The parliamentary question tabled by Franz Fayot, an LSAP MP, highlights a worrying trend. Since 2023, the number of jobseekers in Luxembourg has been soaring at a rate that bears no relation to the growth of the working-age population. The Minister for Labour Marc Spautz (CSV) does not dispute this finding in its response published on Monday 4 May. The figures are clear. Between the end of 2022 and the end of 2025, the number of jobseekers in Luxembourg jumped by 42.5%, whilst the resident working-age population grew by only 3.6% between 2023 and early 2025, and then by 1.5% in 2025.

This trend is not limited to Luxembourg nationals. There has been a comparable increase among third-country nationals, up 44.8% over the same period, compared with a 22.7% rise for EU citizens from outside Luxembourg. This discrepancy raises questions, particularly as the working-age population from other European countries is declining at the same time.

To explain this apparent paradox, the government cites a complex set of factors. Firstly, a fragmented labour market, where nationalities and qualifications are not evenly distributed. Secondly, a persistent mismatch between the skills available and the needs of businesses, despite more than 7,500 vacancies recorded by Adem in early 2026.

Several factors cited

Behind these figures lie several interrelated factors. The concentration of Luxembourg nationals in certain sectors that are more vulnerable, a mismatch between available skills and business needs, as well as statistical effects linked to naturalisation, all contribute to amplifying the rise. Added to this are more diffuse factors, such as changes in registration patterns or activation policies, which make interpreting the phenomenon more complex than it appears.

Another factor cited is the specific constraints faced by third-country nationals, whether regarding the recognition of qualifications or access to the labour market. Added to this is a statistical effect linked to naturalisations, which automatically swell the ranks of jobseekers in Luxembourg. The official assessment remains cautious. “The observation (…) can be explained by a combination of structural and cyclical factors,” writes Marc Spautz. No outright challenge, but an implicit acknowledgement of deep-seated tensions in the labour market.

In light of these signs, Franz Fayot is calling for greater transparency and a detailed analysis of the dynamics at play. Adem has promised to commission a dedicated study from May 2026. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to shed light on a situation which, as the figures show, is beginning to cause concern far beyond the opposition.