Luxembourg, like the 32 NATO member states, is investing heavily in its defense capabilities – both in equipment and personnel. In 2025, the country allocated 2% of its gross national income (nearly €1.2 billion) to defense. By 2032, this figure is set to rise to 3.5%, meaning Luxembourg will need to recruit a substantial number of motivated personnel in the years ahead.
After a record recruitment year in 2025, when the army hired 245 men and women, General Steve Thull, head of the Luxembourg Army, announced during a Christmas address that the army aims to recruit at least 280 new soldiers in 2026.
Currently, the Luxembourg Army has 1,380 personnel, both military and civilian, including 557 volunteer soldiers. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the country will need to hire roughly 650 additional staff. The majority of these new positions will be military roles across all career tracks, including officers, non-commissioned officers, corporals, and volunteer soldiers, according to the Army.
A significant portion of these recruits will staff the new Belgian-Luxembourgish battalion, expected to be operational by 2030 and stationed in Arlon. Half of the battalion’s 700 soldiers will come from Luxembourg.
With the demand for qualified military personnel “higher than ever”, Defense Minister Yuriko Backes said the government approved a package of measures in December to improve recruitment and the army’s attractiveness. The plan will allow volunteer soldiers to be recruited from beyond Luxembourg’s borders, without any residency requirements.
Currently, candidates for basic training must be Luxembourgish nationals or EU citizens who have legally resided in Luxembourg for at least three years, including the year immediately prior to enlistment. Under the new rules, any European citizen, regardless of residency, will be eligible to join the Luxembourg Army.
The minister expects the new policy to primarily attract candidates from the Greater Region – cross-border workers – but emphasised that there are no geographic restrictions. She also noted that potential candidates could include those with previous ties to Luxembourg.
The Luxembourg government is also introducing new measures to make army service more accessible and attractive. For the first time, French or German language requirements may be waived, though a minimum A2 level in Luxembourgish will still be required, Defense Minister Yuriko Backes explained. This level allows recruits to handle basic communication, talk about daily life, describe people or objects, and recount past or future events. The bill formalising these new admission rules is expected in the second quarter of 2027.
“Our personnel are at the heart of our efforts – their commitment to our security must be properly compensated”, the minister said when presenting the package of reforms. Base pay for new soldiers will rise by 25%, from €2,166 to €2,718, ensuring that volunteer soldiers earn at least the unskilled minimum wage (€2,703) from the start. Currently, soldiers only reach this level after 18–24 months. The reform also introduces monthly bonuses of €531 for operational readiness and a demobilisation bonus of €14,378 after four years, with an additional €4,147 for each subsequent year. Pay will also increase annually by 3.7–4 index points.
Non-resident recruits will be eligible for Luxembourgish nationality after four years of service, while EU citizens living in Luxembourg for at least three years can qualify after just one year. Once naturalised, volunteers can pursue any career in the public service.
Only recruits in basic training are required to stay at the Grand-Duc Jean barracks in Diekirch. Volunteers may request a free room if desired. All soldiers receive free meals, 40 days of annual leave – eight more than other civil servants – and access to initial and ongoing training, both in Luxembourg and abroad. Aspiring officers can also pursue fully funded university studies.
Volunteer soldiers benefit from free medical, dental, physiotherapy, and pharmaceutical care as needed.
