MOVING TO LUXEMBOURG

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The Moving to Luxembourg Guide is available online and has been created to help expatriate families moving to Luxembourg.

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KEY FACTS

Official Name: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Capital City: Luxembourg-Ville

Type of Government: Constitutional monarchy

Official Languages: French, German, Letzebuergesch

Area: 2,586 sq. km/999 sq. mi

Population: 491,775

Religion: Christianity

Currency: Euro (€)

Number of Time Zones: 1

EST + 6 hours, GMT + 1 hour. Daylight saving time observed late March – late October

Weights and Measures: Metric system

Country Domain: .lu

Country Tel Code: 352

AT A GLANCE

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a landlocked area nestled among Belgium, France, and Germany, is one of the smallest countries in Europe.

Its citizens are cautious, conservative, hard working people who welcome foreigners to their land. Almost one-third of the population is foreign. Newcomers are attracted by its low unemployment, high standard of living and extensive social welfare system.

Government and Politics

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch. The monarch, or Grand Duke, appoints the Prime Minister and has the authority to approve all bills passed by the legislative body. The Prime Minister, who is the leader of the dominant party in parliament, is the head of government. He and his Council of Ministers exercise executive power.

The legislature, the Chamber of Deputies, is a directly elected body of 60 seats. Its legislative bills are submitted for approval to the Council of State, whose members are appointed for 15 years (or until the age of 72) by the Grand Duke. Action by the Council of State can be overridden by the Chamber of Deputies. Luxembourg’s legal system is based on French and Belgian civil law and the Napoleonic Code. The judiciary is independent.

No single party dominates politics in Luxembourg, making coalitions necessary for government. The largest party is the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV), a conservative, pro-Europe party which holds 24 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Economy

Luxembourg has a robust economy, characterized by moderate growth and low inflation and unemployment. It has the highest per capita income in the European Union, EU. Formerly dependent on the iron and steel industries, it is now a major international finance, insurance, and communications center. Location and strict bank secrecy laws make it attractive as a European banking center.

UNDERSTANDING THE PEOPLE

At a crossroads of European geography, history, and culture, Luxembourg contains the legacies of numerous peoples. Of all the European tribes who lived and fought on this piece of territory through the centuries, the Celts, Ligurians, Romans, Treveri, and Franks have left the most lasting influence.
The population is about 459,000. Luxembourgians are a cautious, conservative, hard working people who welcome foreigners to their land. With a low birth rate and an increase in the average age of the population yearly, Luxembourg has low unemployment and a chronic labor shortage. Almost one-third of the population is foreigners attracted to Luxembourg for employment.

Citizens of Luxembourg enjoy a high standard of living and an active and extensive social welfare system.

Ethnic makeup

Seventy percent of the population is a mixture of French and German. The remaining 30 percent consists of guest workers and worker residents, primarily from Portugal and Italy. In recent years, however, immigrants from Eastern Europe and refugees from the war in Bosnia-Herzogovina have also settled in Luxembourg. There are also large numbers of French, German, and Belgian residents who commute to Luxembourg on a daily basis.

Cultural traditions

Traveling through Luxembourg, the visitor cannot fail to notice the beautiful churches and impressive fortresses and castles that seem to be found around every turn. Many churches, dating back to medieval times, are adorned with wooden altarpieces, paintings, and frescos that are exceptional works of art. The architecture of churches and castles ranges from Roman to Renaissance in style, combining architectural details from the many countries that have shaped Luxembourg’s history.

Luxembourgers are not French or German, and, despite interchangeable currencies, not Belgians. Be very careful to refer to them properly since theirs is a separate country and culture.

Religion

Luxembourg is 95 percent Roman Catholic; there are a small number of Protestants and Jews. Roman Catholicism is the official state religion, and most Catholic holy days are legal holidays.

Language

The national language is Letzebuergesch or Luxembourgish, a German dialect with a French influence, that became the national language in 1984. French and German are the official languages for legislative and governmental purposes.

Most people in the government, financial, and commercial circles of Luxembourg-Ville are multi-lingual, including English.

Parlez-vous Letzebuergesch?

Luxembourg is a polyglot nation. French and German are the official languages for legislative and governmental purposes. The language of churches and most newspapers is German; German is the language of instruction in the primary schools.

Letzebuergesch, which is essentially a western German dialect infused with French-inspired nouns and verbs, is the language spoken by the country’s entire native population when no foreigners are present. Although Letzebuergesch has been the national language only since 1984, it remains the language of local plays, novels, radio, films, and children’s’ books. While foreign residents are attending Letzebuergesch language schools, foreign visitors are not expected to speak the language – you are better off speaking French, German, or English.

Toward the family

Families are small in Luxembourg but are of prime importance. B>Luxembourg attitudes

Parents are involved in the education and career planning of their children.

Many women work outside the home, and extended family as well as day-care facilities provide child care.

In many families, children and parents still return home for the midday meal.

Toward work

Luxembourgers bring a high degree of skill, multilingualism, and commitment to all their work. Unemployment is almost nonexistent, and absenteeism is very low.

Unions operate free of government interference. The two largest labor federations are linked to, but independent from political parties; there are also several independent unions. Trade unions are not militant. Strikes, which are legal except for government workers providing essential services such as police, military, and some medical, are uncommon and can commence only after a series of procedures. Wildcat strikes are unknown in Luxembourg.

Toward power structure and hierarchy

Companies are managed by one or more managers appointed by the shareholders. There is an open, cooperative atmosphere in conducting businesses.

Toward foreigners

The government actively encourages foreign business and foreign investment, particularly in high-tech areas and consumer products. Many industries have been targeted as areas for expansion, including medical equipment, computer software, telecommunications, robotics, pollution control, and hotels and restaurants. The country is also being promoted as an industrial location and as an audiovisual center.

EU laws govern monopolies, trusts, and mergers and acquisitions.

Luxembourg has a foreign population that makes up a considerable percentage of its total population. About 85 percent of the foreign population comes from EU states and are primarily long-term permanent residents. Luxembourg acknowledges its need for foreign workers and generally assimilates foreigners smoothly into society and the workplace.

Toward women

There is no sex discrimination in Luxembourg. Foreign businesswomen can expect the same courtesy and professional treatment as men.

Women hold prominent roles in politics and in the bureaucracy, and there are many female doctors, journalists, and lawyers. Equal compensation for equal work is mandated by law. Nonetheless, studies have shown that roughly half of women between ages 25-49 are employed outside the home and that women’s salaries remain significantly lower than salaries earned by men.

The government provides maternity leave and other benefits, as well as cash payments for a birth or to provide for children. Crèches provide day care for newborns through age four.

CITIES

Luxembourg City

Luxembourg City (also known as Luxembourg, or Luxembourg-ville) is the capital and political, economic, and cultural center of the country. Approximately 75,000 people live in the city.

The valleys of the Alzette and Ptrusse rivers, which cut across the city, provide a beautiful natural setting for the city. Situated high atop a sandstone plateau on the Alzette River, the original city was Roman and then a Frank fortress. Around this fortress developed the medieval town that is now the city’s old town. The other two sections of the capital are the modern quarter on the opposite bank and the valley, which has developed into numerous suburbs such as Grund, Clausen, and Pfaffenthal.

Luxembourg City is a picturesque city with lovely parks, museums, churches, and centuries-old buildings.

Luxembourg City is one of the three administrative centers of the European Union, including the European Investment Bank, the Court of Justice, and the Court of Auditors.

CLIMATE

Luxembourg’s climate is similar to that of the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. temperate, cool, and rainy. Average daytime temperatures range from 3 C/37 F in winter to 23 C/73 F in summer. May and June are the sunniest months. The northern region is less temperate than the southern region and the valleys.

There are abundant clouds, fog, and rain. Fog is common in autumn; snowfall can be heavy in winter.

Information provided in association with Living Abroad