Shortage Occupation List

Financial and administration professionals

Jobs in finance, administration, sales, and marketing are in high demand in Luxembourg due to its significant financial sector. Despite economic challenges, the financial industry continues to create jobs, especially in managing international companies. The main difficulty for companies in Luxembourg is finding skilled workers willing to relocate and stay in the country, given the competitive job market.

The Ministry of Labour in Luxembourg, along with ADEM, the country’s employment agency, and partners like the Bankers’ Association and the Institute de Formation Bancaire, introduced the ‘Fit4Finance’ initiative as part of the larger ‘Fit4job’ program. It’s designed to help people who lost their jobs in the financial sector. The program includes monitoring job seekers and offering tailored training with input from industry professionals to enhance their employability. Additionally, Luxembourg’s tax authorities have introduced a new regulation to attract skilled foreign workers by providing potential cost reductions for employers, such as exemptions for relocation expenses.

ICT professionals 

Luxembourg is placing a growing emphasis on the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, which contributed significantly to the national economy in 2013. Around 7% of the country’s Gross Value Added came from the ICT sector. In 2014, there were approximately 17,000 ICT employees, making up about 5% of total employment. The sector’s expansion, including the rise of data centers for internet services, is driving increased demand. However, recruiting for ICT-related positions has been challenging, with 58% of companies facing difficulties in filling such roles in 2014.

There’s a concern that national education policies may not focus enough on ICT skills. To address these challenges, the government launched the “Digital Luxembourg” strategy, aiming to strengthen the country’s position in the ICT sector and attract foreign talent. Measures include lowering salary thresholds for certain ICT professions and establishing the organization “ICTLuxembourg” to represent ICT interests. Additionally, initiatives like “Fit4Coding” provide training to bridge the gap between jobseekers’ skills and the evolving needs of the ICT industry.

Medical doctors 

Since 2011, Luxembourg has been anticipating a significant shortage of doctors due to the impending retirement of a large portion of the current medical workforce. With over two thousand general practitioners and specialists in the Grand Duchy, more than half are aged between 45 and 60 years old, and 35% fall into the 45 to 55-year-old age group. This indicates that in the next ten to 20 years, many of these doctors will retire. To address this, the Grand Duchy estimates a need for 100 to 150 new doctors annually to meet the medical care demands of the growing population. Currently, there is a shortage, as local medical students can only complete their first year at the University of Luxembourg’s Medical School and are then compelled to pursue education abroad, often choosing to work overseas after graduation.

In response, the government decided to implement a comprehensive training program starting in 2017/18, initially enrolling 25 students in the first year and increasing to 50 in the second year. The aim is to encourage more students to stay and work in the country. The national labor migration policy, which focuses on economic needs and utilizes an employer-based system, provides the opportunity to attract qualified foreign medical professionals. The government is keen on attracting highly skilled workers. Potential solutions include monitoring developments in the medical sector, fostering information exchange between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, informing students about training and work options, and making Luxembourg more appealing to medical students.

Technical and logistic engineers professions 

Luxembourg is facing a shortage of various technical professionals like logistic engineers and mechanics. The country has become a key logistics hub in Europe, creating a demand for logistic engineers. However, there’s a lack of higher education graduates with the needed skills, leading to the recruitment of workers from other countries.

To tackle the shortage, a group called Cluster for Logistics is working on education and training for these professions. They are collaborating with research centers and the university to create programs for logistics and related fields. A coordinated effort involving businesses, government, and research centers is considered crucial. The Cluster for Logistics also conducts school conferences to inform students about career opportunities in logistics. Additionally, they are working with the Ministry of Education to establish a dual education program for training logistics technicians, starting in 2014. Companies participating in these initiatives can make a significant contribution.

Information sourced from: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/data-insights/luxembourg-mismatch-priority-occupations