Moving to Luxembourg: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

628,381

Population Growth Rate

1.13%

Urban Population

85.400000

Population in Major Urban Areas

LUXEMBOURG (capital) 94,000

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Age Structure

16.820000

Median Age

39.600000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

12

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

8.52

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.77

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

29.3

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.3

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.070000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

8.06

Ethnic Groups

Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers)

Nationality Noun

Luxembourger(s)

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Literacy - total population

100%

Literacy - male

100%

Literacy - female

100%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

3.7%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

14.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

79.880000

Infant Mortality Rate

4.330000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

4.330000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

20

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

2.78

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

5.4

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

7.7%

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

100.000000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

100.000000

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Economic Overview

This small, stable, high-income economy has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment.

Luxembourg, the only Grand Duchy in the world, is a landlocked country in northwestern Europe surrounded by Belgium, France, and Germany.

Despite its small landmass and small population, Luxembourg is the fifth-wealthiest country in the world when measured on a gross domestic product (PPP) per capita basis.

Luxembourg has one of the highest current account surpluses as a share of GDP in the euro zone, and it maintains a healthy budgetary position, with a 2017 surplus of 0.5% of GDP, and the lowest public debt level in the region.

Since 2002, Luxembourg’s government has proactively implemented policies and programs to support economic diversification and to attract foreign direct investment.

The government focused on key innovative industries that showed promise for supporting economic growth: logistics, information and communications technology (ICT); health technologies, including biotechnology and biomedical research; clean energy technologies, and more recently, space technology and financial services technologies.

The economy has evolved and flourished, posting strong GDP growth of 3.4% in 2017, far outpacing the European average of 1.8%.

Luxembourg remains a financial powerhouse – the financial sector accounts for more than 35% of GDP - because of the exponential growth of the investment fund sector through the launch and development of cross-border funds (UCITS) in the 1990s.

Luxembourg is the world’s second-largest investment fund asset domicile, after the US, with $4 trillion of assets in custody in financial institutions.

Luxembourg has lost some of its advantage as a favorable tax location because of OECD and EU pressure, as well as the "LuxLeaks" scandal, which revealed advantageous tax treatments offered to foreign corporations.

In 2015, the government’s compliance with EU requirements to implement automatic exchange of tax information on savings accounts - thus ending banking secrecy - has constricted banking activity.

Likewise, changes to the way EU members collect taxes from e-commerce has cut Luxembourg’s sales tax revenues, requiring the government to raise additional levies and to reduce some direct social benefits as part of the tax reform package of 2017.

The tax reform package also included reductions in the corporate tax rate and increases in deductions for families, both intended to increase purchasing power and increase competitiveness.

Industries

banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$102,900.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

4.4%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$69,720,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$102,900.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

4.4%

GDP - official exchange rate

$57,930,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 28.9% government
• consumption: 16.1% investment in fixed
• capital: 17.6% investment in
• inventories: 0.6% exports of goods and
• services: 200.5% imports of goods and
• services: -163.7%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

0.3%

GDP by Sector- Industry

11.3%

GDP by Sector- services

88.3%

Industrial Growth Rate

1.7%

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Inflation Rate

2.1%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

euro (EUR)

Currency Name and Code

Euro (EUR)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

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Labor Force

206,000

Unemployment Rate

5.5%

Major Industries

banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Agriculture Products

barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

1.2%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

19.4%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

79.4%

Annual Budget

$20,880,000,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-1.7%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

39.5%

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Full Country Name

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Country Name

Luxembourg

Local - Long

Grand Duche de Luxembourg

Local - Short

Luxembourg

Etymology- history of name

• the name derives from the Celtic "lucilem" (little) and the German "burg" (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the "little castle"
• the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications
• the name passed to the surrounding city and then to the country itself

Independence

1839 (from the Netherlands)

National Holiday

National Day (birthday of Grand Duke HENRI), 23 June; note - this date of birth is not the true date of birth for any of the Royals, but the national festivities were shifted in 1962 to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

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Government Type

constitutional monarchy

Constitution

• history: previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1868
• amendments: proposed by the Chamber of Deputies or by the monarch to the Chamber; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Chamber in two successive readings three months apart; a referendum can be substituted for the second reading if approved by more than a quarter of the Chamber members or by 25,000 valid voters; adoption by referendum requires a majority of all valid voters; amended many times, last in 2020

Legal System:

civil law system

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
• head of government: Prime Minister Luc FRIEDEN (since 17 November 2023); Deputy Prime Minister Xavier BETTEL (since 17 November 2023)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the monarch
• elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms);
• Note: a 21-member Council of State appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies
• Elections: last held on 8 October 2023 (next to be held by 31 October 2028)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.2%, LSAP 18.9%, DP 18.7%, ADR 9.3%, Green Party 8.6%, Pirate Party 6.7%, The Left 3.9%; seats by party - CSV 21, DP 14, LSAP 11, ADR 5, Green Party 4, Pirate Party 3, The Left 2; composition (as of

Judicial Branch:

• office: judges of both courts appointed by the monarch for life
• subordinate courts: Court of Accounts; district and local tribunals and courts

Regions or States:

12 cantons (cantons, singular - canton); Capellen, Clervaux, Diekirch, Echternach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, Mersch, Redange, Remich, Vianden, Wiltz

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Fred KEUP]
• Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Claude WISELER]
• Democratic Party or DP [Lex DELLES]
• Green Party [Djuna BERNARD, Meris SEHOVIC]
• Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Dan BIANCALANA, Francine CLOSENER]
• Pirate Party [Starsky FLOR, Rebecca LAU]
• The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) [collective leadership, Central Committee]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: limited to situations where the parents are either unknown, stateless, or when the nationality law of the parents' state of origin does not permit acquisition of citizenship by descent when the birth occurs outside of national territory citizenship by descent
• only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Luxembourg dual citizenship
• recognized: yes residency requirement for
• naturalization: 7 years

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Capital Name

Luxembourg

Capital - geographic coordinate

49 36 N, 6 07 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight Savings Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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International Organization Participation:

• ADB (nonregional member)
• Australia Group
• Benelux
• BIS
• CD
• CE
• EAPC
• EBRD
• ECB
• EIB
• EMU
• ESA
• EU
• FAO
• FATF
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IEA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• MIGA
• NATO
• NEA
• NSG
• OAS (observer)
• OECD
• OIF
• OPCW
• OSCE
• PCA
• Schengen Convention
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNHCR
• UNHRC
• UNIDO
• UNRWA
• UPU
• Wassenaar Arrangement
• WCO
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO
• ZC

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Thomas M. BARRETT (since 10 February 2022)
• Embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
• Mailing Address: 5380 Luxembourg Place, Washington DC 20521-5380
• Telephone: [352] 46-01-23-00
• FAX: [352] 46-14-01
• Email: Luxembourgconsular@state.gov
• Website: https://lu.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Nicole BINTNER-BAKSHIAN (since 15 August 2021)
• Chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
• FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
• Email: washington.amb@mae.etat.lu
• Website: https://washington.mae.lu/en.html
• Consulate(s) General: New York, San Francisco

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Geographic Location

Europe

Geographic Coordinates

49 45 N, 6 10 E

Total Area

998 Square Miles 2,586 Square Kilometers

Land Area

998 Square Miles 2,586 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

223 Miles 359 Kilometers

Border Countries

Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

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Terrain

• mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys
• uplands to slightly mountainous in the north
• steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Highest Point

559 Meters

Highest Point Location

Buurgplaatz 559 m

Lowest Point

133 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Moselle River 133 m

Natural Resources

iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Time Zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Climate

Temperatures range from 5°F (-15°C) to 90°F (32°C), with an annual mean temperature of 49°F (9°C).

Summer temperatures average 60°F (15°C) and winters are mild with an average low of 29°F (-1.7°C).

July and August are the warmest months; May and June are the sunniest; and January and February are the coldest months.

Luxembourg has a climate much like that of the U.S.

Pacific Northwest-cool, temperate, and rainy.

The northwesterly winds that traverse the western, lower portion of the Belgian Ardennes cause abundant clouds, fog, and rain.

Average annual rainfall is 30 inches; some rain falls 50% of the year.

Terrain

• mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys
• uplands to slightly mountainous in the north
• steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Location

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Total Area

998 Square Miles 2,586 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Environment - Current Issues

air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - International Agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

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Exports

$17,820,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$23,670,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass

Major Imports

minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Top Export Partners

Germany 23.9%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.5%, UK 8.7%, Italy 6.1%, Spain 4.5%, Netherlands 4.4%

Top Import Partners

Belgium 29.7%, Germany 23%, France 13.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, Netherlands 4.6%

Export Partners

Germany 23.9%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.5%, UK 8.7%, Italy 6.1%, Spain 4.5%, Netherlands 4.4%

Import Partners

Belgium 29.7%, Germany 23%, France 13.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, Netherlands 4.6%

Country Description

Luxembourg is a highly developed, stable constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.

There are many tourist facilities in Luxembourg.

Safety & Security

Terrorist incidents are rare in Luxembourg.

Luxembourg's open borders, however, could possibly allow terrorist groups to enter/exit the country unnoticed.

Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations in Luxembourg.

Police routinely provide supervision to ensure adequate security for participants and passers-by.

Nonetheless, situations may develop which could pose threats to public safety.

We advise you to avoid areas where public demonstrations are taking place.

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Crime

The predominant forms of crime in Luxembourg are non-violent.

Such crimes include the theft of valuables through snatching of purses/bags, and breaking and entering of unoccupied homes.

Crime is more pronounced in Luxembourg City, especially at bus terminals and the main train station and its surroundings.

Street robbery can turn violent if the victim is isolated and cannot seek help from by-passers.

You should take common-sense precautions while in Luxembourg; be vigilant with your personal belongings and refrain from carrying visible jewelry and more cash than necessary.

Pickpockets often operate in teams, usually one team member distracts the victim while another empties the pockets or bag.

You should be especially careful when taking the train to/from Brussels; theft of backpacks, laptops, or other valuables regularly occurs on this route.

Luxembourg has many public parks that are safe during the daylight hours, though the volume of low-level drug vending has increased in some of the city parks.

You should avoid these parks after dark, though, because they pose a higher risk.

During the summer season, you should be particularly alert to purse snatchings and confidence scams against tourists.

Incidents of petty crime spike during the annual “Schueberfouer,” a three-week event held every summer.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Luxembourg, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

Criminal penalties vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States.

You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods abroad.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Luxembourg, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Persons violating Luxembourg's laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Luxembourg are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Arrest notifications in Luxembourg: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case.

To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

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Medical Facilities

Medical facilities are widely available.

Dial 112 for a medical emergency or the fire department, and 113 for the police.

Hospitals in Luxembourg operate on a 24-hour rotation system.

We do not advise self-referral to any hospital, with an exception: the “Centre Hospitalier” is always on-call for emergency cases involving children under the age of 14.

In Luxembourg City, three major hospitals offer comprehensive general medical and surgical treatment.

Additionally, there are two pediatric clinics and two obstetric clinics in Luxembourg City.

There are also hospitals in the south of the country (Esch-sur-Alzette) and in the north (Wiltz).

For more specialized care, including major burns, transfer to a regional burn center in Belgium or France is necessary.

Three medical services (maisons médicales) provide general medical treatment (not suitable for emergency cases) after hours, on weekends, and holidays, when a treating physician is not available.

Please see information on all medical facilities in Luxembourg at the following website.

Most drugstores are located in Luxembourg City but can also be found throughout the country in all major communes.

Drugstores operate on a 24-hour rotation system for after-hours services, including emergency prescriptions.

The on-call pharmacy is listed daily in the local newspaper or can be ascertained by calling 112.

A doctor's prescription is sometimes necessary for drugs that are sold over the counter in the United States.

Traffic Safety

Persons residing in Luxembourg who wish to drive must have their driver’s license transcribed within one year.

To start the process, the driver must have been a registered resident of Luxembourg for at least 185 days and the license must have been issued in the country where the person was actually residing at the time of issuance.

Additional documents to be submitted with the application include a recent medical certificate, a criminal record (affidavit from the U.S.

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Airports - total

2

Airports with Paved Runways

1

Heliports

1

Railways

171 Miles 275 Kilometers

Roadways- total

1,801 Miles 2,899 Kilometers

Waterways

23 Miles 37 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Mertert

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Pipelines: Gas

88 Miles 142 Kilometers

Pipelines: Refined Products

17 Miles 27 Kilometers

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Telephones

273,600

Cell Phones

604,200

Internet Users

345,000

Internet Country Code

.lu

Internet Hosts

244,225

Broadcast Media

• Luxembourg has a long tradition of operating radio and TV services to pan-European audiences and is home to Europe's largest privately owned broadcast media group, the RTL group, which operates 46 TV stations and 29 radio stations in Europe
• also home to Europe's largest satellite operator, Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES)
• domestically, the RTL group operates TV and radio networks
• other domestic private radio and TV operators and French and German stations available
• satellite and cable TV services available

Telephone System

• assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
• domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated
• international: country code - 352

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

6,525,000,000

Electricity Exports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

2,483,000,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

6,830,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

2,696,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

1,364,000,000

Natural Gas Imports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

1,206,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

61,380

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Anthem History

"Ons Heemecht" was first performed in 1864. the same year the country was first formed, and adopted as the anthem that year. (The anthem was recently officially named "Ons Heemecht" over the old spelling "Ons Hémécht".)

Anthem Lyrics

(in French) Où l'Our arose champs et prés, Où la douce Moselle, Baigne le roc du flanc doré, Où le vin etincelle, C'est mon pays au sang loyal Mon âme en est remplie, C'est mon foyer, mon sol natal, C'est ma chère patrie.

Anthem Lyrics English

Where the Alzette slowly flows, The Sura plays wild pranks, Where fragrant vineyards amply grow On the Mosella’s banks ; There lies the land for which we would Dare everything down here, Our own, our native land which ranks Deeply in our hearts.

O Thou above whose powerful hand Makes States or lays them low, Protect this Luxembourger land From foreign yoke and woe.

Your spirit of liberty bestow On us now as of yore.

Let Freedom’s sun in glory glow For now and evermore.