At the end of 2025, the Chamber of Commerce presented the Talent4Luxembourg publication, structured around 34 recommendations and 6 strategic guidelines to address the talent shortage and the need to recruit 335,000 people by 2040.
Talent retention is a key issue, particularly due to high turnover, dependence on foreign workers (74% of employees) and the challenges associated with integrating families and senior citizens.
To enhance its attractiveness, Luxembourg aims to position itself as an international hub through concrete tools such as the Work in Luxembourg platform and the Talent Desk support service.
At the end of 2025, the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce presented the Talent4Luxembourg plan, which aims to enhance the Grand Duchy's attractiveness and respond to labour market tensions. Talent4Luxembourg sets out 34 concrete recommendations, structured around six strategic priorities, to enhance the attractiveness, development and retention of talent in Luxembourg.
We meet Muriel Morbé, Director of Talents & Skills at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and CEO of the House of Training.
Among the 34 recommendations, what are the priority actions for enhancing Luxembourg's appeal to international talent?
Among the priority recommendations, the Chamber of Commerce emphasised the importance for Luxembourg to position itself as an attractive international hub for talent and their families. This involves strengthening the country's visibility on a global scale, creating an impactful national employer brand and developing a digital and physical welcome and support system for talent, their families and employers.
As a member of the High Committee for the Attraction, Retention and Development of Talent, chaired by the Ministry of the Economy, the Chamber of Commerce works with ministries, administrations, other professional chambers and its network of partners to co-develop concrete and accessible solutions.
What concrete solutions are already being considered to implement these priorities?
The members of the High Committee for the Attraction, Retention and Development of Talent, chaired by the Ministry of the Economy, have chosen to unite their efforts under a common brand: Work in Luxembourg. The Work in Luxembourg portal aims to become the single point of entry to the Grand Duchy, both for international talent and for companies recruiting abroad.
Complementing the portal, the Talent Desk, operated by the Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Ministry of the Economy and the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts, is a one-stop shop for guiding and supporting international talent and their families and assisting companies with their recruitment efforts. It aims to remove administrative barriers and offer personalised support to international talent and companies. It works in synergy with a large network of institutional partners.
The issue of talent retention is also central to the Talent4Luxembourg plan. What are the main challenges you have identified in Luxembourg today, particularly from the perspective of employees?
With 74% of employees not having Luxembourg nationality, the Luxembourg labour market is atypical. The challenges of retention in Luxembourg are manifold and affect both the working conditions and the living environment of existing employees.
Despite positive net migration, the country is experiencing significant turnover, with 25,725 arrivals and 16,444 departures in 2024. Understanding the reasons for departure, better targeting recruitment and ensuring integration upon arrival are essential for skills stability and long-term economic performance.
"Luxembourg has real strengths in several strategic sectors, particularly defence and artificial intelligence."
When it comes to integration, the process is even more complicated when moving as a couple or family...
The integration of families is a determining factor: access to employment for spouses, the availability of places in international schools and the need for structured support upon arrival are regularly identified as major challenges for the long-term retention of international talent.
To facilitate the professional and social integration of the spouses of international talent, a Spouse Programme is planned for 2026 to help retain talent and their families in Luxembourg. This programme will be organised by the Chamber of Commerce in close collaboration with the House of Training, the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Family, Solidarity, Living Together and Welcoming.
Looking more closely at certain sectors, where are the most promising opportunities to increase the country's attractiveness in the coming years?
Luxembourg has real strengths in several strategic sectors. However, some areas offer further potential for development in terms of attractiveness, particularly defence and artificial intelligence.
These activities are undergoing rapid change and require highly specialised skills. Raising the country's profile among these talented individuals, while developing a suitable training and innovation ecosystem, represents an opportunity to expand and consolidate the skills pool in the long term.
The demographic transition will pose a challenge for Luxembourg in the coming years, with the number of people in work expected to rise from 490,000 in 2022 to 645,000 in 2040, according to the IGSS. A total of 335,000 people will need to be recruited across all sectors by 2040, representing around 68% of the current total domestic workforce.
Luxembourg's demographic situation is indeed a major challenge. Senior citizens, for example, represent an under-exploited strategic resource. With one of the lowest effective retirement ages in the OECD and an employment rate for 55-64 year olds capped at 49%, keeping them in employment, mobilising hiring subsidies for the over-45s and promoting their skills by encouraging intergenerational transfer are essential for strengthening the stability and continuity of organisations.
"Mobilising hiring subsidies for the over-45s and promoting their skills by encouraging intergenerational transfer are essential for strengthening the stability and continuity of organisations."
Should the Grand Duchy also look elsewhere to attract talent?
The issue of retention also concerns the country's ability to encourage the return of expatriate Luxembourgers, whether they are students pursuing their studies abroad, young graduates or experienced professionals. Their return is a strategic lever for strengthening the local talent pool, bringing new skills acquired internationally and supporting the diversification of the economy.
Beyond attracting new talent, the Grand Duchy must also retain the talent already present within its borders. How can this be achieved?
The country's attractiveness also depends on promoting and developing the talent already present in Luxembourg. In a context marked by a skills shortage and a limited ability to attract international talent, continuing education is a major lever for supporting employability, anticipating future labour market needs and supporting the competitiveness of businesses.
The Chamber of Commerce is mobilising its expertise in continuing education, particularly through the House of Training. This approach is fully in line with the Talent4Luxembourg guidelines, complementarily strengthening the country's attractiveness to international talent and the upskilling of the local talent pool, two essential dimensions for ensuring the resilience of the labour market in Luxembourg.
Picture : © Marion Dessard
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