Artificial intelligence is expected to significantly disrupt the Czech labor market in the coming decade, with an estimated 600,000 workers facing major changes to their careers. While some will remain in their current roles and adapt through retraining, others may be forced to start from scratch—or risk long-term unemployment.
The projections come from a new labor market forecast prepared by Boston Consulting Group in collaboration with the Czech Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
“The greatest impact will come from the development of artificial intelligence, which will affect half of all jobs—600,000 of them fundamentally,” said Tomáš Wiedermann, a partner at BCG.
According to the study, while around 355,000 jobs are expected to disappear, approximately 955,000 new roles will be created. However, about 2 million people will need to gain at least basic skills in working with AI.
Nearly 290,000 workers will need to retrain for different roles, and 67,000 will have to undergo extensive education to shift into entirely new career paths. Without this, they may struggle to find employment and could become long-term clients of unemployment centers.
Industries most at risk include software development, data analysis, IT support services, and segments of public administration. Legal professionals, graphic designers, technicians, and even hairdressers are also identified as vulnerable. The retail and manufacturing support sectors are expected to see job reductions as well.
“The surplus of legal professionals may seem surprising, but this field will be significantly impacted by AI’s ability to analyze legal documents,” Wiedermann added.
“Retail workers will be affected by automation and the continued growth of e-commerce.”
On the other hand, critical labor shortages are forecast in education, healthcare, and skilled trades. The report points to an urgent need for as many as 43,000 teachers across all levels, along with a rising demand for nurses, technicians, and cooks.
Teacher shortages, in particular, are being driven by an aging workforce and a trend where many education graduates ultimately pursue other professions.
Despite these changes, Czech workers remain hesitant to switch careers. “The average time spent with one employer in our country—more than 10 years—is among the highest,” noted Jiří Šatava, a representative of the Ministry of Labor.
A key reason is financial insecurity: many households lack the savings to support a job transition. As a result, workers often move from one job to another without taking time off to retrain or upskill.
To help ease the transition, the government is promoting digital retraining programs—like those available on the employment office’s platform Jsemvkurzu.cz—and has approved amendments to the Labor Code, which include increased unemployment benefits.
