Most banks will not approve a mortgage while you are in a probation period (zkušební doba), because income the employer can end at any time without giving a reason does not count as stable. Some banks accept it after 3 months worked, if the employer confirms that the employment is continuing. No bank lends during a notice period (výpovědní lhůta).
A fixed-term contract can work, but usually only once it has been extended, or in professions where such contracts are the norm.
In practice, change jobs either well before you apply or only after the mortgage has been drawn. Once the loan is drawn, the bank does not recheck your income as long as you repay on time. The riskiest moment is a change between approval and drawdown. Below is an overview by type of employment, the timing of a job change and an example of a couple where one partner is still on probation.
Which employment types do banks accept for a mortgage?
| Situation | Usual bank stance (October 2026) | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent contract, after probation | standard, no restrictions | – |
| Probation period | most no; some after 3 months with the employer's confirmation | wait, a co-applicant, another bank |
| Notice period (either side) | no | wait for the new employment and its probation period |
| Fixed-term, first contract | case by case, often no | history with the employer, confirmation of extension |
| Fixed-term, repeatedly extended | mostly yes | provide the previous contracts |
| DPP / DPČ (agreements outside an employment contract) | as supplementary income with a longer history | bank statements, income confirmation |
| Agency employment | case by case, stricter | longer duration, assignment to the same user company |
These are the banks' internal rules, not the law. The only binding ČNB limit is LTV; how a bank judges the stability of income is its own choice, within its duty to assess creditworthiness under Act No. 257/2016 Coll. That is why banks differ, and a refusal at one does not mean a refusal everywhere.
Why the bank knows you are on probation
The income confirmation form (potvrzení o příjmu) that your employer fills in has boxes for “fixed-term/permanent employment”, “the employee is in a probation period” and “is in a notice period”. The bank reads these before it even looks at the amount. Under § 35 of the Labour Code a probation period lasts at most 4 months, or 8 months for managers (since 1 June 2025; previously 3 and 6 months).
Hiding it does not work. The employer signs that the information is true, and the bank can check by phone. False information is grounds for calling in the loan and can also become a criminal matter.
Can you get a mortgage on a fixed-term contract?
Usually yes, if the contract has been extended or your profession works on fixed-term contracts; a first contract is judged case by case. The bank wants to know whether the income will continue, and the more your history shows that, the better.
- A contract repeatedly extended with the same employer is enough for most banks; bring the previous contracts or addenda.
- Professions where fixed-term contracts are the norm (education, healthcare, research, public administration) are familiar to banks and judged more leniently.
- A contract that ends soon after the loan is signed is a problem even with a long history. A letter from the employer confirming the intention to extend helps.
If the contract expires during repayment and you get a new one, the bank is not interested: what counts is the assessment at approval.
Change jobs before you apply or after drawdown
- Before applying. This is the safest option, provided there is enough time left after the probation period ends. The bank counts the new, higher income from the moment you can document it, and some banks want 3 months of statements from the new employer.
- Between application and drawdown. This is the worst possible moment. The loan agreement usually obliges you to report a material change in your finances, and the bank may want an up-to-date income confirmation before drawdown. A new job still in its probation period can stop the drawdown, putting both the reservation and the purchase agreement at risk.
- After drawdown. Practically no impact. The bank does not recheck your creditworthiness, and the new rate at refixation with the same bank does not depend on income.
When negotiating with a new employer, remember that a probation period is not compulsory; it has to be agreed in writing, at the latest on the start date. If you know you will apply for a mortgage in the coming months, try for a contract without one. This works mainly for senior roles and for moves within a group of companies. Without a probation period the bank treats the income as standard from day one, although some banks still want to see the first salaries arrive in your account.
One exception: if you plan to refinance with another bank at the end of the fixed-rate period, the new bank assesses your income from scratch. Do not change jobs in the last months before the fixed-rate period ends if you are planning a switch.
Tomáš and Eva: one partner still on probation
- Both incomes (after probation): CZK 100,000 net. Both are under 36, so at the banks' usual internal threshold of 50 % for this age group the maximum payment is CZK 50,000, which supports a mortgage of roughly CZK 9.3 million.
- Eva's income alone: CZK 40,000 × 50 % = a CZK 20,000 payment, so a mortgage of about CZK 3.73 million.
Work out your own ceiling with the How much can I borrow calculator. How the bank combines two applicants' incomes is covered in our article How much mortgage can I get.
DPP, DPČ and agency work
Banks mostly count income from an agreement to perform a task (dohoda o provedení práce, DPP) or an agreement to perform work (dohoda o pracovní činnosti, DPČ) only on top of a main income, and only with a longer history with the same employer. A DPČ is accepted as the sole income only exceptionally. It helps if the payments are regular and visible on your bank statements.
Agency workers have an employment contract with the agency, often fixed-term and tied to the assignment. Banks want to see a longer track record, ideally repeated assignments to the same user company. A short history often leads to a refusal or a demand for a co-applicant.
Moving from employment to self-employment is a separate story: banks usually want at least one filed tax return. See Mortgage for employees vs. the self-employed (OSVČ).
If you have just changed jobs
- Employment contract and any addenda (permanent contract, end of the probation period).
- Income confirmation with “not in a probation period or a notice period” filled in.
- Bank statements showing salaries from the new employer, ideally for 3 months.
- Proof of your previous job if the new one followed without a break, which adds credibility.
- For fixed-term contracts, all previous contracts and extension addenda.
- In a borderline case, a co-applicant with a stable income.
Sources
- Act No. 262/2006 Coll., the Labour Code, § 35 (probation period)
- Act No. 257/2016 Coll., on consumer credit, § 86 (creditworthiness assessment)
- ČNB – LTV limits; DSTI deactivated from 1 July 2023, DTI from 1 January 2024