From 1 January 2026 Czechia’s statutory minimum wage has risen to CZK 22 400, triggering an automatic recalculation of salary thresholds for the country’s flagship high-skill residence routes. New EU Blue-Card and Intra-Corporate-Transfer (ICT) applications must now offer at least 1.5 times the forecast average wage—CZK 77 245 (about €3 150) a month—up from CZK 72 365 last year. Pending files lodged before 31 December will still be judged against the 2025 benchmark, but applicants may be asked to submit updated contracts if a decision is issued after 31 March.
The Labour Ministry argues the uplift keeps Czechia competitive with Germany and Austria and reflects a tight labour market, with unemployment hovering near 2.7 percent. For multinationals, however, the change could add roughly CZK 60 000 (€2 400) a year to each assignee’s compensation package. Companies that use cost-of-living equalisation clauses or host-country pay may need to revisit assignment budgets and letters of offer immediately.
![Higher Czech Minimum Wage Lifts EU Blue-Card and ICT Salary Floors]()
VisaHQ can ease the transition by handling every step of the EU Blue-Card or ICT visa process, from generating Czech-language document checklists to booking embassy appointments and arranging sworn translations; see https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/ for a quick overview and fee estimator.
HR analysts note that the new floor still sits below Prague’s median tech salary, so the practical impact may be limited to entry-level or regional-hub roles. Nonetheless, relocation vendors expect a short-term spike in requests for salary attestations and certified translations as employers scramble to meet the higher bar. The ministry plans to publish 2027 wage forecasts as early as October to give companies a longer budgeting window.
Best practices: file supporting payslips in Czech rather than English to speed Labour-Office checks, and monitor koruna exchange-rate swings that could push euro-denominated offers below the threshold. Early engagement with payroll and tax teams will avoid nasty surprises during year-end shadow-payroll reconciliations.
The Labour Ministry argues the uplift keeps Czechia competitive with Germany and Austria and reflects a tight labour market, with unemployment hovering near 2.7 percent. For multinationals, however, the change could add roughly CZK 60 000 (€2 400) a year to each assignee’s compensation package. Companies that use cost-of-living equalisation clauses or host-country pay may need to revisit assignment budgets and letters of offer immediately.
VisaHQ can ease the transition by handling every step of the EU Blue-Card or ICT visa process, from generating Czech-language document checklists to booking embassy appointments and arranging sworn translations; see https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/ for a quick overview and fee estimator.
HR analysts note that the new floor still sits below Prague’s median tech salary, so the practical impact may be limited to entry-level or regional-hub roles. Nonetheless, relocation vendors expect a short-term spike in requests for salary attestations and certified translations as employers scramble to meet the higher bar. The ministry plans to publish 2027 wage forecasts as early as October to give companies a longer budgeting window.
Best practices: file supporting payslips in Czech rather than English to speed Labour-Office checks, and monitor koruna exchange-rate swings that could push euro-denominated offers below the threshold. Early engagement with payroll and tax teams will avoid nasty surprises during year-end shadow-payroll reconciliations.
