Subsidized Re-qualification Courses: How to access them and how they can help you get a job

The Czech Republic is opening programmes for retraining = re-qualification courses. The state financially supports job seekers interested in requalification – you pay either only a fraction of the cost, or the courses are completely free for you.

Do you have a degree in a field you can’t practise in while living in the Czech Republic? Do you have young children and want to work part-time, but your original profession does not offer part-time jobs? These requalification courses might be a solution.

You can find a complete overview of the courses on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: www.mpsv.cz/jsem-v-kurzu.

It’s the Labour Office that offers these courses. They divide them into three categories: “Secure Retraining”, “Selected Retraining” or “Digital Training Courses.”

An example?

Retraining in manual work or crafts often promises quick employment, or you can follow up by setting up your own trade license or business. The same goes for re-qualification in catering or cosmetics (or massage).

Various IT courses are rather popular, with jobseekers who have enough previous professional experience but lack the digital skills to join the labour market.

Go searching at www.mpsv.cz/jsem-v-kurzu to find specifics. They constantly update the list of planned courses: we recommend coming back to the website and checking regularly. Search by different filters and locations!

Who are the courses for?

For jobseekers registered with the Labour Office.

You can learn how to do that in our guide. To have access to the courses, you can register either as an Employment Candidate or a Jobseeker.

The Employment Candidate category is available to unemployed foreigners who are EU citizens or have permanent residence, international protection or subsidiary protection.

If you’re none of these, you can register as a Jobseeker. You won’t be able to pick a course in the “Secure Retraining” category, but the courses in the other categories (“Selected retraining” and “Digital training courses”) will be available to you.

You can register as an Employment Candidate by filling in a simple form. Print the form, fill it in and then take it to the Labour Office at Polní Street 37. You will be assigned a worker who will register you there after showing you the information. (If you are an employee of one of our partner companies, you are entitled to support through our trained assistant who will accompany you there.)

You can register as a Jobseeker online, whilst signing up for a course (more on this below).

How to apply?

Once you’re registered at the Labour Office, you can apply for a course online.

You start at www.mpsv.cz/jsem-v-kurzu. You will need either online banking or Data Mailbox to verify your identity. Once verified, you will go to the re-qualification application and select a course.

As a Jobseeker,  register at www.mpsv.cz/jsem-v-kurzu after you have verified your identity and selected a re-qualification course. The application will offer you the option of registering with the Labour Office itself.

Be aware!

You should also know that most re-qualification courses require a final exam conducted in the Czech language. This final exam is compulsory for all types of courses. If you do not pass it, not only that you won’t get the course certification for your future job, but you’ll be obliged to reimburse the state for the amount they subsidised your course with.

The only exception is the digital training courses – among these, you will find courses that can be taken in English.

Written in cooperation with Lucka Kulhavá. Picture courtesy of canva.com (takasuu, getty images).