RETRAINING AND CZECH LANGUAGE COURSES FOR FOREIGNERS

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Take advantage of the offer of retraining courses for the profession of your choice or Czech language courses, which will be reimbursed by the Czech Labour Office if you meet the conditions.

You can choose from the providers of accredited courses from the database of the Labour Office, or you can find another provider whose course can also be approved by the Labour Office.

The basic procedure is as follows:

Register with the Labour Office as a job seeker (depending on your place of residence) or as a person interested in the services of the Labour Office, (at any contact point of the Labour Office).
Fill in the necessary documents and forms. You can do this online or at any branch of the Labour Office.
Wait for your application to be approved. This can také up to 30 days.
Attend the course regularly and pass the exam at the end of the course.

Where can I find a database of retraining courses?

You can choose courses on the website.

Note: All retraining courses and final exams are in Czech only.

Where can I find databases of Czech language courses?

In the list of courses select Český jazyk pro cizince. Then you can choose the type of course according to your needs.

What are the types of Czech language courses?

Levels and number of hours: Basic (základní) A1 (60 hours) / Advanced (navazující) A2 (120 h) / Advanced (pokročilý) B1 (150 h)
Form of instruction: Full-time / Combined / Online
Class Time: Mornings / Afternoons / Weekends
Intensity: Varies according to the course (2 times a week, 3 times a week, 5 times a week)

Note: When applying for A2 and B1 courses, you will need to provide a certificate of successful completion of the previous (lower) level or pass an entrance test.

What is the difference between a person interested in job and a job seeker?

Person interested in a job can be employed at the time of registration with the Labour Office (and can be currently studying or on parental leave). The courses can help you find a better job in the future.

A job seeker is not employed or running a business at the time of registration with the Labour Office and has asked the contact point of the Labour Office to arrange suitable employment.

Registration forms for retraining:

Žádost o zařazení do evidence zájemců o zaměstnání
Zájem o zvolenou rekvalifikaci
Žádost o zprostředkování zaměstnání

Video about Czech language courses

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

HOW TO ENROL IN A COURSE IN THE E-SHOP "DATABASE OF RETRAINING AND FURTHER EDUCATION COURSES"?

To register, use your data box or one of the offered identification methods of Identity of a Citizen (bank identity, NIA ID, eObčanka, etc.). You can find more information here: What you can use to log in to the national identification portal | Information website for electronic identity ( identitaobcana.cz).

WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE A DATA BOX, BANK IDENTITY, OR ANY OTHER IDENTIFICATION MEANS OF IDENTITY OF A CITIZEN?

You can easily set up a data box or bank identity, information can be found here Chci založit datovou schránku (gov.cz) or Vaše digitální občanka | BankID.cz.

WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO SET UP ANY MEANS FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATION?

Visit the Labour Office branch and inquire about the possibility of enrolling in the retraining course you selected from the offered options. However, for courses in the digital field listed under the course type "Vzdělávací kurz", you can only enroll through the e-shop.

WHY DO I NEED TO REGISTER?

In order to provide financial support for the course, you must be registered with the Czech Labour Office as either a job seeker or a person interested in employment. If you are not registered, a request to be registered as a job seeker will be submitted along with your course application, with your consent. Please read the information in the Instructions for Job Seekers.

IF I REGISTERED THROUGH THE E-SHOP, WILL I STILL BE REGISTERED WITH THE CZECH LABOUR OFFICE AFTER THE COURSE ENDS?

When you apply for the course, you have the option to tick that you want to be removed from the register of “person interested in job” after completing the course. If you do not tick this option, you will continue to be on the register after completing the training and will be contacted by the Labour Office for further cooperation. Please read the information in the Instructions for Job Seekers.

WHICH COURSES CAN I CHOOSE FROM?

In the e-shop, you will find two types of courses: retraining courses and educational courses. Retraining courses are offered as either selected or secured retraining across all fields, while educational courses pertain only to digital education. For secured retraining courses, the dates may not yet be available (after submitting your application, colleagues from the Labour Office branch will provide you with more details by phone; you don’t need to call us, we will contact you).

Courses may be conducted in-person with the educator, online, or in a combination of these formats. Educational courses in digital skills must be at least 16 hours long, whereas retraining courses have the number of hours and teaching format according to their accreditation. Instruction is provided in Czech, and for digital education courses, it may also be in English (based on practice, as some digital education courses are also taught in English).

WHY CANNOT I ENROLL IN COURSES WITHIN 30 CALENDAR DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION?

We and the training centers need time to process your application. For this reason, it is not possible to shorten the deadline.

CAN I SIGN UP FOR MORE THAN ONE COURSE AT THE SAME TIME?

If you want to study multiple courses, you can apply for them sequentially. First, you enroll in one course, and you can only apply for another course after completing the previous one, until you have exhausted your account balance (50,000 CZK over three years for selected retraining courses and 50,000 CZK for educational courses in digital skills). You can check the status of your account balance after logging into the specific course.

WHICH OFFICE SHOULD I SEND THE APPLICATION TO?

When you choose a course and fill out an application, it will be sent to the office where you are registered as a job seeker or a person interested in employment. If you are not registered and want to register as a person interested in employment, you can choose the branch of the Labour Office yourself.

IS IT NECESSARY TO SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS TO THE LABOUR OFFICE AFTER SENDING THE APPLICATION?

If participation in the course requires meeting conditions such as a specific level of education or proof of medical fitness, you should scan and attach these documents to your application before filling it out. The Labour Office will assess your application based on the information you provided and may, in exceptional cases, request additional documents for evaluation. You will be informed of the entire procedure in the e-shop under the "My Courses" tab after logging into your account. Please read the conditions for course payment carefully.

HOW DO I CANCEL MY APPLICATION?

In the e-shop, under the "My Courses" section, use the "Cancel Course Application" button. Cancel your application as soon as possible, but no later than the day before the course begins. If you do not cancel in time, the educator may claim compensation for lost income.

HOW MUCH WILL THE CZECH LABOUR OFFICE CONTRIBUTE TO THE COURSE?

Depending on whether it is a retraining course or an educational course in digital skills, the financial support from the Labour Office varies. For a retraining course, the Labour Office can cover up to the full cost of the course for the client. For an educational course, there is a mandatory minimum co-payment of 18% of the total course price, which the participant must cover themselves. Please read the conditions for course payment carefully.

HOW MUCH MONEY CAN I RECEIVE FROM THE CZECH LABOUR OFFICE AT MOST?

The Labour Office pays a maximum of CZK 50,000 over the last 3 years for selected retraining and CZK 50,000 over the last 3 years for further training courses in digital skills. Please read the conditions for course payment carefully.

WHAT IF I'VE STARTED THE COURSE BUT CAN'T CONTINUE WITH IT?

For the Labour Office to reimburse the pledged amount, you must meet the course requirements. If the course ends with an exam, you need to pass the exam successfully. If the course does not include an exam, you must meet the attendance requirement, with at least 80% of the total instruction. If you cannot complete the course due to serious reasons (such as illness, caregiving responsibilities, etc.), you can present and provide evidence of these reasons to the Labour Office. If you do not complete the course without providing serious reasons, you will be responsible for paying the full course fee to the educator. Please read the conditions for course payment carefully.

WHAT IF I DON'T PASS THE EXAM?

If you do not pass the exam (or any retake if offered by the educator), you will pay the full price of the course to the educator. Please read the conditions for course payment carefully.

WHAT IF I CAN'T GET ON THE COURSE?

You can cancel your application before the start of the course. You can cancel in the e-shop as soon as you know you cannot attend the course, but no later than the day before the course starts. If you do not do so, the educator could claim for lost profits from you. Please read the conditions for course payment carefully.