Minderjährige und Jugendliche
Mindestalter für die Beschäftigung
The minimum age for employment is 15 years. A young person under 15 years of age is not allowed to work except in some cases defined in the law. A child is defined as a person who is under 15 years of age and is still subject to compulsory education; however, since the Act on Compulsory Education sets the compulsory education age from 4-16 years, the effective minimum age for employment is 16 years.
There is a general prohibition of child labour. Employment of children in work of any kind is prohibited, as well as participation, for profit or for professional purposes, in audiovisual, cultural, artistic and advertising activities and in the field of fashion. A similar prohibition is applicable to activities that are commercial in nature.
The following types of work are not considered child labour: work in technical and vocational schools; casual domestic service; and participation in some non-profit activities that are commercial in nature or within the usual business, either as a member of a sports club, cultural or artistic, or as part of an associational activity.
Regarding the above allowed types of work, there are certain conditions that such work should not pose any hazard or risk to the children's health; should not affect their education or training; should not be detrimental to their health or physical, psychological, mental, spiritual, moral or social development; and should not involve the economic exploitation of children. In Luxembourg, compulsory education starts at age 4 for any child who turns four before 1 September. For now, it effectively runs until age 16 (it applies until 1 September after the child’s 16th birthday) because of the transitional rule. From 1 September 2026, the general rule applies, i.e., compulsory education ends at age 18 (or earlier if the student obtains a recognised secondary/professional leaving diploma).
Sources: §341(1) & 342 of Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025; §4 of the Law of 20 July 2023 on compulsory education
Mindestalter für gefährliche Arbeit
Young workers are all those workers under the age of 18 years who have entered into an employment contract with an employer in the territory of Luxembourg.
Adolescent workers are workers who are 15-18 years old (more than 15 but less than 18 years old) who are not subject to compulsory education. An assessment of working conditions and working environment must be made before engaging adolescent workers, and if such an assessment reveals certain risks, measures must be taken to ensure the health and safety of adolescent workers. Before signing an employment contract (or at least before work commencement), an employer has to inform an adolescent worker, in writing, about the potential risks present at the workplace and the measures taken with regard to the health and safety of young workers.
Young workers should not be engaged in work that is beyond their physical and psychological capacity; work that involves exposure to toxic or carcinogenic substances; work that involves harmful exposure to radiation; poses risks of accidents which young workers, because of lack of experience, sense of security or training, cannot identify or prevent; work in extreme temperatures; and work that involves harmful exposure to physical, biological and chemical agents.
The normal working hours of adolescent workers are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Overtime is generally prohibited for adolescent workers except in cases of force majeure and work necessary for the normal functioning of the enterprise. If a young worker is engaged in overtime work (or work on weekly rest days), they are paid a premium of 100% for overtime hours in addition to his/her usual salary for those hours. Young workers are allowed a consecutive rest period of two days, which must include Sunday. Young workers are allowed 25 working days of paid annual leave. Young workers are prohibited from working between 20:00 and 06:00. However, for business and services operating without interruptions, adolescents are allowed to work until 22:00.
Sources: §341-344 of the Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025; Annexe-3 of the Labour Code specifying work prohibited to young people due to dangers to their health
Verwandte Themen
Faire BehandlungMindestalter für die Beschäftigung
The minimum age for employment is 15 years. A young person under 15 years of age is not allowed to work except in some cases defined in the law. A child is defined as a person who is under 15 years of age and is still subject to compulsory education; however, since the Act on Compulsory Education sets the compulsory education age from 4-16 years, the effective minimum age for employment is 16 years.
There is a general prohibition of child labour. Employment of children in work of any kind is prohibited, as well as participation, for profit or for professional purposes, in audiovisual, cultural, artistic and advertising activities and in the field of fashion. A similar prohibition is applicable to activities that are commercial in nature.
The following types of work are not considered child labour: work in technical and vocational schools; casual domestic service; and participation in some non-profit activities that are commercial in nature or within the usual business, either as a member of a sports club, cultural or artistic, or as part of an associational activity.
Regarding the above allowed types of work, there are certain conditions that such work should not pose any hazard or risk to the children's health; should not affect their education or training; should not be detrimental to their health or physical, psychological, mental, spiritual, moral or social development; and should not involve the economic exploitation of children. In Luxembourg, compulsory education starts at age 4 for any child who turns four before 1 September. For now, it effectively runs until age 16 (it applies until 1 September after the child’s 16th birthday) because of the transitional rule. From 1 September 2026, the general rule applies, i.e., compulsory education ends at age 18 (or earlier if the student obtains a recognised secondary/professional leaving diploma).
Sources: §341(1) & 342 of Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025; §4 of the Law of 20 July 2023 on compulsory education
Mindestalter für gefährliche Arbeit
Young workers are all those workers under the age of 18 years who have entered into an employment contract with an employer in the territory of Luxembourg.
Adolescent workers are workers who are 15-18 years old (more than 15 but less than 18 years old) who are not subject to compulsory education. An assessment of working conditions and working environment must be made before engaging adolescent workers, and if such an assessment reveals certain risks, measures must be taken to ensure the health and safety of adolescent workers. Before signing an employment contract (or at least before work commencement), an employer has to inform an adolescent worker, in writing, about the potential risks present at the workplace and the measures taken with regard to the health and safety of young workers.
Young workers should not be engaged in work that is beyond their physical and psychological capacity; work that involves exposure to toxic or carcinogenic substances; work that involves harmful exposure to radiation; poses risks of accidents which young workers, because of lack of experience, sense of security or training, cannot identify or prevent; work in extreme temperatures; and work that involves harmful exposure to physical, biological and chemical agents.
The normal working hours of adolescent workers are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Overtime is generally prohibited for adolescent workers except in cases of force majeure and work necessary for the normal functioning of the enterprise. If a young worker is engaged in overtime work (or work on weekly rest days), they are paid a premium of 100% for overtime hours in addition to his/her usual salary for those hours. Young workers are allowed a consecutive rest period of two days, which must include Sunday. Young workers are allowed 25 working days of paid annual leave. Young workers are prohibited from working between 20:00 and 06:00. However, for business and services operating without interruptions, adolescents are allowed to work until 22:00.
Sources: §341-344 of the Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025; Annexe-3 of the Labour Code specifying work prohibited to young people due to dangers to their health
