Luxembourg is a European country that attracts thousands of expats every year with its high standard of living and career prospects. Find out how citizens of African and Asian countries can move here to work and what are the features of the Luxembourg visa procedure

Working in Luxembourg opens up numerous prospects for foreigners, but the visa procedure for citizens of Asian and African countries can be a complicated and lengthy process. Understanding all the intricacies of legislation, document requirements and procedures can be difficult, especially for first-time applicants.

To simplify your preparations for moving, consult our comprehensive guide, where we have compiled the main requirements of Luxembourg law for third-country nationals, as well as lots of interesting and useful information for future expats.

Is Luxembourg expat friendly?

Luxembourg is a special country in Europe. It is home to around 600,000 residents, almost half of whom are foreigners and come from around 170 different countries. That is why 70% of the labor force in the state consists of immigrants or cross-border workers from neighboring countries. In Luxembourg you can enjoy a high quality of life and an international and multilingual work environment. Local residents are tolerant and friendly towards expats.

Work in Luxembourg for asians

- Citizens of which Asian countries most often go to work in Luxembourg?

In recent years, citizens of Nepal and Pakistan can be singled out among the representatives of Asian countries who most often move to Luxembourg. Although the total number of expats currently living in the country is quite small (about 500 Nepalese and up to 600 Pakistanis), there is an increased interest in working in Luxembourg among the citizens of these two countries.

In particular, over the years, the population of Pakistan in Luxembourg has been constantly growing. In 10 years, the number of expats has increased and showed an amazing sixfold increase.

The situation is the same with Nepali nationals, although the Nepali population in Luxembourg is only 0.06% of the total population, it has steadily increased over the past 10 years, rising from 195 Nepalis in 2014 to 409 in 2023, roughly doubling.

Work in Luxembourg for africans

- Citizens of which African countries most often go to work in Luxembourg?

According to recent surveys, a large percentage of professionals in various African countries are considering leaving their current jobs and moving abroad within a year, with citizens of Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Nigeria reporting such plans. The majority prefers migration to European countries, in particular to Luxembourg.

The rising cost of living affects the financial situation of people in these countries and labor productivity. The economies of these countries have many problems, including unemployment, weak currency and insecurity. The situation was also exacerbated by the high cost of living.

Types of work visas to Luxembourg for citizens of third countries

Depending on the length of stay, visas in Luxembourg are divided into short-term and long-term.

1. Short-term work visas (type C) are intended for attending conferences, fairs, exhibitions, business trips (for example, for concluding contracts), as well as for providing short-term services within the company.

2. Long-term work visas (type D) are suitable for expats who plan to stay in the country for more than three months.

Also, keep in mind that obtaining a visa is only the first step, because in order to legally stay in the country, you need to obtain a residence permit. Unlike a visa, a residence permit gives individuals the right to reside and engage in certain activities in Luxembourg for a longer period.

There are different types of residence permits, depending on the activity that individuals plan to do in Luxembourg: highly skilled workers, salaried workers, seasonal workers, self-employed workers, athletes or coaches, researchers, volunteers, au pairs and investors.

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The procedure for obtaining a work visa and residence permit for citizens of third countries in Luxembourg, depending on the purpose of the trip

1. Visa for employees or work visa

  This type of visa is granted to foreigners who have a job offer from a company in Luxembourg. Most of the applications for this permit are submitted by the employer, so the first step is to find a company that will hire you.

- The procedure for obtaining an employee visa:

An employee visa can only be obtained when there are no candidates for the position in Luxembourg or on the EU labor market.

Therefore, at the first stage, the employer must submit a vacancy to the National Employment Agency - ADEM (in French - Agence pour le développement de l'emploi). If a suitable candidate is not found within 3 weeks, the employer can conclude a contract with an employee who is not a citizen of an EU member state. After obtaining permission from ADEM, the employer and the employee can sign an employment contract.

Next, the employee applies to the Luxembourg consulate and receives a work visa.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining and renewing a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

A maximum visa can be obtained for one year, after which it can be extended for another three years.

Importantly! The worker cannot change jobs without the government's permission before the first visa renewal.

2. Visa for highly qualified personnel (EU blue card)

The procedure for obtaining an EU Blue Card is similar to a visa for employees, but is available only to a certain category of specialists.

- Requirements for issuing an EU blue card

To get a visa, an employee must:

1. Have a highly qualified job offer from a Luxembourg employer.

2. The salary for the vacancy must be 1.5 times higher than the average salary in Luxembourg.

3. Provide confirmation of diplomas and professional qualifications in English, French or German.

- How to arrange?

Similarly with the visa for employees: first the employer submits a vacancy to ADEM, after approval and signing of the employment contract, documents can be submitted to the Luxembourg consulate.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining and renewing a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

The EU Blue Card is valid for 4 years, if the duration of the employment contract is shorter, then for the duration of the contract plus 4 months.

3. Visa for young Au Pair

The Au Pair visa is only valid for persons aged 18 to 30 years. In order to apply for this visa, you will need an approved host family.

- Requirements for the applicant

Confirm the availability of basic secondary education, demonstrate knowledge of the spoken language of the host family. Also, the applicant must have at least some knowledge of English, French, German or Luxembourgish.

The foreigner must have a signed placement agreement with the host family and pass a medical examination that confirms that you are able to perform the duties of an Au Pair.

- How to arrange?

Before entering, submit an application to the Luxembourg consulate.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

The visa has a maximum validity of one year, it cannot be extended or a visa of another category can be obtained.

4. Visa for seasonal workers

You can get a seasonal visa only for work that is characterized as a seasonal activity - harvesting, work of tour guides, short-term work in the hospitality industry.

- How to arrange?

To obtain this visa, you will first need a signed seasonal work contract. The procedure is similar to the visa for employees.

- Duration of the visa

A visa for seasonal workers is valid for no more than five months within a total period of 12 months.

How to issue a work visa to Luxembourg for citizens of third countries?

1. After signing the employment contract, the foreigner must apply to the consulate of Luxembourg to obtain a temporary visa to enter the country.

2. Upon arrival in Luxembourg, you must register at the municipal office (Kommune) at your place of residence within 3 working days. Then, within 3 months, you need to apply for a type D work visa.

The procedure includes the following stages:

- Submit a declaration to the local administration to confirm that you want to live in this region

- Pass a medical examination.

- Download the official application forms on the Luxembourg Government website.

- Apply for a new visa if you intend to stay in Ukraine after the visa expires.

An approximate list of documents for obtaining a work visa to Luxembourg for citizens of Asian and African countries

Documents for obtaining a permit are considered by the Department of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg. Usually you need to provide:

1. A copy of a valid foreign passport.

2. Birth certificate.

3. Copies of diplomas and other certificates confirming qualification.

4. Duly completed resume, short biography and motivation letter.

5. Certificate of no criminal record.

6. A copy of the employment contract and certificate of right to work received from ADEM.

All documents must be translated into one of the following languages ​​- French, German or English.

We will remind you that we talked about the employment procedure in Luxembourg in more detail here. Read here which job in Luxembourg is in the greatest demand among foreigners.

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Igor Usyk - Head of Legal Department at Visit World

The consultation of a migration lawyer will help to understand the visa requirements of Luxembourg and guide the expat on the main legal ways of moving from Asian and African countries. We help to solve complex and simple issues for your comfort and safety in Luxembourg.

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