Maternity benefit (mateřská, PPM) for foreign women in Czechia 2026: who qualifies and how much

Updated: 14 November 2026

Maternity benefit in Czechia (peněžitá pomoc v mateřství, PPM, colloquially «mateřská») is paid not by your employer but by ČSSZ from sickness insurance. Citizenship does not matter: if you are a foreigner legally working in Czechia, the rules are the same as for Czech women. Here is who qualifies, how much you get and how to apply in 2026.

Who is entitled to mateřská

You are entitled if you participate in sickness insurance — practically everyone with an employment contract (pracovní poměr). You need to:

• be insured on the day PPM starts (or be within the protection period — see below);
• have at least 270 days of insurance in the last 2 years;
• earn above the threshold: on an employment contract or DPČ from 4,500 CZK a month (with lower earnings you are insured only in months when you reach it); on a DPP from 12,000 CZK a month in 2026.

Periods worked in the EU, EEA and Switzerland can count towards the 270 days — ČSSZ will request confirmation from the foreign institution. Periods in Ukraine and other non-EU countries usually do not count.

Self-employed women (OSVČ) get PPM only if they paid voluntary sickness insurance for at least 180 days in the year before the benefit starts (and 270 days in total over 2 years). More on contributions in our article Živnost trade licence for foreigners.

If your job ended during pregnancy

A protection period (ochranná lhůta) applies. If your insurance ended while you were already pregnant, the right to PPM is kept for 180 days — or for as many days as your last insurance lasted, if that was shorter. PPM must start within this period. DPP and small-scale jobs do not create a protection period. What to do about your visa and insurance after losing a job — see Lost your job in Czechia.

An employer cannot give notice (výpověď) to a pregnant employee (§ 53 of the Labour Code); the ban also applies during maternity leave. But a fixed-term contract still ends on its date — pregnancy does not extend it. Check the end date early, especially if your zaměstnanecká karta depends on the job.

How much it pays in 2026

PPM is 70 % of the reduced daily assessment base (DVZ). DVZ is your gross income for the 12 months before the month the benefit starts, divided by the number of calendar days. It is then reduced using the 2026 thresholds:

• up to 1,633 CZK — counted at 100 %;
• 1,633 to 2,449 CZK — 60 %;
• 2,449 to 4,897 CZK — 30 %;
• above 4,897 CZK — not counted.

Examples (approximate, 30-day month):

• gross 40,000 CZK → about 921 CZK a day → ~27,600 CZK a month;
• gross 60,000 CZK → about 1,286 CZK a day → ~38,600 CZK a month;
• maximum — about 2,000 CZK a day → ~60,000 CZK a month.

The thresholds rise from January 2027, but the benefit will only increase for gross pay above ~49,700 CZK.

When it starts and how long it lasts

• You choose the start date yourself — between the 8th and 6th week before the expected due date set by your gynaecologist.
• It lasts 28 weeks, or 37 weeks for twins or more.
• After PPM you can take rodičovská dovolená and apply for rodičovský příspěvek. For foreigners, entitlement to it depends on the type of residence — check in advance.

How to apply (eDávky)

1. Your gynaecologist issues a «Potvrzení o datu porodu» and sends it to ČSSZ electronically.
2. You receive an identifier (the confirmation number) by SMS, e-mail or on paper.
3. You give the identifier and your payment details to your employer, who forwards everything to the OSSZ.
4. The decision and payments are visible on the ČSSZ ePortál: log in via Identita občana, bank ID or your data box.

Self-employed women submit the documents directly to their OSSZ.

What the father gets

• Otcovská — 14 calendar days, which must start within 6 weeks of the birth. The amount is the same 70 % of the reduced DVZ. An employee only needs to be insured on the first day; an OSVČ needs at least 3 months of voluntary insurance. Apply through the employer.
• Taking over PPM: the father can do this from the 7th week after birth, for at least 7 days (up to 22 weeks in total, 31 for twins). The same insurance conditions apply; the parents need a written agreement with the mother’s signature officially verified (possible at the OSSZ).

Insurance and residence during maternity leave

While you receive PPM, the state pays your public health insurance. Your employment continues, so a job-based residence permit does not end by itself — but you still need to watch the expiry of your card and contract and renew on time. If you do not work and have commercial insurance, PPM does not apply, and it is crucial that your policy covers pregnancy and childbirth — see Public VZP or commercial PVZP. After the birth — registering the baby, insurance and residence: step-by-step guide.

Sources

• ČSSZ — Peněžitá pomoc v mateřství
• ČSSZ — Otcovská (podrobné informace)
• MPSV — Nemocenské pojištění v roce 2026
• ČSSZ eDávky — mateřská a zaměstnavatel
• Zákon č. 187/2006 Sb., o nemocenském pojištění

This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Check the current rules before making a decision, or contact us.