CFL continues to prioritise the Luxembourgish language, even though the railway company implicitly acknowledges the difficulties in recruiting certain qualified candidates. In a parliamentary question addressed to the minister for Mobility and Public Works, 
The MP notes that several CFL job advertisements present Luxembourgish more as an asset than as a mandatory requirement, which he sees as a sign of persistent tensions in the labour market. He also raises questions about the procedures for the language tests required of new employees and the safeguards in place regarding equal treatment.
In her reply on Wednesday 3 June, the Minister points out that “the Luxembourgish language is of particular importance within CFL”, particularly in dealings with customers and in informal internal communication. Requirements vary, however, depending on the role. For several operational roles involving contact with customers, employees must achieve a B1 level in Luxembourgish by the end of their probationary period. For other roles, an A2.2 level is required.
In-house training
To achieve these objectives, CFL relies on an in-house training programme called “LetzTrain”. The stated aim is to facilitate the integration of new staff whilst respecting the country’s linguistic diversity. The minister also emphasises the company’s commitment to implementing the principle that “everyone can speak their own language”.
On the sensitive issue of language tests, Yuriko Backes states that the procedures are standardised and comply with the principles of impartiality and non-discrimination. According to her, all candidates are assessed under identical conditions, based on predefined criteria and by assessors trained to ensure a consistent evaluation of language skills.
The minister also rejects any suggestion of an imminent reform of the system. “At present, there are no plans to change the criteria or the assessment of language exams,” she writes. The current system already allows for “an objective and fair assessment of all candidates”.
