Luxembourg · Work
Luxembourg Blue Card
Income needed: €66k+ a year ≈ $73k
EU Blue Card (highly qualified salaried worker)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Blue Card is a work route for Luxembourg. Applicants need income of €66k+ a year ≈ $73k. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €66k+ a year ≈ $73k
- Government fees
- €80 ≈ $89
- Processing
- Up to 90 days
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €80 ≈ $89; income to show €66k+/yr ≈ $73k; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€80 ≈ $89
- EUR 80 (≈ $89)Residence permit issuance fee, paid after the application is accepted.
Shown, not spent€66k+/yr ≈ $73k
- EUR 65,652 a year (≈ $73,300)Minimum gross annual salary in the employment contract, fixed by grand-ducal regulation (currently EUR 65,652 (≈ $73,300)).
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term resident status after 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residence, with stable resources and housing. Half of study time counts; seasonal, posted and transferred worker time does not.
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Immigration Directorate, Luxembourg
CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence
Naturalisation needs 5 years of legal residence, the last year uninterrupted, a Luxembourgish language certificate and the "Vivre ensemble" course.
ProcessingUp to 90 days
The response deadline for the visa-stage application is in principle 3 months at most.
Where to applyFrom abroad
Request a long-stay visa D at the Luxembourg embassy or consulate before entry, then apply for the residence permit after arrival.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
For long-term status, absences must stay under 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total over the 5 years.
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Immigration Directorate, Luxembourg
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Luxembourg, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Luxembourg
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant lives abroad and has a contract for a highly qualified job lasting at least 6 months.
- The applicant holds the qualifications for the job or meets the conditions of the regulated profession.
What you must show1
- The contract states gross annual pay of at least EUR 65,652, (≈ $73,300) fixed by grand-ducal regulation.
Documents2
- Passport, criminal record extract under 3 months old, CV, diplomas and travel health insurance.
- A contract signed by the applicant and a Luxembourg-established employer.
Steps3
- Apply for the visa D first; the request must be approved before entering Luxembourg.
- After entry, declare arrival at the commune, take a medical check and apply for the residence permit.
- The response time for the application is up to 3 months.
After you arrive2
- For the first 12 months the holder works in one profession and sector; a change needs ministerial approval.
- The residence permit issuance fee of EUR 80 (≈ $89) is paid after the application is accepted.
When you become tax resident
How Luxembourg decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Foreign-source income
Resident taxpayers in Luxembourg are subject to income tax on their worldwide revenues (domestic and foreign-source) and must report worldwide income, exempt and non-exempt, in their return; non-residents are taxed only on Luxembourg-source income unless they opt for resident treatment.
All tax rules for Luxembourg Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Passport, criminal record extract under 3 months old, CV, diplomas and travel health insurance
- Police certificate and civil documents
Passport, criminal record extract under 3 months old, CV, diplomas and travel health insurance
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For employment contracts of at least 6 months in a highly qualified job with annual pay at least the amount fixed by grand-ducal regulation, plus qualification proof. Two steps: visa D, then residence permit after arrival with medical check; response time up to 3 months. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 65,652 a year (≈ $73,300) · Minimum gross annual salary in the employment contract, fixed by grand-ducal regulation (currently EUR 65,652 (≈ $73,300)). 1
- A fee of EUR 80 (≈ $89) · Residence permit issuance fee, paid after the application is accepted. 3
Requirements
- The applicant lives abroad and has a contract for a highly qualified job lasting at least 6 months. 1 2
- The applicant holds the qualifications for the job or meets the conditions of the regulated profession. 1 2
- The contract states gross annual pay of at least EUR 65,652, (≈ $73,300) fixed by grand-ducal regulation. 1
- Passport, criminal record extract under 3 months old, CV, diplomas and travel health insurance. 1 2
- A contract signed by the applicant and a Luxembourg-established employer. 1
- Apply for the visa D first; the request must be approved before entering Luxembourg. 1 2
- After entry, declare arrival at the commune, take a medical check and apply for the residence permit. 1 3
- The response time for the application is up to 3 months. 1
- For the first 12 months the holder works in one profession and sector; a change needs ministerial approval. 2 1
- The residence permit issuance fee of EUR 80 (≈ $89) is paid after the application is accepted. 3
Stay
- For the first 12 months the holder works in one profession and sector.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work for the contract employer in one profession and sector for the first 12 months; a change of sector or profession needs ministerial approval, and a change of employer must be notified in advance (30-day waiting period).
Family
The holder's spouse or partner and unmarried children under 18 can apply under the family reunification rules.
Official sources
- Titre de séjour carte bleue européenne (highly qualified worker) · Guichet.lu (Luxembourg State portal) · checked 2026-10-10
- Residence authorisation for highly qualified workers (EU Blue Card): explanatory note · Ministère des Affaires intérieures / Guichet.lu · checked 2026-10-11
- Issuance of your first residence permit (step 2, after entry) · Ministère des Affaires intérieures / Guichet.lu · checked 2026-10-11
- Le statut de resident de longue duree (Articles 80 a 88 of the amended law of 29 August 2008) · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Immigration Directorate, Luxembourg · checked 2026-10-11
- Acquerir la nationalite luxembourgeoise par naturalisation · Guichet.lu (Luxembourg government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
Blue Card and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Card | Needs income of €66k+ a year ≈ $73k | – | – |
| Salaried worker permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Researcher permit | Needs income of €3,326+ a month ≈ $3,720 | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Intra-company transfer permit | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Blue Card Portugal | Needs income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930 | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Blue Card?
Income of at least EUR 65,652 a year (≈ $73,300). Minimum gross annual salary in the employment contract, fixed by grand-ducal regulation (currently EUR 65,652 (≈ $73,300)). A fee of EUR 80 (≈ $89). Residence permit issuance fee, paid after the application is accepted.
How long can I stay on the Blue Card?
For the first 12 months the holder works in one profession and sector.
How long does the Blue Card take to process?
The response deadline for the visa-stage application is in principle 3 months at most.
Can I work on the Blue Card?
Work for the contract employer in one profession and sector for the first 12 months; a change of sector or profession needs ministerial approval, and a change of employer must be notified in advance (30-day waiting period).
Can I bring my family on the Blue Card?
The holder's spouse or partner and unmarried children under 18 can apply under the family reunification rules.
Who can apply for the Blue Card?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Blue Card lead to permanent residence in Luxembourg?
Time on the Blue Card counts toward permanent residence in Luxembourg, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Blue Card counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Blue Card holders taxed in Luxembourg?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Blue Card. The standard rules apply: Resident taxpayers in Luxembourg are subject to income tax on their worldwide revenues (domestic and foreign-source) and must report worldwide income, exempt and non-exempt, in their return; non-residents are taxed only on Luxembourg-source income unless they opt for resident treatment.
More in Luxembourg
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Titre de séjour carte bleue européenne (highly qualified worker) · Guichet.lu (Luxembourg State portal) · checked 2026-10-10
- Residence authorisation for highly qualified workers (EU Blue Card): explanatory note · Ministère des Affaires intérieures / Guichet.lu · checked 2026-10-11
- Issuance of your first residence permit (step 2, after entry) · Ministère des Affaires intérieures / Guichet.lu · checked 2026-10-11
- Le statut de resident de longue duree (Articles 80 a 88 of the amended law of 29 August 2008) · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Immigration Directorate, Luxembourg · checked 2026-10-11
- Acquerir la nationalite luxembourgeoise par naturalisation · Guichet.lu (Luxembourg government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.