Professional training placements, previously available only to jobseekers aged over 30, are now open to all unemployed people. The change is intended to help younger jobseekers enter the labour market by providing paid, supervised work experience.
The placements remain short term, lasting from six weeks, up to nine weeks for highly qualified candidates. Participants receive an allowance paid directly by the National Employment Agency (ADEM). The scheme also allows employers to assess candidates in a real working environment, with around one in two placements currently leading to an employment contract.
The reform also creates a smoother pathway into employment by allowing participants to move directly from a professional training placement to an employment initiation contract, making the transition from work experience to permanent employment more seamless.
Administrative procedures have also been simplified. ADEM will now handle registration with Luxembourg's Social Security (CCSS) and pay participants' allowances directly, reducing paperwork for employers and removing the need for advance payments. The rules governing annual leave have also been harmonised across employment support schemes.
According to the government, the reform will give young unemployed people greater access to a first professional experience while providing employers with a simpler and more flexible recruitment tool.
