Unemployment in the Czech Republic increased to 4.1% in December, up from 3.9% in November, according to data released today by the Labour Office of the Czech Republic. A total of 306,478 people were seeking employment, representing an increase of approximately 16,000 compared to the previous month. Simultaneously, the number of job vacancies dropped by 9,000 to 246,573. The unemployment rate in December 2023 was 3.7%, reflecting a year-on-year rise. Analysts attribute the increase to seasonal factors, a common trend at the end of the year. The highest unemployment rates were recorded in the Ústí nad Labem Region at 6.2% and the Moravian-Silesian Region at 5.8%. In contrast, Prague maintained the lowest unemployment rate at 2.8%. Among districts, Karviná experienced the highest rate of unemployment at 8.5%, while Prague-East had the lowest, with only 1.5% of residents seeking work. On average, there were 1.2 job seekers for each vacancy in the country. The Karviná district faced the greatest pressure on the labor market, with 11.4 applicants competing for a single position. Conversely, regions like Mladá Boleslav, Prague-East, and Prague-West had just 0.3 applicants per vacancy, reflecting better job market conditions. The average age of unemployed individuals in December was 42.7 years, a figure that has remained relatively stable over the past five years. Job seekers were predominantly individuals with lower qualifications, including those with basic education or apprenticeships without graduation. Employers continued to show high demand for workers in specific roles. Nearly 74% of listed vacancies required only basic or lower education, and 68% of positions were deemed suitable for foreign workers. Key roles in demand included construction workers, assemblers, forklift operators, warehouse staff, cooks, truck and tractor drivers, and cleaners. Prague offered the highest number of job vacancies, totaling 73,744, followed by the Central Bohemian Region with 45,948 openings. However, the Labour Office noted a decline in the number of listed vacancies due to legislative changes that automatically remove job postings after six months. While seasonal effects have contributed to the uptick in unemployment, the labor market faces ongoing challenges, including a mismatch between job seeker qualifications and employer demands. The trend of declining vacancies suggests further adjustments in the coming months as employers and job seekers adapt to shifting economic and legislative conditions. Source: CTK