More jobs in Luxembourg now require a higher level of French

An estimated 150,000 cross-border workers come to the Grand Duchy from neighboring France and Belgium, where French is the official language. And of course, this number of French speaker workers has an impact on the country's business culture.

Three-quarters of all job vacancies posted on Adem's website in 2022 listed French as a mandatory requirement in the hiring process. French remains the most widely spoken language in the Luxembourg workplace, followed by English, Luxembourgish and German.

Moreover, the level of language requirements is increasing: while in 2017, 25% of vacancies required C-level French, this figure increased to 29% last year. Meanwhile, 25% to 30% of applicants registered with Adem do not speak French at B or C level, according to a company representative in conversation with Delano.

Even though there is a global shortage of qualified workers, companies often refuse to even interview candidates who don't speak French, leaving the position open longer or choosing to hire a candidate with lower qualifications or less experience if he or she speaks French.