The Portuguese, Luxembourg's largest foreign community with nearly 90,000 residents, have built deep roots since the 1960s, describing Luxembourg as their true home while highlighting strong integration and enduring ties.
As summer draws to a close, RTL turns its attention to Luxembourg's Portuguese community. Our colleagues at RTL Infos visited Bonnevoie to take stock of this unique bond between the Grand Duchy and Portugal.
Large-scale migration of Portuguese nationals to Luxembourg began in the late 1960s, later reinforced by a bilateral agreement between the two governments. At the time, Portugal was still weighed down by the authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, who ruled until 1968, and his successor Marcelo Caetano.
Thousands came to Luxembourg to build a better future, and the flow has never stopped. In 2025, Portuguese nationals remain the country’s largest foreign community, numbering 89,700 according to the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC).
In Bonnevoie, outside a popular bakery, a woman recalled arriving as a seven-year-old, growing up and building her life here, and now enjoying retirement. She said she had always felt well received in Luxembourg. Another resident, who settled sixteen years ago, explained that she chose Luxembourg because she saw it as a good place to live and work.
Today, the Portuguese have become an integral part of the national landscape. Their integration has never sparked major controversy, though one local woman admitted that language remains an area for improvement. She added that while the younger generations are more comfortable, the community itself remains tightly knit.
Unlike in neighbouring France, talk of "great replacement" theories has never emerged in Bonnevoie. The same woman pointed out that the neighbourhood is home to many nationalities living side by side, and she said she hoped divisive rhetoric would never take hold there.
For many, the relationship between Luxembourgers and Portuguese feels more like a love story. Several community members described a strong emotional attachment to the Grand Duchy: one man said that even after a short holiday abroad, he quickly felt the need to return to Luxembourg, a country and a people he has grown fond of.
Another woman said she always feels a sense of joy when flying back, because Luxembourg has become her true home. A third resident stressed that life in Luxembourg is good, without reasons for resentment, and that returning to live in Portugal is no longer an option for her because her heart belongs here.
