LUXEMBOURG – Minimum Salary Increases for EU Blue Card
The Luxembourg government has increased the minimum salary requirements for European Union (EU) Blue Cards, effective immediately. A lower salary threshold now applies to certain shortage occupations in the ICT sector. The government fee for a residence permit application has also increased.
Salary Thresholds
EU Blue Card holders in Luxembourg must now be paid at least €71,946 per year (1.5 times the average annual salary in Luxembourg), up from €69,858.
The immigration authorities in Luxembourg have also announced a list of shortage occupations to which a lower minimum annual salary of €57,556.80 applies (1.2 times the average annual salary).
The qualifying occupations are mostly in the ICT sector, where the Luxembourg government has identified a need to attract more non-EU national workers:
- mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians;
- system analysts;
- software developers;
- web and multimedia developers;
- applications programmers;
- software and application developers and analysts not elsewhere classified;
- database designers and administrators;
- systems administrators;
- computer network professionals;
- database and network professionals not elsewhere classified.
Residence Permit Fee
The government fee for a residence permit application has recently increased to €80 from €50.
Background
The Luxembourg government regularly adjusts the minimum salary requirements for foreign nationals.
The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit, implemented in most EU countries, designed to attract highly skilled non-EU nationals. To qualify, applicants need advanced qualifications or substantial experience, among other requirements. Benefits include the flexibility to change employers or move to another EU country and work permission for a spouse.