Skills-Plang

Objective

The objective of Skills-Plang is to anticipate changes in the labour market, strengthen employees’ employability and thus prevent unemployment through targeted upskilling or reskilling actions.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible companies

To participate in the Skills-Plang programme, a company must:

• have its registered office in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;
• have carried out genuine economic activity in Luxembourg for at least three years;
• not be considered an undertaking in difficulty within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 651/2014;
• identify a transformation of its activities, occupations or skills needs due to structural market developments (e.g. digitalisation, energy transition, regulatory or societal changes);
• and inform its staff delegation before submitting the application to ADEM.

Eligible employees

The following employees are considered impacted:

• those with at least 12 months’ seniority within the participating company;
• those occupying a position affected by structural market changes;
• those requiring at least 120 hours of training for reskilling or upskilling;
• and those included in the training plan validated by ADEM.

How to submit an application?

1. Information and preparation

The company identifies a significant transformation of its activities and informs the staff delegation.

It may then contact an accredited consultant or accredited consulting firm to obtain a quote describing:

• the services provided;
• the estimated number of person-days;
• the daily rate;
• the software used (if applicable);
• the people involved in the project.

2. Submission of the application

The company submits an application for participation to ADEM, containing:

• a clear description of the structural trends affecting the company and its future strategy;
• an explanation of the upskilling or reskilling needs of the workforce;
• the quote from the selected accredited consultant.

The complete file is submitted to ADEM for eligibility verification and approval.

3. Forecast analysis and training plan

The accredited consultant carries out an in-depth analysis.

1. Assessment of the HR situation and identification of impacted positions
2. Skills assessments
3. Individual development plans
4. Development of an overall training plan and estimated budget
5. At the end of this phase, a final report is submitted to ADEM, together with the opinion of the staff delegation.

4. Validation and implementation

Once validated by ADEM, the company has 24 months to implement the training plan.
Training must be delivered by approved training providers and aim to strengthen employees’ employability.

Financial support

The Fonds pour l’emploi co-funds:

• a share of consultancy costs for the analysis and planning phase,
• a share of direct training costs,
• a share of the employee’s salary costs during training.

Co-funding rates

Workforce and financial thresholds defining company categories

• Micro and small enterprises
  Fewer than 50 employees AND an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total not exceeding €10 million
• Medium-sized enterprises
  Fewer than 250 employees AND an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million OR an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million
• Large enterprises
  More than 250 employees OR an annual turnover exceeding €50 million OR an annual balance sheet total exceeding €43 million

Deadlines and reimbursement conditions for training costs

Submission of documents

• The company must submit all documents (invoices, certificates, attendance records, etc.) to ADEM no later than three months after the 24-month implementation period of the training plan.
• After this deadline, the right to reimbursement will lapse.

Reimbursement procedure

• Reimbursement can be requested after each training session or at the end of all training sessions included in the plan, depending on the company’s preference.
• ADEM will review the documents. Once approved, the Employment Fund will release the co-financing payment.

Budget overrun

• If the training costs exceed the budget specified in the approved plan by more than 20%, the company must provide ADEM with a justification to maintain eligibility for co-financing.

Non-Reimbursement in certain cases

• No reimbursement will be granted if the employee does not attend, withdraws from the training, or has an attendance rate below 80%.
• Exception: Illness, supported by a medical certificate from the first day. In this case, the training may be repeated once and reimbursed.
• If an exam is failed, the first training remains co-funded. Any further attempts are paid for by the employer.

How to participate?

Interested companies can submit their application online.
You can find more details on the eligibility criteria, the application steps, and the required documents in our practical guide.