Firms rely on foreign workers as local potential remains untapped

Czech companies increasingly hire foreign workers despite more than 230,000 Czechs still registered as job seekers. Unemployment is just 3.2 percent, but experts say the real problem is a mismatch between job offers and skills. “Many locals want to work but expect fair conditions and flexibility,” says Michal Mikulášek of Prodator marketing agency. Foreigners now make up nearly 19 percent of the workforce — the highest share ever. HR experts urge firms to also tap domestic potential, especially among people over 55 and parents returning from parental leave, while ensuring fair treatment of both local and foreign workers.