Last update 16.10.2025

Residents

The information provided during your registration with ADEM will be used to check whether you are entitled to unemployment benefit. ADEM staff will contact eligible jobseekers by telephone in order to prepare the application for unemployment benefit.

It is not necessary to be present in person at the ADEM to register as a jobseeker or apply for unemployment benefit.

If you live in Luxembourg and involuntarily lose your job, you may, under certain conditions, receive financial assistance to compensate for the loss of your main source of income.

Persons concerned

Salaried workers, self‑employed persons and young residents who have completed their school training may apply for unemployment benefits, subject to certain conditions:

Employees
Self‑employed
Young school‑leavers

Important deadlines

We strongly recommend that you submit your application for unemployment benefits as quickly as possible.

If your last job was a salaried position, the following deadlines apply:

If you register with the National Employment Agency (ADEM) immediately after losing your job, you must submit your application for unemployment benefits within four weeks of losing your job. Your benefit can then start on the first day after your contract ends. If you register with ADEM or apply for the unemployment benefits later, your benefits will only start from the date of your registration, with a retroactive effect limited to four weeks. Notice periods and periods of temporary incapacity are considered to be part of the employment relationship.

If your last job was as a self‑employed person, the following deadlines apply:

You have six months after you stop your activity to register with ADEM. No specific deadline is then set for filing your application for unemployment benefits, but you are strongly advised not to delay.

If you are a recent school‑leaver, the following deadlines apply:

You have twelve months after the end of your studies or training to register with ADEM. From that date, you will need to be registered for 26 weeks (or 39 weeks in some cases) before you can apply for unemployment benefits. If you finish an apprenticeship, you may submit your application immediately.