Czech living minimum 2026 and family reunification income

From 1 October 2026 the Labour Ministry (MPSV) sets the living minimum for a single person at CZK 5,500 a month. A foreign employee applying for family reunification must show, under § 42b(1)(d) of Act No. 326/1999 Sb., income that covers every family member's living minimum plus a housing amount after reunification. Lower documented income leads to refusal.

Where the application fails

The typical case: an employee with the only income in the household files for a spouse and child after 1 October 2026. The income document reflects pay that was sufficient under the earlier amounts. If monthly income falls short of the new living minima plus the housing amount, the document fails the § 42b(1)(d) condition and the application can be refused.

The key point is that neither the living minimum nor the subsistence minimum includes housing costs, according to MPSV. Housing is added separately. Under the residence act, it is the maximum normative rent plus the energy allowance used for state social assistance benefits, or the family's proven actual housing costs.

Living minimum amounts from 1 October 2026

The MPSV table updated on 1 October 2026 sets the following monthly amounts. The governing statute is Act No. 110/2006 Sb., on the living and subsistence minimum.

The current table is published by MPSV on its living and subsistence minimum page.

Model households for the income calculation

MPSV publishes sample totals on the same page. They are the starting point of the calculation, and the housing amount is always added on top.

Example: an employee bringing a spouse and a child aged 5 must document monthly income of at least CZK 11,230 plus the housing amount. Where the family lives in a hostel or a sublet arranged by the employer, it is advisable to have proof of actual costs ready in advance. The accommodation provider's duties are covered in the piece on worker accommodation and employer duties.

Which residence conditions move and which do not

The residence act uses two different measures, and the October 2026 change affects only one of them.

Under § 13(1), a stay over 30 days requires funds of 15 times the subsistence minimum, plus twice it for each further full month. At CZK 3,130 that is CZK 46,950, and CZK 6,260 for each additional full month. The consolidated text is available in the collection of laws.

Steps for the HR office

An HR office that issues income confirmations for family applications should recalculate every pending application against the new table after 1 October 2026. For employees with a single household income, we recommend checking three items: the number and ages of family members, the monthly income stated in the confirmation, and how housing is documented.

If the total does not reach the threshold, the application can be filed later with higher documented income, or with proof of actual housing costs where these are lower than the normative rent. Related duties after arrival are covered in the piece on employer obligations after the worker arrives. Open positions for foreign workers are listed on the Werklist job board.