Czech unemployment rate continues to fall

There are 466 thousand people without job in the Czech Republic which is the lowest number since June 2009.

The unemployment rate continues to decrease in the Czech Republic as shown by the available data published by the Ministry of Social Affairs. As of May 31, 2015 it came to 6.4 %, compared to 6.7 % in the previous month or 7.2 % in March.

Approximately 466 thousand job seekers were registered officially by the Czech Labour Office as of the end of May, compared to 491 thousand in April 2015 or over 550 thousand a year ago. At the regional level, the unemployment rate has further decreased in all 77 regions over the last month, in two (Jindřichův Hradec and Prachatice) by more than 14%.

Nevertheless, the unemployment rate remains substantially higher in North Bohemia (Ústí district 9.7%) and North Moravia (8.8%), whereby it neared double the national average in some of the regions (Most 12.1%, Ustí nad Labem 11.5%, Karviná 11.4%, Bruntál 11.1 %).

The continued decrease reflects both seasonal factors and the growth in the Czech economy generating new work opportunities. The hopeful revival of the Czech economy can be documented by continued increase in job offerings through the Labour Office to the current 93 thousand (compared to less than 50 thousand in May 2014).

The positive trend is further influenced by supportive measures within the governmental Active Employment Policy (community works and so-called socially beneficial positions, as of the end of May total of nearly 98 thousand job seekers benefited from the support).