available on the websiteof the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports www.msmt.cz/uok

29. EURES Czech Republic national websitehttp://portal.mpsv.cz/eures

33. Labour offices in the Czech Republic national website http://portal.mpsv.cz/sz

38. Labour market – labourforce-Shortages- • Mechanical engineering technicians • Electrical Engineering technicians • Civil engineering technicians • CNC operators • Teachers of technical subjects • Tool-makers • Joiners, carpenters • Welders, fitters • Plastic processing machine operators • Manufacturing operators • Drivers

39. Labour market – labourforce-Shortages- • Medical staff • Sales representatives • Sales staff • Security agent lower • Chefs, waiters/tenders • Traditional vocational trainees (apprenticeship leavers) • Workers in food-processing industry • Assembly lines operators • Workers for shift work in general

40. Labour market – labour force+Surpluses+ • Administrative workers • Agricultural workers (livestock, plantproduction) • Seasonal unemployment – gardeners, forestry workers, construction workers

41. Thank you for your attention! Any questions?_____

42. Jana Kačenová EURES adviser – Central Region Labour Office in Příbram The Czech Republic jana.kacenova@pb.mpsv.cz

43. Living in the Czech Republic