The increase is confirmed by a scientific note from the Chamber of Deputies, which focuses on Luxembourgers living in the Greater Region who still consider the Grand Duchy to be their main centre of life. The research was requested by Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) MP Tom Weidig, partly in order to obtain concrete figures.
According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC), last year 14,960 cross-border workers with Luxembourg nationality were registered in Lorraine, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Wallonia, while working in Luxembourg.
Figures from the General Inspectorate of Social Security (IGSS) show that in 2022, 3,600 active people left Luxembourg to settle abroad. Of these, 90 percent moved to the four other parts of the Greater Region.
The largest group of Luxembourgers, who are not necessarily still active on the labour market, is registered in Rhineland-Palatinate, accounting for more than 10,000 people.
In his request for the research, Weidig also pointed to what he described as a potentially high number of Luxembourgers living in the Greater Region while remaining officially registered in Luxembourg. He asked how many people this might involve and whether the situation is monitored.
No answer was provided, however, as the necessary statistical and scientific data are not available.
Property prices are cited as the main reason for leaving Luxembourg, often in combination with other factors. These include a reduction in income due to retirement or divorce, while individuals attempt to maintain their living conditions.
The research also examined differences between Luxembourgers living in the country and those residing in border regions. According to the scientific note, the latter group is on average younger, with younger defined as under 40 years old. Cross-border workers, regardless of nationality, also tend to have higher qualifications and better chances of owning a house or an apartment.
The scientific note further confirms that the growing number of residents moving abroad is having an impact on the housing market across the Greater Region, contributing to rising property prices on the other side of the border.
