Finding a job in Luxembourg may not be quite as difficult as the statistics would lead you to believe, but it does take a certain amount of experience, a number of qualifications, a lot of perseverance and more than a little luck.
Luxembourg's unempoloyment rate ist one of the best in the world. If you’re a national of a European Union (EU) country, you already have the right to work in the Luxembourg under the EU’s freedom of movement provisions. Once you’ve found a job, you simply register with the appropriate authorities where you’ll be living and a residence permit is automatically granted. Non-EU nationals without automatic rights to work in Luxembourg will find it rather more difficult because any potential employer must seek the approval of the local labour or employment office in order to hire a non-EU foreigner.
Foreigners are found in large numbers throughout Luxembourg, and the numbers are probably much higher than official statistics suggest, as those working for the various international organisations often aren’t considered as residents. Luxembourg reports around 40 per cent foreigners in the general population. As in much of Europe, illegal immigration is considered a major problem. Like other European countries, Luxembourg has tightened the immigration laws in recent years, both to protect local citizens’ rights in a period of high unemployment and to discourage trafficking in economic refugees.
This article is an extract from Living and Working in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg.