Living in Luxembourg guide for expats

When moving to a foreign country, it is best to be aware of its economic, social, climatic conditions beforehand. So if Luxembourg is the land of your dreams, take the time to inquire on all these aspects well before planning your move. For many years, Luxembourg is considered not only as an important economic destination but also as a promising country for multilingual professionals, especially those who are specialized in finance, trade, marketing, the banking and legal sectors.

Good to know:

Luxembourg is deemed to be the world's second biggest investment hub after the United Stated of America, and the European Economic Area's biggest private banking center.

Geography and demography

Luxembourg, also known as the Grand Duchy, is a small West-European country, stretching over some 2,500 km². The country is a constitutional monarchy divided into three districts and two boroughs: Luxembourg and Diekirch. Luxembourg consists of 12 cities, including Luxembourg City which is the capital city. Note that Luxembourg City hosts many institutions, as well as the seat of the European Union.

The country's population amounted to nearly 550,000 inhabitants in 2014. In fact, it is one of the European Union's least densely populated countries.

During the same year, the population also consisted of 45% of foreigners, including a majority of French and Portuguese nationals. Moreover, some 80,000 cross-border workers resided in France but went to work daily in Luxembourg.

Languages

Luxembourg is a trilingual country due to its proximity with France and Germany. Hence, French, German and Luxembourgish are spoken by its population. In fact, Luxembourgish has been proclaimed at the national language since 1984. Moreover, all three languages are used at the administrative level.

Economy

As Luxembourg is a member of the European Union, the Euro is the national currency. The country's economy is mainly based on banking and steel. In fact, the steel industry makes a significant contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Moreover, many big international companies that are globally involved in the building and public works sectors, have set up their head offices and subsidiaries in the country.

Indeed, Luxembourg has strengthened its position on the European market during recent years in terms of investment. As mentioned above, the country is deemed to be the world's second biggest investment center after the United States of America, along with being the European Economic Area's largest private banking center.

Finally, the country has been experiencing a boom since European companies such as Amazon, AOL and Skype have set up their head offices in Luxembourg.

Climate

In general, Luxembourg enjoys a semi-continental climate. An average temperature of 10°C prevails throughout the year. In winter, temperatures can drop to -15°C while in summer, these vary between 18°C and 20°C.

Given the altitude difference between the North and South of Luxembourg, slight climatic variations occur. Indeed, in the Osling, in the North of the country, temperatures can be quite aggressive in winter and cool in summer compared to Guttland which is in the South.

Useful links:

Expat.com ' Luxembourg
Luxembourg.lu ' Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Portal www.luxembourg.public.lu