Employment Opportunities in Luxembourg for Foreigners
The unemployment rate in Luxembourg has remained relatively stable in recent years, currently sitting at 7.6% in July 2022.
The workforce in Luxembourg is made up of nationals, cross-border commuters, and foreign workers. Luxembourg’s job market is multicultural and multilingual; in fact, working knowledge of one of the three official languages (Luxembourgish, French, or German) is essential for many jobs.
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a country in western Europe. It has a stable and high GDP, which is supported by its strength in financial services. Luxembourg has diversified its output to include chemicals, rubber, and its longstanding steel industry.
Financial services are at the heart of the economy in Luxembourg, with the transport and communications sectors also performing well. Luxembourg is a leading European center for investment funds and private banking, with around 150 banks operating in Luxembourg.
The biggest employers in Luxembourg in 2022 were:
- Post-Luxembourg (telecommunications)
- Groupe CFL (transport)
- Cactus (food retail)
- Groupe Dussmann (security)
- BGL BNP Paribas (finance)
- ArcelorMittal (steel manufacturing)
- Goodyear Dunlop (tire manufacturing)
- Luxair (transport)
Job vacancies in Luxembourg.
There are currently no major skills shortages in Luxembourg, but a number of sectors are continuously recruiting at various levels, including:
- Education
- Finance
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Hospitality
Qualifications to work in Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is part of the Bologna Process and is thus part of the European Higher Education Area, which means that higher education qualifications from other member countries are valid there.
If you’re from a non-member country, you’ll need to contact the National Academic Recognition Information Center (NARIC) in Luxembourg to find out about getting your qualifications recognized.
Some professions in Luxembourg are regulated, in other words, you have to have a minimum level of qualifications to practice them. You can find a list of regulated professions on the government website.
Requirements to work in Luxembourg.
Work visas in Luxembourg.
If you’re a European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) citizen moving to Luxembourg, you have the right to work and reside in the country freely. In most instances, your new employer will deal with legal formalities, such as tax administration and social security registration. You’ll also enjoy the same benefits as nationals concerning sickness and maternity leave.
If you’re from outside the EU, you’ll need to apply for a residence permit before entering the country if you plan to stay longer than three months. You need to request a permit based on your circumstances, for example, work, self-employment, study, research, or joining a family member.
Language requirements to work in Luxembourg.
Due to Luxembourg’s location in the center of Europe and its three official languages, a command of several languages is essential when applying to many jobs in Luxembourg.
Depending on the job, knowledge of French, English, German, and Luxembourgish will either be essential or at least appreciated. Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese can also be a bonus.
To increase your chances of securing a job, it is advisable to be proficient in at least two languages, at least one of which should be the official language of the country (Luxembourgish, French, or German).
If you want to improve your language skills, there are also many language schools in Luxembourg.
Tax and social security numbers in Luxembourg.
All residents and workers in Luxembourg receive a 13-digit national identification number used for Luxembourgish taxes and social security purposes.
You will receive your national identification number with your social security card, sent when you enroll in social security or health insurance in Luxembourg. However, with most jobs in Luxembourg, your employer will sort this out for you.
How to find jobs in Luxembourg
Expatica jobs
If you’re moving to Luxembourg, you can find a range of English-speaking and multi-language jobs at Expatica jobs.
Public sites
The National Employment Agency (Agence pour le développement de l’emploi, ADEM) helps people find jobs across the country. By registering as a job seeker, you can view and apply for vacancies on Portal de l’emploi. The Luxembourg government portal also has information about ADEM and employment advice on its website.
EURES
If you’re from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, you can look for a job in Luxembourg through EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal, which is maintained by the European Commission. As well as looking for work, you can upload your CV and get advice on working in Luxembourg.
General job sites in Luxembourg:
- Monster
- jobs. lu
- Moovijob
- Option Carriere
- Indeed
English-speaking job sites:
- Jobs In Luxembourg
- Multilingual Vacancies
Industry-specific job sites:
- IT jobs in Luxembourg – ICTjob
- Finance jobs in Luxembourg – eFinancialCareers
Applying for a job in Luxembourg.
Once you’ve found a suitable job, you’ll need to work on producing a good application to maximize your chances of landing the role. You will typically have to complete a short application form, send a CV, and also provide a cover letter or personal statement outlining your suitability for the role.
Unless otherwise stated, applications and cover letters should be in the language used in the advertisement. Letters sent with speculative applications should be written in French or in English if applying to a large multinational.
Employer interviewing job applicants.
Job interviews are usually quite formal in Luxembourg. Dress smartly and formally, act professionally, and research the company ahead of the interview to prepare some good questions to ask. Interviews usually last between 30–60 minutes and may involve tests or tasks, depending on the role.
If you do well enough to land the job, you will be contacted by phone, letter, or email to be formally offered the role and given a start date. The company will contact your references. Usually, you have to provide 2–3 of these.
Starting a job in Luxembourg.
Job probation periods in Luxembourg must be a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of 12 months. In reality, however, they are usually between one and three months. During this time, the notice period for terminating your contract may be shorter.
Once you start your job in Luxembourg, your employer should enroll you in health insurance and social security. This covers you for public healthcare in Luxembourg, Luxembourgish, state pensions, workplace insurance, and a range of other benefits.
Many employers in Luxembourg also offer various company benefits such as company pensions, travel insurance, investment opportunities, and more.
Self-employment and freelancing in Luxembourg.
If you’re eligible to work in Luxembourg, you can also consider starting your own business or working self-employed as a freelancer. However, you will need to apply for a business permit and file separate business tax returns if you set up a limited company that exists as a separate legal entity.
Around 8.5% of the workforce in Luxembourg is self-employed. This is the lowest among EU countries.
Work culture in Luxembourg.
The workplace is traditionally hierarchical and decision-making is often rational and pragmatic. Punctuality and deadlines are serious business in Luxembourg, in both professional and social contexts.
Meetings tend to be brief and have the purpose of formalizing decision-making that has already been done. In addition to this, dress codes tend to be formal and conservative.
Labor laws and labor rights in Luxembourg
In terms of employment contracts, Luxembourg is similar to other EU countries with permanent contracts (CDI), fixed-term contracts (CDD), part-time contracts, and learning/apprenticeship contracts as the norm.
In general, a full-time working week in Luxembourg is 40 hours. The maximum number of hours you can work in a week is 48, plus there is also a daily limit of 10 hours’ work except in exceptional cases.
Each employee in Luxembourg receives 10 public holidays a year. However, you can work on these days in return for an extra salary. Full-time employees must also receive 25 days of paid leave each year.
Notice periods for permanent contracts are one month for employees of less than five years, two months for those who have been employed for between 5–10 years, and three months for employees of over 10 years. This is slightly different for those on fixed-term or part-time contracts. Note also that the periods are also shorter during probation or trial periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has access to my application form?
KPMG treats any information supplied by you during the application process with the utmost confidentiality. By completing the online application process, you’ll be deemed to have agreed to the processing of your data in this manner.
No information supplied will be passed to non-contracted third parties.
Can I apply for more than one business area?
All their vacancies are listed on the KPMG Luxembourg job board. You can submit as many applications as you wish, considering your experience and career goals.
Is a cover letter mandatory?
KPMG Luxembourg places no restriction on CV and cover letter format. A cover letter is not mandatory but recommended as it will reinforce the key points of your resume.
Do I have to be an EU citizen to apply?
Third-country nationals can apply for a role at KPMG. Successful applicants will require a residence permit if any of the following conditions are fulfilled:
- You reside abroad and intend to set up residence in Luxembourg to carry out a salaried activity;
- You already legally reside in Luxembourg without having worked there and wish to carry out a salaried activity;
- You already legally reside and work in Luxembourg but intend to carry out a profession or work in an area of activity for which you are not yet duly authorized.
How and when do I apply?
Current vacancies for trainees, graduates and experienced professionals can be found on our job board. We recruit throughout the year.
We recommend starting the recruitment process as soon as possible. For graduate roles in audit, please apply one year in advance.
Official Related Links You Need
You have the best Guide on Immigration, Education, and Employment details for you to Get more out of what you need to know, and it is all free of charge:
Get More Guide - https://bit.ly/ABROAD-IMMIGRATION-CENTER
Immigration - https://bit.ly/IMMIGRATION-CENTER
Education - https://bit.ly/EDUCATION-CENTER
Employment - https://bit.ly/EMPLOYMENT-CENTER
US Immigration - https://bit.ly/US-IMMIGRATION
Conclusion
Luxembourg Employment Opportunities is an article that creates awareness about the availability of job vacancies in the country.
The article brings out the qualifications for jobs in the country, the requirements, the biggest employers in the country, job vacancies in the country, social security numbers, Language requirements, job sites in the country, employer interviewing applicants, work culture, labor law in the country, questions and answers, etc,
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