According to newly released figures, around 489,000 people are currently employed in Luxembourg – and nearly half of them are cross-border workers. On Friday, the job fair organiser Moovijob held a dedicated recruitment event in Metz, which drew large crowds of jobseekers hoping to find employment in the Grand Duchy.
More than 40 companies made the trip to Metz, offering over 4,500 job opportunities based in Luxembourg. The country continues to be seen as a powerful draw in the Grand Est region, with over 125,000 French nationals already working there – a number that is steadily increasing. In contrast, the number of Belgian cross-border workers has levelled off, and there has even been a decline in those commuting from Germany.
Despite peak-hour traffic, construction works, and issues like double taxation, interest from French residents remains high. The main attractions are higher salaries and a generally high-quality working environment. However, employers in Luxembourg are also said to be raising expectations in some areas.
Julien Dauer, Director of the Frontaliers GrandEst association, explained that language requirements have become noticeably stricter over the past few years. While a basic grasp of English used to suffice, companies are now looking for candidates with a much stronger command of the language.
Nevertheless, jobseekers travelled from as far as Paris to attend last Friday’s fair in Metz, all hoping to secure a position on the other side of the border.
