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Employment and jobs

Work for graduates in Luxembourg

If you're on the verge of graduation or have recently graduated and are beginning to seek graduate jobs in Luxembourg, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll guide you in your search, whether you've graduated in Luxembourg or another country and are interested in working in Luxembourg.

Last time updated
14.09.24

Luxembourg stands out for its strong position in the job market for recent graduates. According to a Eurostat study, Luxembourg ranks first alongside the Netherlands, with 93% of young professionals finding employment after graduation.

If you're nearing the end of your degree or have recently completed it and are seeking opportunities in Luxembourg, the odds are in your favor. In one of our news articles, we talked about a study recently published by Eurostat on the employment of higher and secondary vocational education graduates in Europe and there you can read: "The first place in the ranking is shared by Luxembourg and the Netherlands, where 93% of young professionals find a job after graduation". This promising statistic suggests you're likely to secure a job swiftly.

Photo by Jake Patrick on Unsplash
Source: Eurostat

But there's more. Additional statistics paint an intriguing picture, particularly for those with master's degrees or specialisations. Luxembourg ranks third in the number of highly-skilled employees in Europe

Statistics show

Eurostat's study on the percentage of highly skilled employees in Europe reveals that in 2022, Luxembourg recorded one of the highest regional percentages of highly skilled employment at 67.4%, trailing behind Stockholm (Sweden, 73.6%) and Utrecht (Netherlands, 68.9%). Highly skilled employees were defined as individuals aged 25 to 64 working in managerial, professional, technical, and associate professional roles.

These insights underscore Luxembourg's strong standing in the job market for recent graduates and its abundance of opportunities for those aspiring to positions of responsibility. While these positions typically demand some work experience, it's often feasible for freshly graduated individuals to access junior managerial or project management positions, among other roles, provided they have substantial internship experience. 

If you are not yet planning to enter the job market and you are thinking about studying in Luxembourg, we recommend you take a look at our articles
How to study in Luxembourg?
Top universities in country and fees to study there
Cost of life and budgeting for students

What jobs are demanded in Luxembourg among recent graduates

The Luxembourg job market is vast, making it impossible to cover comprehensively in a single article. To address which jobs are most in demand and available for recent graduates, we'll focus on sectoral studies conducted by the Ministry of Labour (MT) and the Employment Development Agency (ADEM) across three major sectors: finance, industry, and information technology.

According to these studies, the most sought-after positions in these sectors, suitable for recent graduates, include 

  • In the financial sector: fund managers, KYC analysts, and fund accountants;
  • In the industrial sector: engineers and managers in production and R&D;
  • In the IT sector: software developers, IT consultants, and data and BI analysts.

Let's now explore some available positions in Luxembourg suitable for recent graduates in these different areas. Many of this positions require education papers, but can be done as a prior experience, as well as these jobs are in a high demand in Luxembourg.

Available roles for graduates in financial field

Fund manager
Working for an asset management company, a major bank, or an insurance company, the fund manager oversees the management of Collective Investment Vehicles, such as Mutual Funds (FCPs) or Variable Capital Investment Companies (SICAVs). Their mission is to optimize investments to ensure the best possible financial return for clients, both individual and institutional.
KYC analyst
The KYC (Know Your Customer) Analyst evaluates and manages non-compliance and money laundering risks within a company, typically in the financial sector. They analyze client identity information, professional activities, and financial transactions to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, playing a crucial role in safeguarding the financial institution against fraudulent use of its services.
Fund accountant
Fund Accountants are financial professionals responsible for managing and maintaining the financial records of investment funds. They perform various accounting tasks, including recording transactions, valuing assets, and calculating fund performance, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial regulations.

Available jobs in industrial field in Luxembourg

Production engineer
The production engineer oversees the manufacturing process in the product lifecycle from conception to production. They ensure quantity, deadlines, and quality standards are met, organizing production based on engineering specifications. This involves establishing manufacturing processes, planning production, and managing raw materials and production team activities.
R&D specialists
They aim to develop innovative products, processes, or technologies that meet market needs and enhance company competitiveness. Their tasks include project analysis and preparation, product design and development, testing and validation, and corrective action and optimization. They collaborate closely with specialists in various fields to solve technical problems and implement innovative solutions.
Supply chain
Supply Chain Engineers manage material flows, information, and financial data related to goods, products, and raw materials. Their objectives are to reduce costs, lead times, and stocks, ensuring competitiveness in the market. Their role spans from managing material procurement to supplying production lines, operating at the interface between the company's interior and exterior.

Jobs in IT for graduates

Software developers
They design, program, and implement applications and software to meet the specific needs of consumers or professionals, using various programming languages.
IT consultant
Specializing in information and communication technologies, IT consultants work on missions for companies, diagnosing their information system needs, providing advice, and proposing technology directions.
Analytic
Data Analysts exploit and interpret data to derive useful business insights, providing reports to guide management decisions and improve marketing strategies and performance.

How to get a job for graduates in Luxembourg

Fresh out of university and ready to launch your career in Luxembourg? This article equips you with everything you need to navigate the job market. We'll explore top job portals, break down the application documents you'll need, and even provide interview tips to help you land that dream job!

Still in uni?

If you're still in your studies and interested in academic life, you might have the opportunity to work alongside your studies, providing valuable income and work experience before graduation. In our article on How to find a job at a university in Luxembourg, we mentioned that "There are cases where students can get access to certain assistant positions while they are still studying". If you want to explore this possibility, we recommend you take a look at our article.

On the other hand, if you've already obtained your diploma but graduated from another country, you may need to have your qualifications recognized. To assist you in this process, we also have a dedicated article on How to verify higher education documents where you can find all the necessary details.

Job research online and offline

The best place to research the job market is the internet, where numerous job portals host thousands of job listings. These platforms allow you to filter job offers based on the sector you want to work in, the level of education required, or the work experience needed.

Online research
Extensive networking
Get yourself a LinkedIn profile
Landing a job from another country

If you are lucky enough, get in touch with Luxembourgish companies as a fresh graduate in another country. But remember about the papers: if you're not currently residing in Luxembourg, your first step is obtaining an ADEM certificate with your employer, as mentioned in our article on How to get a job in Luxembourg. This certificate grants your employer the right to hire and establish a labor contract with a third-country graduate.

Applying for a job: documents, cover letter, and more

Finding a job in Luxembourg starts with a strong CV and a solid motivation letter, so we will look at these two points to help you get through this stage smoothly. Plus, give you some advices on documents you will need as a foreigner, so you come prepared for the process.

Curriculum vitae for a graduate
Motivational letter
Documents for foreign graduates

Salaries for graduated workers in Luxembourg in 2024

When it comes to discussing salaries, Luxembourg generally fares well, offering competitive pay rates. However, for recent graduates starting their careers, it's common to begin with salaries on the lower end of the scale.

While it's challenging to pinpoint salary ranges due to the vast diversity of job roles, newly graduated individuals typically start at the lower end of the salary spectrum. Nonetheless, Luxembourg has established minimum wages based on the professional qualifications of the worker. These are known as qualified or unqualified social minimum wages and provide clarity on the minimum earnings a worker can expect based on their qualifications.

Qualified or non-qualified worker

An individual whose level of education is below the CATP (Certificat d'Aptitude Technique et Professionnelle) or the DAP (Diplôme d'Aptitude Professionnelle) is considered unqualified, while someone with education at or above the CATP or DAP level is considered qualified.

Minimum wages for graduate qualified workers and unskilled workers in Luxembourg
Age and qualificationof gross min wageHourly wage Monthly wage 
18 years and over, qualified120%17,8330 euros3.085,11 euros
18 years and over, unqualified100%14,8609 euros2.570,93 euros
Up to date

This is the official data for social minimum wage, available at gouvernement.lu in 2024. Check with the resource for the latest data.

faq

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are there specific language requirements for graduate jobs in Luxembourg?

What are the popular industries for graduate employment in Luxembourg?

Do I need to have prior work experience for graduate jobs in Luxembourg?

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