Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer Visa

Key takeaways

• The Senior or Specialist Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) route on 11 April 2022 and lets multinational employers move existing staff to a linked UK business.
• You must be sponsored, hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, and be paid at least £52,500 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher.
• You normally need at least 12 months’ work with the overseas business, but this requirement is waived if you are paid £73,900 or more.
• There is no English language requirement, unlike the Skilled Worker visa.
• The route does not count towards indefinite leave to remain; to settle, most people switch to the Skilled Worker visa.
• You can bring your partner and children to the UK as your dependants.

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa is the UK route that lets an international business move an existing employee to a linked British branch, subsidiary or group company. It replaced the Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) visa, often called the Tier 2 ICT visa, on 11 April 2022 and now sits within the Global Business Mobility group of routes.

If you are transferring to the UK from an overseas employer, this is usually the route you will use. It is sponsor-led, temporary, and designed for staff a company already employs abroad rather than for new hires from the open labour market.

Table of contents

• What is the Senior or Specialist Worker visa (formerly Tier 2 ICT)?
• The Senior or Specialist Worker route
• Graduate Trainee route (formerly Intra-Company Graduate Trainee)
• Eligibility requirements for the Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa
• How long can you stay?
• Restrictions of the Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa
• Does the Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa lead to settlement (ILR)?
• Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa fees
• How long does it take to get a decision?
• How can we help?
• Frequently asked questions

What is the Senior or Specialist Worker visa (formerly Tier 2 ICT)?

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa is a temporary work route for senior managers or specialist employees being transferred to a UK entity that is linked by common ownership or control to their overseas employer. It is one of five Global Business Mobility visas and is the direct successor to the Tier 2 ICT (Intra-Company Transfer) visa.

The change was more than a rename. Since 11 April 2022 the route has kept the intra-company transfer principle but updated its salary rules and its relationship to settlement.

To use the route your UK employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship before you apply.

The Senior or Specialist Worker route

This option is for people transferred to the UK by their employer to fill a senior or specialist role. You must have worked for the linked overseas business for at least 12 months before you apply, unless you will be paid £73,900 or more a year, in which case there is no minimum overseas service requirement.

Graduate Trainee route (formerly Intra-Company Graduate Trainee)

The Graduate Trainee route is a separate Global Business Mobility visa for employees on a structured graduate training programme who are being transferred to the UK as part of that programme. It replaced the former Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa. Applicants must have worked for the overseas business for at least 3 months and be paid at least £27,300 a year or 70% of the going rate for the job, whichever is higher.

Eligibility requirements for the Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa

To qualify for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa you must meet all of the following:

• be sponsored by a UK business that holds a valid sponsor licence and has an intra-company link to your overseas employer;
• have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role, with a reference number issued within the 3 months before you apply;
• work in a job that is on the list of eligible occupations, identified by its four-digit occupation code;
• be paid at least £52,500 a year or the going rate for that occupation, whichever is higher;
• have worked for the linked overseas business for at least 12 months, unless you are paid £73,900 or more a year.

There is no English language requirement on this route. This is one of the main differences from the Skilled Worker visa, which does require you to prove your English.

How long can you stay?

You can stay for the length of time on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, or 5 years, whichever is shorter. You can then extend, but the total time you can spend in the UK on this route is capped and depends on what you earn.

Restrictions of the Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa

The route carries several conditions. You must work only in the sponsored role for your sponsor, though supplementary work and voluntary work are allowed in defined circumstances, and you can study alongside your job. You cannot claim public funds. Most importantly, this is a temporary route: it is capped by the time limits above and, as explained below, it does not by itself lead to permanent residence. Employers setting up a brand-new UK presence rather than transferring into an established one should look instead at the UK Expansion Worker visa.

Does the Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa lead to settlement (ILR)?

No. Time spent in the UK on the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, and on the former Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) visa, does not count towards indefinite leave to remain (ILR), also known as settlement. This has been a feature of the intra-company routes for years and it still applies.

If your goal is to settle in the UK, the usual path is to switch into the Skilled Worker visa once you have a qualifying job offer from a licensed sponsor. Time on the Skilled Worker route does count towards the five years of continuous residence normally needed for ILR. Because switching resets your qualifying clock for settlement, it is worth planning the move early rather than close to your visa expiry.

Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) visa fees

The main cost is the visa application fee, which depends on how long you are applying for and whether you apply from outside or inside the UK. The same application fee applies to each dependant.

On top of the application fee, the following apply:

• Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035 per person for each year of your stay.
• Immigration Skills Charge, paid by the sponsor: £1,320 for the first 12 months and £660 for each further 6 months for medium or large sponsors; £480 and then £240 for each further 6 months for small or charitable sponsors. These rates apply to Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after 16 December 2025.

How long does it take to get a decision?

Once you have your Certificate of Sponsorship and have applied, a decision is usually made within 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK, or within 8 weeks if you apply from inside the UK. Priority and super-priority services are available for an additional fee where you need a faster decision.

How can we help?

Sterling Law advises both employers and transferring employees across the full Global Business Mobility and work-visa landscape, from securing a sponsor licence to planning a route to settlement. We handle the detail so a transfer does not stall on a technicality.

Our work can include:

• assessing whether the Senior or Specialist Worker route or another work visa best fits your transfer;
• applying for or renewing your UK sponsor licence;
• preparing and assigning Certificates of Sponsorship correctly;
• checking that salary and going-rate requirements are met for the occupation code;
• compiling and reviewing the applicant’s evidence before submission;
• advising high earners on the £73,900 threshold and its effect on service and time limits;
• planning a switch to the Skilled Worker visa to build towards settlement;
• supporting partners and children applying as dependants;
• responding to sponsor compliance duties and Home Office queries;
• representing you if an application is refused.

Speak to us before you submit, so any issue is caught while it can still be fixed. Contact us to arrange a consultation.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer visa still available?

No. The Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) visa closed to new applicants on 11 April 2022 and was replaced by the Senior or Specialist Worker visa within the Global Business Mobility routes.

What is the minimum salary for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa?

You must be paid at least £52,500 a year or the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher, as of August 2026.

Do I need 12 months’ experience with my employer?

Usually yes, you need at least 12 months with the linked overseas business, but this is waived if you are paid £73,900 or more a year.

Is there an English language requirement?

No. Unlike the Skilled Worker visa, the Senior or Specialist Worker visa has no English language requirement.

Can I bring my family?

Yes. Your partner and children can apply to join you as dependants if they are eligible.

Does time on this visa count towards ILR?

No. Time on the Senior or Specialist Worker route, and on the old Tier 2 ICT route, does not count towards indefinite leave to remain. Most people switch to the Skilled Worker visa to work towards settlement.

How long can I stay in total?

Up to 5 years in any 6-year period if you earn below £73,900, or up to 9 years in any 10-year period if you earn £73,900 or more.

What is the difference between the Senior or Specialist Worker and Graduate Trainee routes?

The Senior or Specialist Worker route is for senior or specialist staff and requires 12 months’ overseas service; the Graduate Trainee route is for employees on a graduate training programme, requires only 3 months’ service, and has a lower salary threshold.

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