Family benefits for asylum seekers
Maternity leave and maternity benefit
Maternity leave is typically intended for expectant mothers, but in some cases, fathers or foster parents can take it as well. Maternity leave starts six to eight weeks before the expected birth. Employers are required to allow you to take maternity leave, and you are protected throughout your pregnancy, meaning that your employer cannot fire you or force you to change your employment contract. You can also apply for maternity benefit alongside your maternity leave.
To qualify, you must meet two conditions:
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You must be insured for sickness benefits for at least 270 days in the last two years in the Czech Republic.
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When beginning maternity leave, you must be insured for sickness benefits or be within the “protective period”, which is 180 days from the end of your last employment.
If you start your leave six to eight weeks before the expected birth, the maternity benefit lasts 28 weeks, or 37 weeks if you have twins or more children born. However, if you begin leave only after childbirth, the support is reduced to 22 weeks. If the father wishes to take maternity leave and the mother returns to work, this is possible after six weeks following the birth, and an agreement between the parents must be signed. The father must meet the same conditions as the mother to qualify for maternity benefit.
The maternity benefit is 70% of the reduced daily basis of assessment per calendar day. The daily basis of assessment is usually determined by your income in the 12 calendar months before the start of the benefit.
APPLICATION: Your gynaecologist will issue the application, which you then submit to your employer. The employer will send the application to the relevant District Social Security Administration, which will calculate your daily basis of assessment and send you the maternity benefit.
For more information, visit: https://www.cssz.cz/penezita-pomoc-v-materstvi.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact SIMI’s Social Department.
Paternity leave
The father can take paternity leave during the first six weeks following the expected birth of the child, for a period of 14 days.
The application for paternity leave is submitted to the employer. The conditions to qualify are having three months of sickness insurance and the father being listed on the child’s birth certificate.
If you are self-employed and pay sickness insurance, you can also apply for paternity leave. However, keep in mind that the Czech Social Security Administration has 30 days to respond, so the application must be submitted in advance, at least 30 days before the start of paternity leave.
The paternity benefit is 70% of the reduced daily basis of assessment per calendar day. The daily basis of assessment is usually determined by your income in the 12 calendar months before the start of the benefit.
APPLICATION: https://eportal.cssz.cz/web/portal/-/tiskopisy/zdopp.
For more information, visit: https://www.cssz.cz/otcovska.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact SIMI’s Social Department.
Parental benefit
This is a state social support benefit intended to follow after the maternity benefit. If you are not eligible for the maternity benefit, you may still qualify for the parental benefit.
The main requirement for receiving the parental benefit is residence in the Czech Republic. The parental benefit is regulated by the State Social Support Act, which specifies who is legally entitled to it. The benefit is always paid to one of the parents and is considered a benefit for the child, meaning the child must meet certain conditions as well.
The child must be born in the Czech Republic and meet one of the following conditions: have permanent residence, temporary or long-term residence for family reunification, asylum status, or have been registered in the Czech Republic for at least 365 days, etc.
Parent requirements: The parent must have permanent residence, or temporary/long-term residence for family reunification with an EU citizen, or asylum status. Check your eligibility according to the law; for example, with an employee card, you are eligible after three months of residence in the country. If you have a long-term visa, you must meet the requirement of 365 days of residence from the date of registration.
Starting January 1, 2024, the total amount of the benefit will increase to 350,000 CZK, and for multiple births, it will be 525,000 CZK. This applies only to children born on or after January 1, 2024. The benefit is paid monthly according to your daily basis of assessment. This means the maximum monthly parental benefit is the same as the monthly amount of the maternity benefit. If you didn’t receive the maternity benefit, you can request a daily basis of assessment calculation, which will be provided by the Czech Social Security Administration after you submit your application. You can find this application here: https://www.mpsv.cz/-/potvrzeni-o-dennim-vymerovacim-zakladu-ovlivnujicim-vysi-rodicovskeho-prispevku
Parental benefits assigned starting from January 1, 2024, can be claimed until the child turns 3 years old.
Parental benefits assigned before January 1, 2024, can be claimed until the child turns 4 years old.
The application is submitted to the local branch of the Labour Office at the Social Support Department.
You can also submit it online via the Jenda app. The Labour Office may request additional documents after you submit your application.
You can find the application here: https://www.mpsv.cz/web/cz/-/zadost-o-rodicovsky-prispevek.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact SIMI’s Social Department.
Child benefit
The child benefit is intended for low-income families, especially single mothers, families with young children, or students. It is a means-tested benefit, meaning you need to provide proof of your family’s income and expenses.
The benefit can be claimed for children from birth until they turn 18, or up to 26 if they are studying. This is a benefit for a dependent child: parents apply for minors; while dependent young adults aged 18 to 26 apply on their own.
To qualify, the family’s income must not exceed 3.4 times the family’s basic subsistence. This is calculated as the sum of the basic subsistence of all family members, and the amount usually changes every year. We recommend using an online calculator to check the basic subsistence for the current year.
Monthly child benefit by age:
Up to 6 years: 830 CZK
6 to 15 years: 970 CZK
15 to 26 years: 1,080 CZK
The child benefit is increased by 500 CZK if any member of the family has any of the following types of income: employment income (at least equal to the individual’s basic subsistence), income from self-employment, sickness benefits, pension, unemployment benefits, care allowance for a child under 18, or parental benefits.
Monthly child benefit at the increased rate by age:
Up to 6 years: 1,330 CZK
6 to 15 years: 1,470 CZK
15 to 26 years: 1,580 CZK
The application is submitted to the local branch of the Labour Office at the Social Support Department.
You can also submit it online via the Jenda app. The Labour Office may request additional documents after you submit your application.
For more information and the application, visit: https://www.mpsv.cz/web/cz/-/zadost-o-pridavek-na-dite.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact SIMI’s Social Department.
Birth allowance
The birth allowance is a benefit for low-income families, intended primarily to help cover the costs of baby supplies. You can apply for this allowance until your child reaches one year of age. The benefit is means-tested, requiring proof of the family’s income and expenses for the Labour Office, and applies to the first and second live-born children. For the first child, the one-time benefit is 13,000 CZK, while for the second child, it is 10,000 CZK.
Applications are submitted at the Labour Office in your place of residence, specifically at the State Social Support Department.
While the application cannot yet be submitted via the Jenda app, you can apply online if you have a data box or an electronic signature.
For more information and the application form, visit the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – https://www.mpsv.cz/-/porodne
If you have further questions, feel free to contact our Social Department.
Nursing allowance
Do you have a sick child under 10?
If you work but need to stay home to care for a sick child, you may qualify for the nursing allowance. This benefit is part of the Czech sickness insurance system. The amount you receive is calculated based on your daily basis of assessment, determined by the relevant District Social Security Administration (OSSZ).
Click here to view relevant electronic forms.
For a list of contacts for Labour Office branches, click here.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact SIMI’s Social Department – in person, by phone, or via email.
