Luxembourg (LU)

Confirm SECU registration (Centre Commun de la Sécurité Sociale)

All workers in Luxembourg must be registered with the SECU (Centre Commun de la Sécurité Sociale). For employed workers, your employer registers you with SECU when you start. You should confirm this happened correctly by checking your pay slip shows SECU contributions or by requesting your SECU affiliation certificate. SECU registration activates your CNS health insurance, pension (CNAP), and accident insurance (AAA). Self-employed persons register directly with SECU after obtaining their business autorisation d'établissement.

Declare any move to a new commune within 8 days

If you move house within Luxembourg, you must file a declaration of arrival with the census office (Bureau de la population) of your new commune within 8 days of occupying the new residence. The new commune automatically arranges your removal from the register of your former commune, so no separate deregistration is needed for moves inside the country. One declaration can cover you, your spouse or registered partner and your minor children if you share the same address.

EU/EEA citizens: obtain certificat d'enregistrement (EU registration certificate)

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens establishing residence in Luxembourg for more than 3 months must obtain a certificat d'enregistrement (registration certificate proving EU right of residence). Obtained at your commune simultaneously with your address registration. Required for bank account opening, employer documentation, and proof of legal right of residence in Luxembourg. After 5 continuous years of residence, apply for the droit de séjour permanent (permanent residence certificate).

Register at your commune (municipality) within 8 days of arrival — absolutely critical

All persons establishing residence in Luxembourg must register at the administration communale (commune office) of their municipality within 8 days of arriving or moving to their address. This is the single most important administrative act in Luxembourg. Registration at the commune: (1) Gives you your numéro national (13-digit national ID number) — required for EVERYTHING in Luxembourg; (2) Issues your certificat d'enregistrement (EU citizens) or starts the titre de séjour process (non-EU nationals); (3) Triggers your SECU/CNS social security affiliation; (4) Is the legal basis of your right of residence. Without commune registration, you cannot open a bank account, get health insurance, receive a salary (correctly), or use any government service.

Open a Luxembourg bank account

A Luxembourg bank account is essential for receiving your salary, paying rent, and operating in Luxembourg's cashless economy. Most landlords and employers require a Luxembourg (LU IBAN) bank account. Spuerkeess (BCEE) is the state savings bank and most accessible for newly arrived residents. BGL BNP Paribas and ING Luxembourg are also popular. Neobankss (Revolut, N26) can supplement but are not always accepted by Luxembourg landlords or some employers for salary purposes. Opening requires your numéro national in most cases — use Revolut in the interim.

Set up LuxTrust (digital authentication) for e-government services

LuxTrust is Luxembourg's national digital identity system — the gateway to all Luxembourg e-government services via MyGuichet.lu. Without LuxTrust, you cannot access your tax account at the ACD, manage your SECU/CNS online, apply for residence permits online, or use any of Luxembourg's government digital services. The LuxTrust Mobile app is the most convenient — you can activate it using your numéro national and a one-time code received by post.

Register at ACD (tax authority) and declare your tax class

Register with the ACD (Luxembourg's tax authority) and ensure you are in the correct tax class. Luxembourg's tax class system is unique and has a major impact on your take-home pay. Tax Class 1: single persons. Tax Class 1a: single parents and those over 65. Tax Class 2: married couples and PACS (civil partnership) — benefits from income-splitting (quotient conjugal) which dramatically reduces tax for one-earner or unequal-income couples. Wrong tax class = wrong withholding = large tax bill or overpayment at year-end. Your employer withholds tax based on the class declared. If you qualify for the impatriate regime, apply within 6 months of starting employment.

Obtain work authorization (autorisation de travail) if non-EU/EEA

Non-EU/EEA nationals must obtain a work authorization (autorisation de travail) from the Immigration Directorate before starting work in Luxembourg. Employer typically initiates the process. Labor market test may be required unless in a shortage occupation. ADEM (Luxembourg National Employment Agency) manages the process. EU/EEA citizens only need to register at their commune.

Get your CNS health insurance card and start using healthcare

Once registered with SECU, the CNS (Caisse Nationale de Santé) is your mandatory health insurer. Your CNS card (carte d'assurance maladie) is sent by post within 2–4 weeks of SECU registration. Present it at every medical appointment, pharmacy, and hospital to benefit from the approximately 80% CNS reimbursement of healthcare costs. Until you receive the card, keep your SECU affiliation confirmation as proof of coverage.

Register with CNS (Caisse Nationale de Santé) for health insurance

The CNS (Caisse Nationale de Santé) is Luxembourg's mandatory public health insurer for all workers and their families. Health insurance contributions are 3.05% of gross salary (employee portion), matched by the employer. CNS covers approximately 80% of most healthcare costs — GP visits, specialist consultations, hospital stays, prescriptions, and physiotherapy. The remaining 20% (ticket modérateur) is your responsibility. CNS registration is automatic upon SECU registration — confirm your CNS affiliation number and request your CNS health card (carte d'assurance maladie) if it has not arrived within 4 weeks.

Register your pet microchip in the TRACES national system and commune

All dogs, cats, and ferrets in Luxembourg must be microchipped and registered in the national veterinary database managed by the Administration des Services Vétérinaires (ASV). Registration via accredited veterinarian. Some communes also require municipal dog registration (€5–20/year). EU pet passport required for animals arriving from abroad. Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies annually.

File annual tax declaration (déclaration d'impôts) by 31 March

Luxembourg employees in Tax Class 1 or 2 with a single employer and no additional income are typically not required to file an annual tax declaration — tax is withheld correctly at source. However, if you have: investment income, rental income, self-employment income, multiple employers, significant deductible expenses, claim the impatriate regime, are a non-resident (frontalier) working in Luxembourg, or married in Class 2 with both partners earning — you must or should file. Filing deadline: 31 March for the previous year (extensions to 31 December possible on request). File via MyGuichet.lu with LuxTrust.

Register as job-seeker at ADEM (Agence pour le Développement de l'Emploi)

If you become unemployed in Luxembourg, register as a job-seeker at ADEM (adem.public.lu) immediately. Registration is required to receive indemnité de chômage (unemployment benefit) and to access free job-search support, training programmes, and career counselling. You must register within 7 days of losing your job to preserve full benefit eligibility. Luxembourg's unemployment benefit is up to 80% of previous salary (capped at 2.5x minimum wage) for up to 12 months.

Notify your home pension provider of your move to Luxembourg

If you receive a pension from your home country, notify your pension provider of your new Luxembourg address immediately. Ensure your pension payments can be redirected to your Luxembourg bank account (IBAN). Luxembourg has double tax treaties with all EU/EEA states and many other countries. Foreign pension income must be declared in your Luxembourg tax return (déclaration d'impôt). Luxembourg's CNAP (Caisse nationale d'assurance pension) can provide proof-of-life certificates for expats receiving Luxembourgish pensions abroad.

Claim CAE child allowance (€315.04/month per child) from the CAE

The CAE (Caisse pour l'Avenir des Enfants) pays Luxembourg's child allowance (allocation familiale) of €315.04/month per child under 18 (June 2026, index 992.24) regardless of the family's income. The benefit is universal — no income test applies. Additional supplements exist for children aged 6+ (€28.30/month) and 12+ (€55.90/month) bringing the maximum to €370.94/month per older child. Apply online at cae.lu within 3 months of the child's birth or arrival in Luxembourg. The benefit is paid monthly into your designated bank account.

Apply for impatriate tax regime within 6 months of starting employment — if qualifying

Luxembourg's impatriate tax regime (régime fiscal spécial pour impatriés — amended from 2025 tax year) allows qualifying highly qualified workers recruited from abroad to benefit from a flat 50% exemption on eligible gross annual remuneration (up to a €400,000 salary base, so up to €200,000/year exempt from income tax), for 8 years (year of arrival + 7 following). Qualifying conditions: (1) Annual gross salary minimum €75,000; (2) Employed by a Luxembourg company; (3) Not been tax-resident in Luxembourg, not been subject to Luxembourg income tax, and not lived within 150 km of the Luxembourg border in the 5 preceding years; (4) At least 75% of working time performed in Luxembourg. Application must be filed within 6 months of starting work — cannot be backdated. This can save tens of thousands of euros per year for high earners.

Get official documents translated by a sworn translator

Translations for official use in Luxembourg (civil status certificates, diplomas, driving documents, court papers) must be produced by a translator-interpreter sworn in by the Luxembourg Ministry of Justice. The Ministry publishes the official list of accredited judicial experts, translators and interpreters, with the languages each covers. Authorities regularly refuse translations made by non-accredited translators.

Apostille or legalise documents for official use

Apostilles and legalisations for Luxembourg public documents going abroad are issued by the legalisation service of the Directorate of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. You can apply online via MyGuichet.lu or at the passport and legalisation counter; the fee is 20 euros per public document. Since May 2026, documents transmitted electronically via MyGuichet.lu receive an electronic apostille, and electronic procedures require LuxTrust or eID authentication. Foreign documents you bring to Luxembourg must be apostilled by the issuing country.

Get a Luxembourg SIM card from Post Telecom, Tango, or Orange LU

Luxembourg's main mobile operators are Post Telecom, Tango (owned by Proximus), and Orange Luxembourg. Purchase a SIM with passport. Monthly plans from €20. Luxembourg has excellent 5G coverage and one of the EU's highest internet speeds. With MyGuichet.lu account + LuxTrust certificate, all government services are accessible digitally — set up LuxTrust online after commune registration.

Set up MyGuichet.lu and LuxTrust for digital government services

MyGuichet.lu is Luxembourg's national e-government portal providing access to all administrative services. Authenticate with LuxTrust (a certified digital identity token/app issued by LuxTrust S.A.). LuxTrust products cost ~€30/year and provide qualified electronic signatures recognized across the EU. Required for tax filings (MyTax), permit renewals, and company registration.

Get a Mobilitéit.lu multimodal transport card and set up utilities

Luxembourg offers free public transport (since March 2020) on all buses, trams, and trains within Luxembourg borders — no card needed but a multimodal app (mobiliteit.lu) helps plan journeys. Set up electricity (CREOS or SES), gas (Enovos/SES), and water (municipal) within 30 days of moving in. Waste: Luxembourg uses a bag-based system — purchase official colored bags (PMC yellow, organic brown) from communes.

Register for free Luxembourgish language courses at the ONL

The Institut National des Langues (inll.lu) and IFEN (ifen.public.lu) offer subsidised and free Luxembourgish and French language courses for Luxembourg residents. Free or low-cost Luxembourgish courses are available through the OLAI integration scheme (non-EU residents) and through subsidised IFEN evening courses (all residents). Luxembourgish B1 (Sproochentest) is required for citizenship and valued in the job market. Courses range from beginner (A1) to B1 level across multiple modules.

Open a Luxembourg bank account with Spuerkeess, ING, or BGL BNP Paribas

Open a basic current account (compte courant) for salary deposits and bill payments. Luxembourg has branches of all major European banks. Spuerkeess (BCEE) is the state savings bank — popular with expats. ING Luxembourg offers digital onboarding. Required documents: passport, residence certificate from commune, and proof of address. Monthly fees: €0–€12/month.

Do an annual January check of key financial thresholds

Every January 1st several key figures change in Luxembourg: minimum wages (SSM — salaire social minimum), pension contribution rates, income tax brackets, and the index-linked salary adjustment (index). A brief annual self-audit prevents payslip surprises and missed savings opportunities.

Request your free annual credit report from Creditreform or Experian Luxembourg

Luxembourg residents can request a free copy of their personal credit data from major credit reference agencies once per year under GDPR. This shows active credit obligations and any payment defaults. Errors can block rental applications and loan approvals.

Choose a médecin référent (GP) to access the coordinated care network

Luxembourg's coordinated care system requires you to choose a médecin référent (reference GP/family doctor) who becomes your primary healthcare contact. Registering a médecin référent with the CNS improves your healthcare pathway: specialist referrals from your médecin référent are better reimbursed than self-referred visits. The CNS co-payment for a standard GP visit is €10 (consultation fee approximately €30, of which CNS reimburses approximately €20). Most GPs speak French and Luxembourgish; English-speaking doctors are available in Luxembourg City and southern municipalities.

Find housing immediately — start search months before arrival

The Luxembourg housing market is one of Europe's most competitive and expensive. A 1-bedroom in Luxembourg City costs €1,500–2,500/month; family apartments €2,500–5,000+/month. Good listings disappear within 24–48 hours. Start your housing search months before your planned move-in date. Prepare a complete dossier de location (application file) with all documents ready to submit immediately. Consider all areas of Luxembourg — the small country means commuting from other communes is feasible and rents are lower outside the capital.

Check eligibility for Fonds du Logement housing aid

The Fonds du Logement (fondsdulogement.lu) is Luxembourg's public housing fund providing affordable rental housing and housing aid to residents whose income falls below specified thresholds. For 2026, the income threshold for a single person is approximately €2,700/month net. Eligible residents can apply for a place on the waiting list for subsidised rental housing or for assistance with private rental costs (aide au logement). Given Luxembourg's extremely high private rental market, any assistance can provide substantial financial relief.

Plan for Luxembourg citizenship — track your 5-year residence clock

Luxembourg citizenship requires 5 years of continuous legal residence plus a B1 Luxembourgish language test (Sproochentest) and civic integration knowledge. The B1 Luxembourgish test can take 12–18+ months of preparation. Luxembourg is one of the few EU countries allowing dual/multiple citizenship — you do not need to renounce your current nationality. Track your continuous residence from day one (gaps in residence reset the clock). If you have Luxembourg ancestry, the recovery-of-citizenship route may be simpler and worth investigating from the start.

Enrol in supplementary health insurance (mutuelle) within first few months

The CNS covers approximately 80% of most healthcare costs — the remaining 20% (ticket modérateur) is out-of-pocket. A supplementary insurance (mutuelle) covers this 20% gap, plus dental prosthetics, glasses, and some services not fully reimbursed by CNS. Without a mutuelle, a family dental bill or hospital stay can become expensive. Foyer Santé is the Luxembourg market leader. Enrol within the first few months to avoid waiting periods on some benefits. Check your employment contract first — many Luxembourg employers (especially banks and EU institutions) provide a mutuelle as part of the employment package.

Start learning French (essential) and Luxembourgish (highly valued)

French is the dominant professional language in Luxembourg and essential for most administrative and workplace interactions. Luxembourgish, while not required for most professional roles, is the emotional language of the country and dramatically improves your daily life and integration. Non-EU residents should register for the free OLAI integration course (200 hours, French or Luxembourgish) — it is free and open to eligible residents. For employed persons, IFEN evening courses are excellent. The B1 Sproochentest in Luxembourgish is required for citizenship.

Apply for legal aid (assistance judiciaire) for court proceedings

Luxembourg provides legal aid (assistance judiciaire) to residents with insufficient financial resources for court proceedings. Apply at the Barreau de Luxembourg (Bar Association) with income documentation. In 2026, qualifying income thresholds are approximately €2,000/month net for a single person. The Bar assigns a legal aid lawyer from its list. Processing: 2–4 weeks.

Obtain your certificat d'établissement from your commune after initial registration

After your initial commune registration (sortOrder 1), request a certificat d'établissement (certificate of establishment/residence) from your commune. This official document certifies your registered address in Luxembourg and is required for various administrative purposes: bank account opening, employer HR file completion, registering children in school, renewing residence permits, applying for benefits, and other formal processes. The certificat d'établissement is different from the initial certificat d'enregistrement (EU registration certificate) — it is a general proof of residence document issued on request.

Self-employed: review pension planning and set up private pension savings

Self-employed persons in Luxembourg pay full CNAP pension contributions (16% of declared income — both employee and employer portions). However, self-employed income fluctuates and pension rights are based on declared income. Beyond mandatory CNAP contributions, consider a private pension épargne plan (€3,200/year deductible) to build additional retirement security. Luxembourg's state pension is generous for full careers but self-employed persons' actual declared income determines their pension rights.

Use Luxembourg's FREE public transport — buses, trams, and trains

Since 29 February 2020, all public transport in Luxembourg (buses, trams, and trains within the country) has been FREE for all passengers. Luxembourg is the first country in the world to have made all national public transport free. No ticket, no pass, and no registration required to ride — simply board. Trains, trams (Kirchberg tram in Luxembourg City), and buses are all included. Cross-border transport to France, Belgium, and Germany costs the standard international fares.