The plan to increase apartment construction is encountering a shortage of workers

Prague - The government's plan to significantly increase the construction of apartments in the Czech Republic faces a shortage of workers in the construction industry. This follows from a poll by ČTK among staffing agencies. According to them, the only solution is labor migration, that is, the arrival of workers from abroad. In the Czech Republic, according to the economic strategy of the government of ANO, SPD, and Motorists, 50,000 new apartments should be built annually within five years. This would be about 20,000 more than currently.

"Domestic construction remains significantly dependent on foreign workers; most craftsmen and laborers in construction come from foreign employees," said Jitka Kouba, marketing director of Grafton Recruitment, to ČTK. If the government promises 50,000 new apartments annually, they will first need to reconsider their approach to migration, and subsequently to quotas for foreign labor and the question of Ukrainian labor. At this moment, there are not enough people in the market for such massive construction; some projects are already reporting delays or suspensions, she added.

Czech construction is already at the edge of capacity and any sudden increase in demand for new construction will primarily encounter a lack of people, stated Jiří Halbrštát, marketing director of ManpowerGroup. If 20,000 more than today need to be built within five years, it will not primarily be a question of projects or financing, but rather the availability of labor, especially in skilled and technical professions.

The personnel situation in construction remains tense and many companies continue to struggle with a shortage of workers, agreed Randstad Czech Republic spokesperson Petr Douda. According to him, a significant generational change is occurring, where experienced craftsmen are gradually retiring and younger generations are not entering the field in the necessary numbers. Today, companies do not reject contracts due to a lack of materials, but often because they do not have enough people and teams, he noted.

Controlled foreign recruitment will be a necessity, believes Halbrštát. The recent significant increase in quotas, for example for the Philippines, is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough for construction. "We need to similarly open and expand programs for countries like Kazakhstan or Serbia, where quality technical and craft training and cultural proximity facilitate integration. It’s not just about quotas. Equally important is to speed up and simplify the process of issuing work permits and residence permits," he stated.

According to Douda, the greatest long-term shortage primarily concerns bricklayers, carpenters, roofers, and plumbers. These professions require physical fitness and outdoor work in all weather conditions, which deters many younger applicants. The situation is also tense for electricians and plumbers, he pointed out. In addition to craftsmen and laborers, there is also a lack of project managers, site managers, estimators, and qualified technicians, such as structural engineers, surveyors, or construction supervisors, added Jitka Kouba. Due to the shortage of workers and the lengthy recruitment process, which can often stretch to five months for engineering positions, project delays often occur, according to her.