French runs daily life, English runs finance, Luxembourgish runs identity — and your US or Canadian driving licence runs out of legal road 12 months after you arrive. The practical stuff, sourced and dated.
Figures verified 9 July 2026Luxembourg legislates in French, schools children in German and Luxembourgish, and does business in English. For a newcomer aged 50–70: French is the language you need — shops, doctors, communes, tradespeople. English gets you far in the capital, in finance, and among the 46.6% of residents who are themselves foreign; it thins out fast in village life and paperwork. Luxembourgish matters for one thing above all: citizenship — the Sproochentest requires A2 spoken / B1 listening. The state subsidises Luxembourgish courses heavily, including at the INLL. Start French now, add Luxembourgish when you're serious about the passport.
Non-EU licences — US and Canadian included — must be exchanged within one year of taking up residence. The transcription runs through the SNCA (national vehicle authority): application, your licence, a medical certificate less than 3 months old, a police record extract, and a €30 fee. Some licence categories can require an additional test. Miss the year and your licence is no longer valid in Luxembourg — you'd start from zero with the full theory and practical exams, in French or German. Do this in month one, not month eleven.
| Task | Deadline / cost |
|---|---|
| Declaration of arrival at your commune | Within 3 days of arrival |
| Licence exchange (SNCA) | Within 1 year · €30 + medical certificate |
| Pets (from US/CA) | ISO microchip → rabies shot ≥21 days before travel → EU health certificate endorsed by USDA-APHIS or CFIA |
| Getting around | All trains (2nd class), trams and buses free nationwide — the first country in the world to do it |
The SNCA forms, the medical certificate, and which categories trigger a test.
Free and subsidised courses, what A2 Luxembourgish takes at 60, and where English actually suffices.
The EU health certificate, airline realities, and the vet system here.
From first permit question to keys-in-hand — tell us where you are in the move to Luxembourg and we'll answer, or introduce a specialist we've independently vetted.