Immigration and Integration of Foreign Entrepreneurs in Luxembourg: How to Start a Company?


Luxembourg is a very cosmopolitan country and numerous foreign entrepreneurs, whether they are European citizens or not, wish to launch a company, including tech startups. What is the procedure? What are the main issues they are facing? What are the main mistakes to avoid? We asked Vincent Hieff, Head of the Chamber of Commerce’s One-Stop-Shop “Espace Entreprises” and Economical Adviser at the Immigration Council of Luxembourg, to explain how an “immigrant” can set up a company/start-up in Luxembourg and give a general overview of the different steps to climb and standards to observe.

How is immigration essential for the economy?

Immigration is, and has been in the past decades, one of the major forces of the Luxembourg economy. First, you had workers from Italy and Portugal who migrated to work in the factories in the south of the country and in the booming construction sector. Then, as from the 70s up until now, the financial sector attracted highly qualified specialists from all over the world to serve the worldwide clientele of the sector. In recent years, new sectors such as ICT, Biotech, etc. attract more and more workers but also and very importantly entrepreneurs. I truly believe that immigration is one key success factor of our growing economy.

For a foreign entrepreneur, what is the procedure to observe to start a business?

The procedure for self-employed third-country nationals, as it is called officially, in itself is quite simple. You have to fill in an application form and hand in documents such as copy of the ID card, police record, etc. (the application form and the complete list of documents to be handed in can be found on Guichet.lu). However, the key-element of the application process is that you have to hand in, in addition to the form and the documents above, a business plan of your project. These business plans are analyzed by a commission of experts on a case by case basis. The main factors which are taken into account are:

  • Is the project of national interest;
  • Does the project create employment;
  • Does the entrepreneur have the financial resources to finance the project.

This commission then decides if the project is in accordance with the criteria.

What are the main issues that entrepreneurs are facing in Luxembourg?

Besides the traditional challenges a start-up faces in Luxembourg, one of the main obstacles is finding affordable office space. As it is a very small country, space is limited. However, there are incubators, such as the Technoport in Esch-Belval, which are suited to the start-ups’ needs.

What are the main mistakes they should avoid?

From an immigration point of view, the main mistake to avoid is not handing in a complete file (you will lose a lot of time) and of course handing in a “bad” business plan. My advice would be to really take the necessary time to prepare the file and to write a proper business plan.

The team of the Chamber of Commerce’s start-up center Espace Entreprises can accompany self-employed third-country nationals in the endeavor to apply for immigration in Luxembourg.

Please note that for any urgent matter you can reach Espace Entreprises anytime at: [email protected]

Vincent Hieff, will be our guest speaker during our next Breakfast & Learn event on September 16. If you want to attend the event, please register below.

Billetterie Weezevent

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