Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer Visa
This Tier 2 ICT visa route is designed for qualified personnel of international enterprises. It is applicable for cases, when the business is relocating its employee to a linked company in the United Kingdom.
There are two options available for the applicant in this case: “Intra-Company Transfer” and “Intra-Company Graduate Trainee”.
Intra-Company Transfer visa
This option is for people who are relocated to the United Kingdom by their company.
It will be required for the person to have more than a year of overseas working experience. Without meeting the criteria, the company will be charged with an additional annual fee of £73,900.
Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa
This option is for members of authorized training programs who are relocated to the United Kingdom.
This route is the new version of the former Tier 2 Graduate Trainee visa.
Eligibility requirements for an Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa
To successfully obtain the Intra-Company Transfer visa in the UK, it will be necessary to pass a point-based system of requirements. The scores there are granted for meeting this parameters:
- sponsorship (20 points)
- a corporate-level employment (20 points)
- wage that exceeds the minimum limit (20 points)
The extra requirements include:
That the person should receive more than £41,500 worth of annual income for an Intracompany Transferee visa. For the Trainee route, the minimum limit is £23,000.
That the person should be in active employment in a company that is authorised by the Home Office. Moreover, it is necessary to have a document proving the sponsorship that is provided by the company and states the details about the employment.
That the person should be associated with one of the occupations that are approved by the Home Office.
Another detail to keep in mind is that for people who are opting in for this route from overseas, it will be necessary to prove they have sufficient funds to cover the basic needs of themselves and their dependents. It is also applicable for people who have resided in the UK for less than a full year.
Length of Stay
The length of stay on an Intra-Company Transfer visa may vary for each individual case. The most common options are:
- the period stated by the sponsor and additional two weeks
- a fixed period of five years
- the remaining period until the limit of stay is reached
The longest term this specific visa can be provided for is:
- five years over the course of a six-year term, in case the annual wage does not exceed £73,900
- nine years over the course of a ten-year term, in case the annual wage is £73,900 or higher
Restrictions of Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa
People with ICT visas have enough permissions, as they are able to be in active employment stated in the document, opt in for part-time education and work with a weekly limit of twenty hours, move with family members, and even travel. The most important restrictions relate to the holders being unable to receive most benefits from the government or switch to another main employment without stating it in the document.
Does this route lead to the settlement?
No, there is no way to settle in the United Kingdom with this document. The other option is to switch from tier 2 ICT to ILR after working in the UK for ten years.
Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa fees
The process of obtaining this visa is performed online. The person might be charged from £482 to £1,408, which depends on the type of the document and the place of the application. There is also an annual healthcare fee of £624 that should be covered and there is a requirement to prove that the person has £1,270 or more in their bank account.
How long does it take to apply for Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa?
The approval term will be no longer than three weeks for overseas applications and no longer than eight weeks for the ones made in the United Kingdom.
How сan we help?
Our team of legal professionals has been aiding companies of various scales and employees of a wide range of authorised occupations. Our consultants will assist in planning and preparing your Work visa application properly, increasing the likelihood of being approved on time.
