Contracting in Luxembourg

With just a few clicks, you can calculate your take-home pay in Luxembourg and choose the optimal solution to get the most out of your contract. Use the app below to calculate your possible net retention in Luxembourg.

Employment

This is a standard form of employment – you officially work for a company who pays you a monthly salary.

Pros:

• Enrollment in the social security system, which includes a pension plan, paid time off and sick leave.
• Stable monthly paycheck; no need to worry where next month’s money will come from.
• Income tax is deducted from your salary, so you do not need to worry about calculating how much you have to pay.

Cons:

• Lower retention rate compared to other solutions due to social security payments.
• More and more companies are looking towards independent contractors rather than employees, so it could be more difficult to find such employment, especially as a foreigner.
• Less flexibility – you do not get to choose the projects that you can work on, you must work on the tasks assigned to you by your employer.
• Formal working hours – you may have to work “9-5”, as determined by your employment contract, rather than being able to determine your own working hours.

Self-Employment

This type of employment means that you are a freelancer – a company pays you to do a specific job, and you get remunerated, but you are not an official employee. You can either charge monthly (for longer contracts) or offer one invoice after you complete the project you were hired for.

Pros:

• Possibility of gaining a higher rate of pay.
• Freedom to choose projects that interest you.
• Freedom to choose your own working schedule.
• Can deduct your expenses from any sales tax you have to pay.
• Entitlement to a credit of €300 a year on income tax bills.
• In Luxembourg, you get social security benefits even as a freelancer (you do have to pay the contributions, but they are not so high).

Cons:

• You will need to sort out payments of income tax and social contributions yourself, or you could consider engaging a payroll company like Access Financial.
• You need to pay social security contributions yourself.
• Must have a VAT registration if you have an annual turnover of more than €35,000.
• There can be a fine line between self-employment and regular employment. If, for example, you end up doing too much work exclusively for a specific company, you could be classified by an audit as falsely self-employed, which can result in very hefty fines and the possibility of some legal action against you/your client.

Limited Company

At Access Financial we specialise in enabling contractors/freelancers from EU and EFTA Member States to utilise their Limited Company for contracting in Luxembourg.

How it works?

If you have an existing Limited Company you may be able to utilise this (depending upon the circumstances).

Your Limited company will pay you a reasonable and justifiable salary for your services while working on your contract in Luxembourg. Any remaining profits, after tax, may be distributed to the shareholder(s) by way of dividend.

Pros:

• The process is quick and easy and can be arranged within 24 hours.
• Possibility of gaining a higher rate of pay.
• Reduction of income tax by calculating justified business-related expenses.
• All income and losses are attributed to the company as opposed to you personally.

Cons:

• Limited Company solution is suitable only for EU citizens and EFTA members.
• Fees for incorporation (in case you don’t already have a registered Limited Company)
• As a Director/Owner of your own limited company, you have some significant responsibilities in regard to the company activities and reporting obligations. To navigate such responsibilities, it is best advised to engage professional advisors and accountants, such as Access Financial and our sister company Access Tax and Accounting Limited.

Salaried Worker Visa

This is the most standard visa, for individuals who have a job offer from a company in Luxembourg. The visa has an initial duration of one year, and can be extended for up to 4 years.

Requirements:

• Must have a valid job offer from a company in Luxembourg
• If you are a foreign national, the employer must prove that the work could not be filled by someone from Luxembourg or the EU/EAA
• Must receive a residence permit if you are not from the EU

EU Blue Card

This is similar to the salaried worker visa, but it is limited to certain jobs. Initially valid for 4 years (or the length of the contract if it is less), and can be renewed.

Requirements:

• Must have a valid job offer from a company in Luxembourg
• Must be high qualified work
• Must provide evidence of a higher education degree
• Myst have a minimal salary of 1.5 times the average gross salary (1.2 times for certain professions)

Self-Employment Work Visa

This is a visa for self-employed individuals, freelancers and entrepreneurs. It is valid for 3 years, and can be extended.

Requirements:

• Evidence of relevant qualifications
• Proof of sufficient resources
• Proof that your business proposal will be an asset to the country

EU / EAA / Switzerland

Nationals of the following countries do not need to obtain and visas or permits to live and work in Luxembourg. However, for stays longer than 3 months, they need to register at a Municipal Office.

Other foreign nationals

Foreign nationals need to first obtain a temporary visa before they can enter the country for work. After arriving in Luxembourg, they need to apply for the work visa, which is also a residence permit.

As an Employer of Record, we conclude an agreement with you and your client. We become your legal employer while your client maintains control over your work relationship, ethics, tasks, and daily responsibilities.

Why is this needed?

Not all companies have registered legal entities in the countries where they need employees. Moreover, not all companies want to bother with payroll, work permits, taxes, social security, and in general paperwork when employing workers. That’s why it’s more profitable and convenient for them to turn to an EOR provider (such as Access Financial) who already has local experience and can take on all the worries associated with hiring employees and be responsible for their paperwork and compliance.

Here are just some of the services we offer in Luxembourg:

• Assistance in obtaining the necessary visas/work permits for employees from third countries.
• Registering employees with the tax and social security office.
• Providing consultations on Luxembourg labour regulation & benefits.
• Setting up the Payroll system compliantly.
• Submitting wage tax returns and national insurance forms.
• Keeping our clients up-to-date and compliant with changes in Luxembourg regulations.

We provide a full set of services in Luxembourg, allowing corporate clients, recruitment agencies and professional contractors to operate in an optimal manner, while ensuring that all local compliance obligations are taken care of.

Access Financial offers the following services in Luxembourg:

– Contract Management

– Outsourced Payroll

– Employer of Record (EOR)

– Limited Company Solution

– Work Permits & Immigration Assistance