How does Salaried Worker Residence Permit work in Luxembourg, and who qualifies?

The Salaried Worker Residence Permit is the main employment route for third-country nationals and is processed by the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Before you can be hired, your employer must declare the vacancy to the National Employment Agency (ADEM); if no suitable EU/EEA candidate is found, ADEM issues a certificate authorising the recruitment of a third-country national. You will need a signed employment contract that complies with Luxembourg law, that original ADEM certificate, a valid passport, your qualifications and a clean criminal record.

Luxembourg uses a characteristic two-step process. You first obtain a temporary authorisation to stay before entering the country, and then, after arriving, declaring at your commune and a medical check, you apply for the actual residence permit within three months of arrival.

A residence permit fee of EUR 80 applies, and a decision on the authorisation to stay normally comes within about three months (up to four). Because the ADEM step and timing matter, early coordination with your employer helps. ACME can work with you and your employer to line up the ADEM certificate and keep the two-step process on track, and we always recommend confirming current details on guichet.public.lu.