In today’s globalized world, it is common for multinational companies to transfer their employees from one country to another for various reasons. These reasons include temporary or permanent relocation, training, or project work. For employees of multinational companies, the UK offers an Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa that allows them to transfer to the UK branch of their company. This visa has its own set of eligibility criteria, application process, and restrictions. In this blog post, we will discuss what you need to know about the UK visa for Intra-Company Transfers.
The ICT visa is a category of the Tier 2 work visa that allows multinational companies to transfer their skilled employees from outside the EEA (European Economic Area) to their UK branch. There are two types of ICT visas – Long-term Staff and Graduate Trainee.
The Long-term Staff visa is for employees who have been working for their company for at least 12 months and are being transferred to the UK for more than 12 months. This visa can be granted for a maximum of five years for managers and executives and a maximum of nine years for other skilled workers. The Graduate Trainee visa is for recent graduates of the company who are being transferred to the UK for training purposes. This visa can be granted for a maximum of 12 months.
To be eligible for the ICT visa, the employee must have a valid job offer from a UK branch of their multinational company. The job offer must meet the minimum salary requirement, which varies based on the job role and location. The employee must also have worked for their company for at least 12 months before applying for the visa, except for Graduate Trainee visa, which requires a minimum of three months. The company must provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the employee, which confirms that the company will be sponsoring their visa application.
The ICT visa application process involves several steps. Firstly, the employee must complete an online application form and pay the application fee. They must also provide supporting documents such as their passport, CoS, and evidence of their job offer and qualifications. The employee must also provide evidence of their English language proficiency, which can be demonstrated by passing an approved English language test or by being a national of a majority English-speaking country. The employee may also need to provide evidence of their finances to show that they can support themselves while in the UK.
Once the application is submitted, the employee will be required to attend a biometric appointment to provide their fingerprints and photograph. The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will then review the application and make a decision. The processing time for an ICT visa is usually around three weeks, but it can take longer during peak periods.
It is important to note that there are restrictions on the ICT visa. The visa holder is tied to their sponsoring company and must work for them for the duration of their visa. If they wish to change employers, they must apply for a new visa. The visa holder is also not eligible to apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK.
In addition, the ICT visa does not lead to a path for permanent residency in the UK. Therefore, if the employee wishes to stay in the UK for a longer period, they may need to explore other visa options, such as the Tier 2 General visa, which has a path to settlement.
In conclusion, the UK visa for Intra-Company Transfers is a useful option for multinational companies to transfer their skilled employees to the UK. The visa has specific eligibility criteria, application process, and restrictions, which must be followed carefully. Companies and employees should seek professional advice before applying for the visa to ensure a smooth and successful application process.
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