Unemployed French are attracted to the Czech Republic by low prices
As reported by Vinegret.cz citing the publication Le Parisien, as part of the project with the telling name "Work in the Czech Republic," Pôle Emploi has launched a corresponding website and an outreach program in some of its centers. For example, in the village of La Madeleine in northern France, job seekers are offered assistance in organizing the move and 750 euros for related expenses. This money can also be spent on Czech language courses.
The program is primarily aimed at young French people, but there is no age limit. The job center notes that knowing Czech is not necessary for work – French and English are much more valuable.
"Although the gross salary (before taxes) of 1,500 euros may seem small, one should not forget that life here is 40% cheaper than in France. The Czech Republic offers many opportunities where French skills can be useful. The republic remains a little-known destination, so efforts must be made to learn about the specifics of life here and cultural differences," says a statement from Pôle Emploi.
For comparison, the average salary in France in the private sector is currently 2,250 euros (about 57,000 crowns). The job center uses a similar scheme to offer French people the chance to go to work in Italy, Switzerland, and Canada.
In turn, Le Parisien notes that the unemployment rate in the Czech Republic has long been at 2%. This is the lowest rate in the entire European Union, while in France it exceeds 9%. Today, about 500 French companies operate in the republic, offering 150 job vacancies.