In the Czech Republic, only one in four people over the age of 60 will successfully find a job.
The chances for those over 60, particularly those who have lost their jobs, to secure new employment are slim. A recent report shows that just about a quarter of 60-year-olds registered at employment centers find work within two years. For individuals older than 60, the likelihood of finding employment is even lower. As the retirement age continues to rise, this issue is expected to intensify. At the end of February, 40,428 people over 60 were registered as unemployed, compared to just 8,592 the year before — an increase of over 25%.
An analysis conducted by the Research Institute of Labor and Social Issues (RILSA) indicates that the probability of finding a job for unemployed individuals over 60 has decreased significantly. The study found that 27.3% of 60-year-olds found employment within two years, but this figure drops to 21.9% for 61-year-olds, 19.4% for 62-year-olds, and 13.7% for 63-year-olds. For those even older, the likelihood falls to single digits.
Many older job seekers are more likely to leave the register voluntarily, though not always due to reaching retirement age. “It is more likely that they move into economic inactivity; the reason could be, for example, their fundamental misfortune, such as health problems, difficulties finding a job, or even family situations,” explain the authors of the analysis, Ondřej Hora and Miroslav Sukhanyets.
They highlight that older individuals struggle to secure work. “The key takeaway is a significant reduction in the probability of finding a job without support, i.e., a job in the open labor market, as age increases,” the analysis notes.
Even those with higher education face challenges. “Even qualified specialists from this group have no more than a 25% chance of finding a job without support,” the report observes.
This situation is also reflected by Tomáš Dombrovský from Alma Career, who oversees the job portals Jobs.cz and Prace.cz. He points out that companies are much less likely to invite candidates in their 50s and 60s to interviews compared to younger applicants. “Even highly qualified older individuals face difficulties when trying to change jobs,” he explains.
