In the Czech Republic, a common but misleading claim is that Ukrainians are “stealing” jobs from locals. This narrative, often rooted in economic misunderstandings, does not hold up under scrutiny of data and labor trends.
Over the past two years, the number of Ukrainian workers in the Czech Republic has surged by 86%, with Ukrainians contributing to nearly every sector.
The majority of Ukrainian workers are employed in roles that have traditionally been hard to fill with local labor. Among men, 23% work in machine and equipment operation, while 26% are employed in construction. For Ukrainian women, 30% hold machine operation roles, and 31% work in unskilled positions. In total, 63% of all Ukrainian refugees employed in 2023 worked in these categories.
Certain job types have seen remarkable increases. For example, kitchen assistant roles among Ukrainian women have risen by 83%, and building construction employment among Ukrainian men is up 26%. Other areas of growth include manufacturing and cleaning services.
Ukrainians are also contributing significantly to specialized fields. Employment among Ukrainian healthcare professionals has grown by 33%, software developers by 40%, and accountants by 30%.
According to the Czech Statistical Office, Ukrainians have primarily filled jobs that were previously unattractive or remained vacant due to a lack of local interest. This data contradicts the notion that they are displacing Czech workers, instead illustrating their vital role in addressing labor shortages in key industries.
