Jobs in Luxembourg for Foreigners

Finding a job in Luxembourg may not be quite as difficult as the statistics would lead you to believe, but it does take a certain amount of experience, a number of qualifications, a lot of perseverance and more than a little luck.

Luxembourg's unempoloyment rate ist one of the best in the world. If you’re a national of a European Union (EU) country, you already have the right to work in the Luxembourg under the EU’s freedom of movement provisions. Once you’ve found a job, you simply register with the appropriate authorities where you’ll be living and a residence permit is automatically granted. Non-EU nationals without automatic rights to work in Luxembourg will find it rather more difficult because any potential employer must seek the approval of the local labour or employment office in order to hire a non-EU foreigner.
Foreigners are found in large numbers throughout Luxembourg, and the numbers are probably much higher than official statistics suggest, as those working for the various international organisations often aren’t considered as residents. Luxembourg reports around 40 per cent foreigners in the general population. As in much of Europe, illegal immigration is considered a major problem. Like other European countries, Luxembourg has tightened the immigration laws in recent years, both to protect local citizens’ rights in a period of high unemployment and to discourage trafficking in economic refugees.

The Work Permit in Luxembourg

For many people, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg appears to be an El Dorado as regards working conditions and attracts more and more foreign job applicants. The quality of life and the high wages, the social and political stability, a favourable tax system – the income tax has one of the lowest rates in Europe* – are very attractive factors. But before you cross the borders of this small State, you are advised to make enquiries properly. The job applicants are not all in the same boat. In particular as far as the work permit is concerned.

If you are already in the country, you can begin with going to the Bierger Center (citizen’s center). The authorities have set up this sole counter to make the contacts with the citizens easier. There you can carry out most of your administrative procedures.

Who must get a work permit?

Once you have fulfilled the country’s requirements for entry and residence, you must get this precious permit.

This one is not required neither for citizens of the European Union, of the EEA and of Switzerland, nor for the spouses of Luxembourg’s workers and for the refugees.

On the other hand, the foreigners who are citizens of countries not member of the European Union, the stateless persons and the persons without a specific nationality must get one from the Ministry of Labour. The work permit rules apply to the foreign apprentices and trainees (training permit) too.

Since September 20th, 2007, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia don’t need any longer a work permit. Indeed, the Government has decided to open Luxembourg’s labour market to the workers from the eight Member States that joined the European Union in 2004.

The Bulgarians and Romanians, as to them, must wait until 2008 or even 2011 to have access to Luxembourg’s labour market.

Required steps to obtain a work permit

·         The employer must first send notification of the vacant job to the Employment Service (Adem). This enables the Adem to check if other persons could have this job on the national labour market.

·         If no-one on the labour market corresponds to the required job profile, the employer must declare the hiring of the foreign worker before this one may begin to work.

·         Then the Adem issues an acknowledgement of receipt of his/her declaration, which is valid as a provisional work permit. The Adem signs the file and passes it on to the Special Commission on Work Permits, which will submit its opinion to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration Service, for decision. The necessary time for investigation and decision can be between 4 and 8 weeks.

·         The work permit will be issued in duplicate and mailed to the employer.

There are four different kinds of work permits with a validity ranging from 1 year to unspecified.

Renewal of the work permit

The employer must require the renewal before the current permit expires. The employer will be informed by mail one month before the expiry of the work permit.

Withdrawal of the work permit

The worker’s work permit can be withdrawn if s/he departs from the rules for obtaining it or if s/he leaves Luxembourg’s territory for more than six months.