Luxembourg publishes its 2026 list of shortage occupations
Discover the 20 professions where Luxembourg needs talent most — and where non-EU professionals benefit from faster immigration procedures.
07/04/2026
The 2026 list of shortage occupations has been published in the Journal officiel and on the website of ADEM, the public employment service in Luxembourg. A shortage occupation is a profession officially recognised as having an insufficient number of qualified candidates on the local labour market. This year's list identifies 20 such professions.
Why this list matters for international professionals
These occupations are identified annually based on the current labour market situation. When fulfilling positions within these occupations, special recruitment rules apply: an accelerated recruitment process makes it easier for employers to hire skilled professionals from outside the EU.
Normally, before hiring a professional from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, employers must pass a labour market test to show that no suitable local candidate is available. For professions on the shortage list, this test is waived: ADEM does not need to verify local availability, and the selected candidate can proceed directly to the immigration process. When a vacancy matches a profession on the shortage list, the foreign workforce certificate is issued within five working days of acknowledgement of receipt.
The 20 shortage occupations in 2026
The 20 shortage occupations fall into five sectors: financial and legal services, healthcare and social work, IT, construction/industry/maintenance, and research and development.
Financial and legal services
- Credit and banking risk analysis
- Banking client management
- Financial markets front office
- Financial analysis and engineering
- Accounting and financial audit and control
- Defence and legal counsel
Healthcare and social work
- General nursing care
- Hygiene and patient comfort care
- Social work
- Early childhood education
- Socio-educational intervention
IT
- IT systems administration
- Technical expertise and support in information systems
- IT studies and software development
Construction, industry and maintenance
- Roofing installation and restoration
- Industrial quality management and engineering
- Industrial and operational equipment installation and maintenance
- Industrial mechanical maintenance
- Vehicle body repair
Research and development
- Industrial R&D studies, management and engineering
Changes to the 2026 shortage list
The list has been reduced from 22 to 20 professions. Three professions have been added to the list this year, reflecting growing demand in the construction, industry and maintenance sectors:
- Roofing installation and restoration
- Industrial quality management and engineering
- Industrial and operational equipment installation and maintenance
Five occupations have been removed: aircraft mechanics, rail network traffic controllers, accountants, management controllers, and business organisation and management consulting. Although these professions remain in demand, the imbalance between candidates and vacancies in 2025 no longer met the criteria for classification as a severe shortage occupation.
Ready to take the next step?
If your skills match one of these in-demand professions, Luxembourg may be your next career destination. Explore current vacancies on the Work in Luxembourg Job Board and take the first step towards building your career in Luxembourg.
