The Luxembourg government plans to revitalise its language leave scheme, a measure established in 2009 to promote learning Luxembourgish – the country’s third official language alongside French and German.
The initiative entitles employees and self-employed individuals of any nationality to 200 hours of paid leave for language training. This time is divided into two blocks for attending courses, preparing for exams, and certifying proficiency.
Participation in the scheme has grown significantly, with annual applications rising 52.4% from 2021 to 2024, reaching 323 last year. According to figures provided by former Labour Minister Georges Mischo, who resigned on Thursday, 326 applications have already been registered for 2025. Since its launch, nearly 4,937 applications have been submitted, 54% of which came from non-residents. The healthcare sector alone accounts for 44% of all applications, reflecting the high proportion of cross-border workers in the field.
This renewed interest coincides with a concerning demographic trend. The use of Luxembourgish as a main household language has fallen by 7% over the past decade and is now spoken in only 49% of homes. With a population of 672,000 – 47% of whom do not hold Luxembourgish nationality – and 228,000 daily cross-border commuters, the vitality of the national language has become a key cultural and political concern.
To address this, the government is drafting new legislation to simplify administrative procedures and increase digitalisation of the application process. The goal is clear: to make language leave more accessible and encourage greater uptake among residents and workers.
