Choosing a European country: Luxembourg
Enjoy a very high standard of living and a modest culture.
Key facts
Population: 480,222 (July 2007 est.)
Languages: Luxembourgish, German, French
Median graduate starting salary: €42,000–€60,000
Average working hours: 40 hours a week
Days’ holiday: 25 (plus 10 public holidays)
Key industries
- aluminium
- banking and finance
- chemicals
- engineering
- glass
- iron and steel
- IT
- metal products
- telecommunications
- tyres
- tourism
Labour market
Luxembourg has the highest percentage of cross-border commuters in Europe – 40 per cent the population are foreigners. Its stable, high-income economy is partly due to its good communication routes and close proximity to France, Belgium and Germany. Many of the banks are owned outside the country and have extensive foreign dealings. Luxembourg has suffered from the global economic slump, but still enjoys a very high standard of living and one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the EU. Many employers pay a ‘thirteenth month’ bonus to their employees.
Application methods
Recruitment often takes place through informal contacts in Luxembourg because of its small size. Graduates often use speculative applications to apply to large organisations, and many organisations are happy to receive speculative job requests over the phone. Applications should be handwritten in the language used in the advertisement, unless otherwise stated and write any speculative letters in French. Send copies of diplomas, certificates, references, and a photograph if you wish, along with your application letter. Replace declarations of accomplishment with a brief explanation of your assigned duties in each job you’ve held –Luxembourgers tend to be modest and quite conservative so be aware of sounding self-important. Punctuality is taken seriously – so don’t be late for your interview!
Graduate employers
Luxembourg is home to a number of international and multinational organisations. Major employers include PPR, Reuters, KPMG, Hewlett Packard, steel giant Arcelor and technological experts Altran. Paribas, Bayer AG and Johnson Controls also have divisions in Luxembourg, as well as the headquarters of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Cost of living
Luxembourg is the second most expensive Euopean capital to buy a property in, with the average purchase price of €475,000. Living costs are reasonable: €1 will buy you a litre of petrol, a newspaper or a glass of beer, and a set meal in a local restaurant will generally cost less than €10.
Living in Luxembourg
Beate Barthels
JOB: Audit assistant EMPLOYER KPMG Luxembourg S.àr.l.
NATIONALITY: German
Why Luxembourg?
I was finishing my thesis when I received the job offer. Although a move was unplanned and I wasn’t familiar with the country, I decided to accept. I’m fluent in several languages and I saw this as a chance to live in a French speaking country, converse in English at work and experience an internationally dynamic environment.
City living
I was welcomed warmly and I had no problems settling in to city life. Starting work with an international bunch of people is always fun and interesting. I got to know somany nice people in a relatively short space of time, many of whom I now count as good friends. The city is very beautiful. I like the size and the fact that it blends history with amodern economic environment, as well as having the countryside on the doorstep. Luxembourg hostsmany cultural events so it never gets boring! I also love that I don’t need a car and that I can bike to work. While housing can bemore expensive than in other European cities, taxes and social security generally tend to be a lot lower. The living cost is high but so is the quality of life and the living standard.
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