Part-time jobs in Luxembourg

What exactly is part-time work and when can it be useful?

First of all, it is important to be clear about the concepts so we will start with a definition of this type of work. In Luxembourg, part-time work is defined as work whose weekly duration is less than the duration of the working week applicable in the company. And in Luxembourg, a working week has a normal duration of 40 hours although this may vary depending on the collective bargaining agreement applicable in certain sectors.

In addition, it is important to be aware that part-time work can come in various forms, it can for example consist of reduced daily work with fewer working hours each day or it can on the contrary consist of full working days but fewer working days per week.

Below we are going to examine some important details about this work mode such as the cases in which this type of work can be useful, the advantages and disadvantages and some legal provisions that are important to know.

In which cases can it be useful?

A part-time job in Luxembourg could be a very interesting option in a variety of circumstances, let's take a look at some of them:

• Parents or caregivers: part-time work offers the flexibility needed for those who need to balance a job with family responsibilities such as caring for children, older adults or dependents.
• Students: young people pursuing higher education or technical studies can benefit from part-time jobs to gain work experience and generate income without compromising their academic training.
• Retirees and senior citizens: for those who have already retired, part-time work can be an excellent option to remain socially active and complement the pension with a much less demanding work routine that suits their interests.
• People in career transition: those who are exploring a career change and are acquiring new skills or looking for full-time employment may opt for part-time work as a temporary solution.
• People who want a better work-life balance: life is not all about work and money, some people may be interested in less financial compensation in exchange for more free time for personal activities.
• People with health problems or disabilities: workers facing physical or mental limitations may find part-time work a less demanding work option that is more compatible with their well-being.
• Independent professionals and entrepreneurs: those building their own businesses or working as freelancers can opt for part-time work to have a fixed income to supplement the variable income from their main activity.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is clear that such a work mode has the advantage of being able to have more time for other activities and the drawback of having a lower economic remuneration, however, these are not the only advantages and disadvantages, so let's examine some more:

Advantages

• Greater flexibility: these jobs allow workers to adapt their working day to their personal needs.
• Reconciliation of family and work responsibilities: these jobs offer additional time to care for children, elderly relatives or dependents.
• Reduced stress and burnout: having fewer working hours can reduce stress and improve physical and mental well-being.
• Entering the labor market: part-time work can be a good way to enter the labor market for young people, for those who have recently arrived in Luxembourg or for workers who are rebuilding their careers.
• Suitable for people with disabilities or health problems: it is ideal for people who cannot endure long working hours due to health reasons.

Disadvantages

• Lower income: since the working day is shorter, the economic compensation is also lower.
• Fewer opportunities for promotion: in certain cases, part-time employees may face barriers to career development, it could be for example less consideration for promotions within a company as positions of greater responsibility may involve full-time work.
• Unpredictable schedules: depending on the company and industry, schedules may be irregular or fluctuating and unpredictable in the short term, complicating the organization of other personal activities.
• Feeling of disconnection: part-time workers may feel that they are less integrated into the work environment compared to their full-time colleagues, which may affect their morale or perception of belonging.

Legal dispositions

Part-time work in Luxembourg is subject to a number of legal considerations that are important to keep in mind, let us then look at them in detail:

• Particularities of the contract: In addition to the information required for all employment contracts, part-time employment contracts must include the weekly working hours agreed between the parties and the modalities of distribution of working hours between the different days of the week. Furthermore, the employer cannot unilaterally modify this distribution, changes can only be made by mutual agreement with the worker.
• Non-mandatory: An employer is not obliged to offer a part-time job to an employee who requests it, the legislation only stipulates that an employee who has expressed a desire to work part-time must be informed as a matter of priority of the part-time jobs available in the company that corresponds to his professional qualifications and experience.There is also no obligation in the opposite direction, i.e. a full-time employee who is offered a part-time job by his employer may refuse to work part-time.
• Rights: The law enshrines the principle of non-discrimination between full-time and part-time workers. Part-time employees must receive the same treatment as full-time employees in terms of working conditions, benefits, training and promotion possibilities unless there are objective reasons to the contrary.

Remuneration should be commensurate with that of employees with the same qualifications who occupy an equivalent full-time position in the company. Finally, the length of service of part-time employees is calculated in the same way as that of full-time employees.

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Working part-time as a student

Since part-time work is so common among students we will dedicate a few lines to this topic, we will first examine a very recurrent question that deals with the possibility for foreign students to work in the country and then we will look at some options for finding student jobs in Luxembourg.

Part-time work for international students

One of the great advantages that international students have in Luxembourg is the possibility to work under certain conditions with a student residence permit in the Grand Duchy.

More specifically, it is possible to work for a maximum of 15 hours per week on average during a period of one month, bearing in mind that this restriction does not apply to paid work during school vacations, research work carried out at the higher education institution or at an approved research organization with a view to obtaining a doctorate, nor to employment contracts concluded by assistants at the University of Luxembourg.

It is important to note that, when hiring a foreign student, the employer must notify the Immigration Department in writing of the beginning of the employment period within 3 working days from the 1st day of work, indicating the identity of the student, the date of the beginning of the employment relationship and the identity of the employer.

Job opportunities

Let's now take a look at some ideas for finding ideal part-time jobs for students in Luxembourg.

• Online job portals: Traditional job aggregators are an excellent option to start with, although many of the offers are not for students or are not part-time, there are offers that are, all you need to do is apply the right filters during your search to find those that match your aspirations. Some of the most popular job portals in Luxembourg are jobs.lu, monster.lu, indeed.lu, mobijob.com, jobsinluxembourg.eu and linkedin.com.
• Specialized sites for young people: The jugendinfo.lu platform is dedicated to young people, where it is possible to find job offers of all kinds, full-time, part-time, summer jobs or offers for internships as part of your studies.
• Student services at universities: Most universities and colleges have student services that offer assistance in finding part-time jobs in Luxembourg. Simply contact the student services department of the educational institution to find out about job opportunities.
• Temporary employment agencies: Temporary employment agencies are an ideal option when looking for part-time jobs, some of the main agencies in Luxembourg are Adecco, Randstad and Manpower.
• Job fairs: These fairs offer the opportunity to find out about different companies and ask questions in person. In Luxembourg, Unicareers Luxembourg stands out.

Salaries for student part-time work

We already see the question coming up: What is the minimum wage in Luxembourg per hour for international students? Well, as in any job, the salary depends on many factors such as the employer and the experience and skills of the candidate, however, there is a minimum rate for student wages in Luxembourg depending on age. Additionally, there are specific rates for a particular type of employment contract involving the work of students during their school vacations.

For part-time jobs, compensation is calculated proportionally to the number of hours worked in relation to a full-time employee performing the same function.

Wages for part-time jobs in Luxembourg

Similar to what we just mentioned in the previous section with respect to salaries for part-time student jobs, remuneration for part-time jobs in general follows the same principle of proportionality. Remuneration is calculated proportionally to the number of hours worked in relation to a full-time employee performing the same function.

For example, if the gross monthly salary for a full-time employee (40 hours per week) is 4,000 euros, an employee working 20 hours per week (50% of the full working day) will receive a gross monthly salary of 2000 euros.

In Luxembourg, all jobs, both full-time and part-time, are subject to the minimum interprofessional wage (SMIC). In 2024, this stands at 3,085.11 euros per month for skilled workers and 2,570.93 euros for unskilled workers.

According to this, and as an example, a skilled job performed half-time should have a remuneration of 1542.56 euros.