After completing their studies, third-country nationals may stay in Luxembourg to look for a job or start a business.

They must then apply for a residence permit for the purposes of finding a job or setting up a business, before the expiry of their student residence permit or the end of their mobility scheme in Luxembourg.

Who is concerned

Students looking for work or starting a business

Students looking for work or starting a business must apply for a residence permit for the purposes of finding a job or setting up a business;

Such a residence permit may be requested by:

• students who already have a valid residence permit for students in Luxembourg;
• students who have a student residence permit valid in a first Member State and who are in Luxembourg on an educational mobility scheme.

Students who have found a job or have a concrete business start-up plan

Students who have already found a job or who already have a concrete business start-up plan may apply for a residence permit for employees or self-employed workers using a simplified procedure.

Only students staying in Luxembourg on a student residence permit may apply for residence permits for employees or self-employed workers: students on mobility schemes are not affected.

Prerequisites

Third-country students can stay on in Luxembourg to look for a job or set up a business only if:

• they have successfully passed their higher education diploma, leading to a Masters degree; or
• they have successfully defended their research PhD thesis in Luxembourg.

Deadlines

Applications for residence permits to look for a job or set up a business must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the expiry of student residence permits or the end of mobility schemes.

Applications for residence permits for employees or self-employed workers must also be made prior to the expiry of student residence permits.

Costs

Residence permits for the purposes of finding a job or setting up a business can only be issued to third-country nationals who have paid an EUR 80 issuance fee.

The fee must be paid into the CCPL account no. LU46 1111 2582 2814 0000 (beneficiary: Ministère des affaires étrangères et européennes, Direction de l’immigration; Communication: titre de séjour dans le chef de 'insert your name here').

Students who have already found a job or who have a concrete business start-up plan must also pay an EUR 80 issuance fee to obtain a residence permit for employees or self-employed workers.

How to proceed

Filing an application

Third-country students must contact the Immigration Directorate (Direction de l’immigration), in writing, to apply for a residence permit to find a job or set up a business or for a residence permit for employees or self-employed workers.

Applications must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the expiry of student residence permits or the end of mobility schemes.

Employed or self-employed work must relate to the students' academic education.

Supporting documents

For residence permits to find a job or set up a business

Third-country nationals must state their identity (surname(s) and first name(s)) and enclose the following documents with their applications:

• a copy of their full valid passport;
• a recent extract from the criminal record in Luxembourg;
• proof of comprehensive health insurance valid in Luxembourg (travel insurance);
  
• proof of successful completion of a higher education diploma leading to a Masters degree, or proof that a PhD research thesis has been successfully defended in Luxembourg;
• proof that they have sufficient resources to cover living expenses during their stay, and their return trip. Their monthly resources must amount to at least 80 % of the level of the social inclusion income in force in Luxembourg. The following may be used as proof:
  • a certificate of scholarship or student loan stating the amount and its duration; or
  • a bank certificate; or
  • an undertaking to provide financial support (formal obligation) by a guarantor living in Luxembourg;
• proof of transfer of the EUR 80 issuance fee;
• where necessary, a power of attorney.

The documents enclosed must be originals or certified true copies (except for the passport, where a plain copy will suffice). Should the authenticity of a document be in doubt, the Minister of Immigration can request that it be authenticated by the appropriate local authority and legalised by the Embassy (or that it bear a Hague Convention apostille).

If the documents are not written in English, French or German, an official translation by a sworn translator must be attached.

For residence permits for employees and self-employed workers

The various supporting documents to be submitted with applications for residence permits for employees or self-employed workers are listed in the residence permit information sheets:

• residence permit for employees;
• residence permit for self-employed workers;

Application processing time

For residence permits for finding a job or setting up a business

If proof that students have successfully completed their studies is not yet available when the application is submitted, applicants obtain a receipt showing that their applications have been submitted and authorising them to stay in Luxembourg for a period of 3 months, thereby enabling them to submit evidence that they have successfully completed their studies (Masters or PhD).

Once all the information is complete, the Immigration Directorate makes its decision within 90 days.

If the information or supporting documents provided are insufficient or incomplete, applicants may be given a reasonable period of time in which to submit any further information required. The 90-day deadline will then be suspended until the required documents are received within the deadline set. Should the additional information or documentation fail to be supplied within the deadlines set, the application may be rejected.

If approved, applicants obtain a residence permit for personal reasons with the wording 'finding a job or setting up a business'.

For residence permits for employees and self-employed workers

The time required for a response from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is generally a maximum of 4 months.

If no response is received within this time, the applicant can consider that their application has been denied.

Validity period

For residence permits for personal reasons containing the wording 'recherche d'emploi' ('finding a job') or 'création d'entreprise' ('setting up a business')

Residence permits for personal reasons for the purpose of 'finding a job or setting up a business' are valid for a period of 9 months.

Before their residence permits for the purposes of finding a job or setting up a business expire, applicants must apply for authorisation to stay on:

• as an employee; or
• as a self-employed worker.

Employed or self-employed work must relate to the student's academic education.

Should applicants return to their country of origin without having applied for an authorisation to stay prior to their student residence permit or mobility scheme expiring, they will once again be subject to ordinary immigration rules when they return to Luxembourg to carry out employed or self-employed work.

For residence permits for employees and self-employed workers

Periods of validity of residence permits for employees or self-employed workers, as well as the terms of their renewal, are listed in residence permit information sheets:

• residence permit for employees;
• residence permit for self-employed workers;

Employed or self-employed work must relate to the student's prior academic training.

Once a residence permit has been issued

In principle, third-country nationals are no longer obliged to appear before the administration of their commune of residence to make a declaration of arrival, as they are already resident in Luxembourg.

If, however, they move house during the course of the procedure, they will have to file a declaration of arrival in the new commune of residence.
 

Forms / Online services

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