Luxembourg third-country salaried worker residence
Luxembourg's salaried worker route requires the authorisation to stay before entry, and the first permit runs a maximum of one year confined to one profession within a single sector, opening up only on renewal.
Core requirements
The authorisation to stay must be obtained before entering; the order cannot be reversed. Entering on another basis and switching on the spot is not this route.
The response time is normally a maximum of four months, and the temporary authorisation that results is valid for 90 days.
The employer must first make a declaration of vacant position to the National Employment Agency (ADEM).
If no suitable candidate is presented within three weeks of the declaration, the employer may request a certificate from ADEM's director allowing recruitment of a third-country national. Those three weeks are a fixed wait in the process.
The employer hands the original certificate to the applicant, who attaches it to the authorisation-to-stay application.
The first residence permit is valid for a maximum of one year and covers one profession only, within a single sector, though with all employers in it. There is very little room to change field during that first year.
On first renewal the permit becomes renewable for a maximum of three years and gives access to any sector and any profession.
Official sources
- Conditions of residence for third-country salaried workersGuichet.lu — Luxembourg Government · Reviewed 2026-09-06
How immigration works in Luxembourg — the process in order, the current figures with their dates, and what commonly blocks an application.
General educational information only, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Requirements can change; confirm them with the responsible government authority before acting. Next scheduled review: 2026-12-06.