Social security

The social security system in the Czech Republic
is regulated by Act No. 582/1991 Coll., on Social
Security Organization and Implementation,

as amended. The Social Security system comprises

Sickness Insurance of employees and self-employed

persons and Pension Insurance.

Pension Insurance

The Czech pension system consists of two parts.
The first pillar is the mandatory basic pension insurance,
defined by benefits (DB) and funded on a running basis
(pay-as-you-go). The system is universal and provides
for all economically active individuals. In addition, there is voluntary
complementary pension insurance with state contributions,
defined by contributions (DC), capital funded. This second pillar
also contains products provided by commercial insurance companies
– predominantly the life insurance. However, pensions granted from
the second pillar so far represent only a negligible portion of incomes
of the retired. The following pensions are provided from the basic pension insurance fund: old-age pension, disability pension, widow/ widower pension, orphan pension. Each pension consists of the following components: a basic assessment (which is a fixed amount identical for all types of pensions) and a percentage assessment (which largely depends on insurance duration and amount of premium).

The decision about the entitlement to a pension, its amount and payment shall be made by the Czech Social Security Administration in compliance with Act No. Act No. 155/1995 Coll., on Pension Insurance, as amended. People do not have to be Czech citizens to be entitled to participate in the pension insurance scheme.


Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – Pensions

Czech Social Security Administration

Sickness Insurance

Sickness insurance is regulated by Act No. 187/2006 Coll. The sickness insurance system is intended for working people to whom it provides with security through financial benefits in cases of so-called short-term social events (temporary inability to work due to an illness, injury or quarantine, caring for a family member, pregnancy and maternity or caring for a child).

Employees are obliged to participate in sickness insurance, unlike self-employed persons, whose sickness insurance is voluntary. Sickness insurance remains in force for the whole period of employment. Like in case of pension benefits, people do not have to be Czech citizens to be entitled to participate in the sickness insurance scheme.

The following 4 benefits are paid from the sickness insurance fund:
–    Sickness benefit
–    Maternity benefit
–    Attendance allowance
–    Compensatory benefit in pregnancy and maternity

To claim a benefit/allowance, the employee must deliver the application for a benefit/allowance (which is usually issued by his/her physician) to his/her employer, who sends it, together with other documents, to the appropriate District Social Security Administration. It is also important to know that employers also accept applications for a benefit/allowance from their former employees.

Other information on sickness insurance and details of the payment of benefits (from when and how much is paid) can be found on the web site of Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in section Sickness insurance.

State Social Support

Foreigners residing in the territory of the Czech Republic are also entitled to receive social allowances, namely: child allowance, parental allowance, housing allowance, foster care allowance, birth grant and funeral grant.

Only natural persons domiciled in the Czech Republic and EU citizens are entitled to the allowances.  Foreigners from other counties become entitled to the allowances after they have officially resided in the Czech Republic for 365 days since registration.

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – State social support

Centre for Integration of Foreigners Information Leaflet Social Security and Legal Protection of Employed Female Foreigners and their Families