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Before you can begin job hunting, know which work visa is necessary to work in Luxembourg.
Working in Luxembourg has its benefits as a multi-lingual portal to the EU. Finding jobs in Luxembourg can be easier than other European countries: Amazon, Skype, Apple, and PayPal are some international companies with a European office here. While permits are easily granted through your employer, entrepreneurs can expect their country of origin, education, and expertise to play a big part in whether working in Luxembourg is a realistic goal. Here’s what you need to know.
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Citizens of EU and EEA countries, as well as Switzerland, do not need a work visa for jobs in Luxembourg. Europeans with Croatian citizenship must still acquire a separate work permit for their first year in Luxembourg.
Anyone who intends to stay longer than 90 days in the country must go to the local Municipal Office in Luxembourg to declare their arrival and intention to stay within the first week of arriving. An address registration certificate is also necessary, obtainable at the same Municipal Office, for all members of the family. Bring a passport or valid identity card for both visits.
Like most EU countries, working in Luxembourg as a non-European requires more effort, paperwork, and at times determination. If you arrive looking for jobs in Luxembourg, you have 90 days to legally stay in Luxembourg to find work. As a non-European, coming to Luxembourg for work longer than 90 days requires a work visa.
For internationals coming to Luxembourg via employment by a Luxembourg-based company, your employee contract is a good start for getting a residence permit on the basis of employment (although this means that quitting your job in Luxembourg terminates your visa). Apply for a residence permit as early as possible, ideally as soon as you have an employer contract. It might take a few months to process your application; be conscious of which address receives your Luxembourg work visa. Your employer contract is a segue into obtaining a work visa, as long as it meets the following requirements under Luxembourgish labor law:
Coming to Luxembourg with the idea to start your own business is possible for non-EU citizens, but begin applying early. Non-EU nationals who wish to set up in Luxembourg as freelancers must submit their business permit application together with their residence permit application. Basically, submit the work permit with the residence permit. This way you only have to send in a single dossier to the Minister of Immigration, who then transfers the business permit section to the General Directorate for SMEs and Entrepreneurship. You can also read our article about starting a business in Luxembourg for a more detailed outline of the process.
Include the following documents with your business permit application:
The Luxembourg government has even more detailed outlines for starting your business as a non-EU citizen on their entrepreneurs’ page at www.guichet.public.lu.
If you get a work visa for Luxembourg, you’ll receive a letter by mail. Expect the process to take anywhere from a few weeks to two months. The business permit is a card to keep permanently at the office. The business permit expires if it goes unused for more than two years, under voluntary cessation, compulsory liquidation or bankruptcy.
About 35% of the workforce is foreign, mostly commuters from neighboring countries. This means that multilingual work environments are common, and French, German, and English are the languages of business correspondence. Due to Luxembourg’s location in the center of Europe and these three languages (plus Luxembourgish), a multilingual requirement is attached to many jobs in Luxembourg. Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese can also be a bonus. Try to be efficient enough in at least two languages, one being an official language of the country (Luxembourgish, French, or German).
Luxembourg is affiliated with the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area. This means that if you have higher education degree from EU member countries they will be recognized and a helpful addition to your application. If you’re from a non-member country, you’ll need to contact Luxembourg’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) (Centre de Documentation et d’Information ser l’Enseignment Superieur): tel. +352 24788650, www.cedies.public.lu. They will be able to determine whether your degree, diploma, or certificate is officially accepted and recognized as valid for employment in Luxembourg.
If you’re moving to Luxembourg, you can find a range of English-speaking or multi-language job at Expatica jobs.
Other general job sites in Luxembourg:
The National Employment Agency (Agence pour le développement de l’emploi, ADEM) is in charge with helping people find jobs across the country. By registering as a job seeker, you can view and apply for vacancies on Portail de l’emploi. The administrative body for Luxembourg state describes the procedure of registering as a job seeker on its Citizens’ Portal, and where to find your local ADEM office.
If you’re from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, you can look for a job in Luxembourg through EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal, which is maintained by the European Commission. As well as looking for work, you can upload your CV and get advice on working in Luxembourg.
As an au pair in Luxembourg, you must meet the requirements of being between 18 to 30 years old, and have a basic knowledge of the family’s native language and English. You must also be willing to take a language or culture course on Luxembourg during your stay. You must be able to finance your stay, and qualifications that shows your education until at least 18 years old. There is a step-by-step process required and available at www.aupairworld.com that will guide you through specific steps for being an au pair in Luxembourg.