--- title: "Czech Republic Hiring Guide 2026 | Probation Now 4 Months" description: "Hire in Czech Republic 2026: written contract on day one, probation now up to 4 months, notice 2 months, minimum wage Kč 22,400/month. Teamed runs all five steps." canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/czech-republic/hiring-guide --- Czech Republic · Hiring guide child Served by Teamed vetted partner-entity network in Czech Republic # How do you *hire a Czech employee* in 2026? A June 2025 amendment to the Czech Labour Code raised the most probation you can set from three months to 4 months, and to 8 months for managers. Lock the right window into the contract before day one, because you cannot extend it later. Last reviewed 13 June 2026 · Czech Republic guide ![The Charles Bridge and Prague Castle at golden hour over the Vltava river, with red rooftops catching the warm light.](/images/country-guides/czech-republic-hiring-guide.webp) Illustration · Prague, Czech Republic Answer.cite this The Czech hire process has five steps. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, social and health registrations, first payday. Sign a written contract before or on the first day of work. Probation can run up to 4 months for most staff. It can run up to 8 months for managers. A 2025 amendment raised both windows. You set probation once at the start and cannot extend it later. The minimum wage is Kč 22,400/month. Statutory notice is 2 months, the same for both sides. There is no required 13th-month or 14th-month pay. Any year-end bonus is contractual only. ## What does the end-to-end Czech Republic hire process look like? Five steps take you from accepted offer to first payslip. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written contract, social and health registrations, first payday. The written contract must be signed by day one at the latest. Registrations follow inside the first week. | Step | What happens | Owner | Timing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, gross salary, start date, probation window, and any conditions | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept | | 2. Work-authorisation check | Confirm EU or Czech right to work, or verify the employee permit and residence permit for non-EU nationals before the start date | Teamed | Before the employee starts | | 3. Written employment contract | Signed contract covering all terms under the Labour Code (Act No. 262/2006 Sb.) | Teamed (legal employer) | On or before day one | | 4. Social and health registrations | Register with the Czech Social Security Administration and a public health insurer within eight days of the start date | Teamed | Days 1 to 8 | | 5. First payday | First payslip issued; income tax, social security, and health insurance withheld and remitted on the monthly cycle | Teamed | End of first payroll month | 1. Issue the offer letter Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, gross salary, start date, the probation window of up to 4 months for most staff, and weekly hours of 40 hours. 2. Complete the work-authorisation check Confirm EU, EEA, or Swiss right to work, or verify the Employee Card or Blue Card for non-EU nationals before the start date. Retain copies of all documents. 3. Issue the written employment contract The signed contract must be in place on or before day one. Teamed's standard Czech contract covers the Labour Code. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer. 4. Complete social and health registrations Register the employee with the Czech Social Security Administration and a public health insurer within eight days of the start date. Collect the taxpayer declaration and bank details in the same window. 5. Issue the first payslip and file deductions Run the first payroll at the end of the first calendar month. Withhold and remit income tax, social security, and health insurance on the monthly cycle. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record. ## What must a Czech Republic offer letter include? The offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate weighs before they accept. Include role title, reporting line, start date, gross monthly salary, work location, probation of up to 4 months for most roles, weekly hours of 40 hours, and any conditions such as permit status. Three traps to avoid in Czech offer letters: - **Setting probation you cannot extend.** Probation runs up to 4 months for ordinary staff and up to 8 months for managers. You agree it once at the start of the job. You cannot lengthen it after the contract begins, so name the right window in the offer. - **Quoting pay below the floor.** The minimum wage is Kč 22,400/month, or Kč 134.40/hour. Higher guaranteed minimums apply to skilled roles, so quote a gross figure that clears the relevant level. - **Overstating discretionary pay.** There is no required 13th-month or 14th-month salary in the Czech Republic. Describing a year-end bonus as normal can turn it into a contractual right. Mark variable pay as at-discretion. Teamed's standard Czech offer letter covers the required ground and aligns with the Labour Code (Act No. 262/2006 Sb.). Clients choose commercial terms. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and issues the final contract. ## Czech Republic work-authorisation checks for new hires EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals can work in the Czech Republic without a permit. Non-EU nationals need work authorisation before their first day. Employing a non-EU national without the correct permit exposes the employer to fines and a ban on hiring foreign workers (Act No. 435/2004 Sb.). ### EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals Citizens of EU and EEA member states and Switzerland have free access to the Czech labour market. There is no separate work permit. The employer keeps a copy of the passport or national ID as a standard identity record, and the worker registers their stay if it runs beyond the short-stay limit. ### Non-EU nationals Most non-EU nationals need a single document that combines a work permit and a residence permit. The two common routes are the Employee Card for longer roles and the Blue Card for higher-qualified, higher-paid roles. Each is tied to a specific employer and position, so a change of role or employer usually needs a fresh application. Processing runs through the Ministry of the Interior and the regional labour office, and lead times stretch to several weeks or months. Czech law · Employment Act (Act No. 435/2004 Sb.) The Employment Act sets the rules for employing foreign nationals, including which categories need a work permit, Employee Card, or Blue Card, and the penalties for hiring without authorisation. Source: [Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: Employment Act (Act No. 435/2004 Sb.)](https://www.mpsv.cz/web/en/employment) ### Ongoing permit renewals Employee Cards and Blue Cards are time-limited. Employers must track expiry dates and start renewals well ahead of the deadline. Teamed monitors each permit expiry and alerts the employee and client before the renewal date so no lapse occurs. ## The Czech Republic written employment contract: what must it contain? Czech law requires a written employment contract signed by both sides no later than the employee's first day of work. The contract is the binding document. The offer letter is not. An unsigned start can make the relationship hard to prove and expose the employer to penalties. What a Czech written employment contract must cover under the Labour Code (Act No. 262/2006 Sb.): - Type of work or job title - Place or places of work - Start date of employment - Gross salary or wage and how it is paid - Working hours, against the standard week of 40 hours and a maximum shift of 12 hours - Probation period, if any, of up to 4 months for ordinary staff or up to 8 months for managers - Notice on termination, with a statutory minimum of 2 months, equal for both sides - Annual leave of at least 4 weeks - Sick-pay terms, with the employer covering the first 14 days at 60% of reduced average earnings - Overtime terms, capped at 150 hours of ordered overtime a year, paid at a premium of at least 125% of average earnings or matched by time off The Czech Republic does not use a single named statement like the UK's Section 1 statement. The Labour Code instead requires the contract to carry the substantive terms above, and the employer must inform the employee in writing of further details within seven days of the start. Teamed's standard Czech contract satisfies the Labour Code. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer. Key source: [Labour Code (Act No. 262/2006 Sb.)](https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2006-262) via the Collection of Laws. ## Onboarding admin in the first week Days 1 to 8 cover contract signing, social security registration, health insurer enrolment, and income tax setup. Teamed handles the statutory registrations. The client handles the operational side. | Onboarding task | Who does it | Day | | --- | --- | --- | | Written employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 0 or 1 | | Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start for non-EU nationals) | | Czech Social Security Administration registration | Teamed | Within 8 days of start | | Public health insurer enrolment | Teamed | Within 8 days of start | | Income tax taxpayer declaration collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 | | Bank account details collected for payroll | Teamed | Days 1 to 8 | | Annual leave entitlement confirmed in writing | Teamed | Day 1 | | Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 | | Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 | | 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 | ## How does Teamed handle Czech Republic employment for you? Teamed becomes your legal [employer of record](/lp/employer-of-record) in the Czech Republic for [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX mark-up** in any currency. The Czech Labour Code, social security, and health insurance all run on **one platform**. **Real HR and legal experts** handle your Czech hires, from the first offer letter through every monthly income tax, social security, and health insurance remittance. **An actual person**, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is **no setup fee** and **no exit fee**. Employer cost **passes through at cost, itemised** on every invoice. EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on **one platform**. A Czech contractor who converts to direct employment keeps their record. EOR fits while it fits, **until it isn't**. Run the [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator) to see when your Czech headcount is ready to **graduate** to your own entity. Start from [the Czech Republic hiring overview](/country-hiring-guides/czech-republic); each guide here takes one layer of Czech employment law. Key sources: [Labour Code (Act No. 262/2006 Sb.)](https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2006-262), [MPSV Employment Act](https://www.mpsv.cz/web/en/employment), and [Czech Social Security Administration rates](https://www.cssz.cz/web/en/rates). ## Frequently asked questions How long does it take to hire someone in the Czech Republic through Teamed? Teamed can onboard an EU, EEA, or Swiss national within a few business days once the offer is accepted. The written contract must be signed on or before day one. Social security and health insurer registrations are completed within eight days of the start date. Non-EU nationals who need an Employee Card or Blue Card must hold it before they start, which adds lead time depending on the permit route and the processing queue at the Ministry of the Interior. What is the probation period in the Czech Republic and can I extend it? Probation can run up to 4 months for ordinary employees and up to 8 months for managers. A 2025 amendment to the Labour Code raised both limits, from three months and six months respectively. You agree the probation window once at the start of employment. You cannot extend it after the contract begins, so set the right length before day one. What notice period applies in the Czech Republic? The statutory minimum notice is 2 months, the same for the employer and the employee. For dismissals on certain grounds such as serious breach of duty, the minimum can drop to 1 month. The notice period starts on the first day of the calendar month after notice is given. Contracts can agree longer notice than the minimum. What is the minimum wage and standard working week in the Czech Republic? The statutory minimum wage in 2026 is Kč 22,400/month, or Kč 134.40/hour. Skilled roles attract higher guaranteed minimums above this floor. The standard working week is 40 hours, with a maximum shift of 12 hours. Ordered overtime is capped at 150 hours a year and paid at a premium of at least 125% of average earnings, or matched by time off. What leave and pay entitlements must a Czech contract include? Statutory annual leave is at least 4 weeks. Maternity leave is 28 weeks for a single child and 37 weeks for two or more children. During sickness, the employer pays the first 14 days at 60% of reduced average earnings, after which the state sickness benefit takes over. There are 13 public holidays per year. There is no required 13th-month or 14th-month salary; any year-end payment is contractual only. How is income tax handled for a Czech employee? Employee income tax is withheld at source by the employer each month. The rate is 15% on the part of the annual tax base up to 36 times the average wage, and 23% on the part above that threshold. Teamed runs the monthly payroll, withholds income tax, social security, and health insurance, and remits each on the statutory cycle. Teamed Legal Operations The Czech probation window catches companies that copy an old template. The 2025 amendment moved the maximum to four months, and eight for managers, but you still set it once at the start and cannot extend it. Get the right window into the contract before day one or you lose the room entirely. A note from Tom Price-Daniel Czech probation now runs up to four months, and eight for managers, since the 2025 amendment. You set it once. There is no second chance to extend. Notice is two months, equal for both sides. No 13th-month pay is required. The contract must exist on day one. The registrations follow inside eight days. Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed ## Related Czech Republic guides - [Hiring in Czech Republic, overview](/country-hiring-guides/czech-republic)parent - [Czech Republic termination and severance](/country-hiring-guides/czech-republic/termination-and-severance)sibling - [Czech Republic tax and payroll](/country-hiring-guides/czech-republic/tax-and-payroll)sibling - [Czech Republic employer cost breakdown](/country-hiring-guides/czech-republic/cost-breakdown)sibling - [Germany hiring guide](/country-hiring-guides/germany/hiring-guide)sibling - [Employer of Record overview](/lp/employer-of-record)core - [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator)tool - [Talk to an expert](https://www.teamed.global/contact)CTA A note on this page. This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and vary by jurisdiction. The 2025 flexi-amendment to the Labour Code changed probation and other rules, and further changes may follow. Verify current requirements with the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MPSV) and the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ), or speak to a qualified professional, before relying on any specific framework.