Czechia’s statutory minimum wage rose to CZK 22 400 on 1 January, triggering an automatic recalculation of salary thresholds for the country’s two flagship high-skill routes: the EU Blue Card and the Intra-Corporate Transfer (ICT) permit. New applications lodged on or after 1 January must now offer at least 1.5 times the forecast average wage—CZK 77 245 gross per month—up from CZK 72 365 in 2025.
Pending files submitted in December will still be judged against the 2025 benchmark, but applicants may be asked to provide updated employment contracts if a decision is issued after 31 March. The Labour Ministry says the uplift keeps Czechia competitive with neighbours Germany and Austria, which indexed Blue-Card salaries last year, and reflects tight labour-market conditions, with unemployment hovering at 2.7 %.
![Higher Minimum Wage Drives Up Blue-Card and ICT Salary Floors]()
For multinational employers the increase could add CZK 60 000 (about €2 400) to an annual compensation package per assignee. Companies using cost-of-living equalisation clauses should revisit budgets and assignment letters immediately. HR analysts note that the salary floor still sits below Prague’s median tech salary, so the practical impact may be limited to entry-level or regional-hub positions.
Advisory firms recommend filing supporting documents—payslips, payroll forecasts and signed addenda—in Czech rather than English to speed up Labour-Office checks. They also urge tracking exchange-rate volatility: a sharp koruna appreciation could push euro-denominated offers below the line.
Looking ahead, the ministry plans to publish 2027 wage forecasts in October, giving companies a longer window to adjust remuneration policies.
Pending files submitted in December will still be judged against the 2025 benchmark, but applicants may be asked to provide updated employment contracts if a decision is issued after 31 March. The Labour Ministry says the uplift keeps Czechia competitive with neighbours Germany and Austria, which indexed Blue-Card salaries last year, and reflects tight labour-market conditions, with unemployment hovering at 2.7 %.
For multinational employers the increase could add CZK 60 000 (about €2 400) to an annual compensation package per assignee. Companies using cost-of-living equalisation clauses should revisit budgets and assignment letters immediately. HR analysts note that the salary floor still sits below Prague’s median tech salary, so the practical impact may be limited to entry-level or regional-hub positions.
Advisory firms recommend filing supporting documents—payslips, payroll forecasts and signed addenda—in Czech rather than English to speed up Labour-Office checks. They also urge tracking exchange-rate volatility: a sharp koruna appreciation could push euro-denominated offers below the line.
Looking ahead, the ministry plans to publish 2027 wage forecasts in October, giving companies a longer window to adjust remuneration policies.
Source: VisaHQ
