Intra-Company Transfer Visas: A Global Guide for 2026

You work for a multinational company. There is an office in another country where your skills are needed, or maybe you have been tapped to lead a new project abroad. The path to making that move legal is called an Intra-Company Transfer visa, and nearly every major destination country offers one. But while the concept is universal, the details are anything but.

Some countries let you apply in weeks. Others take months. Some require a year of prior employment with the company, others ask for only six months. Salary thresholds, eligible roles, permit durations, and paths to permanent residency all differ from country to country. If your company is expanding internationally, or you are angling for a transfer, understanding these differences can save you months of confusion.

This guide covers how ICT visas work in the EU (under the 2014/66/EU Directive), Canada, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. If you are looking specifically at the US L-1 visa, we have a separate in-depth guide for that one. Here, we focus on the rest of the world.

What Is an Intra-Company Transfer Visa?

An ICT visa allows a multinational company to move an existing employee from one country to another, temporarily. The employee must already work for the company abroad, and the destination entity must be a branch, subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of the same organization. The key distinction from a standard work visa is that ICT permits generally do not require a labor market test. The government does not need proof that no local worker could fill the role, because the whole point is transferring institutional knowledge within a single corporate group.

Most ICT schemes recognize three categories of transferees: managers, who oversee teams or departments; specialists, who hold deep proprietary knowledge of the company's products, processes, or systems; and trainees, who are early-career employees on a structured professional development assignment. The eligibility criteria, permitted duration, and salary thresholds often differ between these categories.

ICT visas are not immigrant visas. They are designed for temporary assignments, typically ranging from one to three years, with extensions possible in some cases. Whether they lead to permanent residency depends entirely on the country. In some places, ICT time counts toward settlement; in others, it explicitly does not.

The EU ICT Directive: One Framework, 25 Implementations

The backbone of intra-company transfers in Europe is EU Directive 2014/66/EU, which created a harmonized framework for ICT permits across member states. The directive establishes minimum standards, but each country implements it with its own procedures, fees, and processing timelines. Ireland and Denmark opted out of the directive entirely, so they apply separate national rules.

Under the directive, the core requirements are consistent. You must be a third-country national (non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen). You must have worked for the company in a qualifying role for at least six months as a manager or specialist, or three months as a trainee, in the period before the transfer. Your salary must be at least equal to what a local worker in the same role would earn. And the sending and receiving entities must have a genuine corporate relationship.

One of the most valuable features of the EU ICT permit is intra-EU mobility. After you have held your ICT permit in the first member state for a defined period (typically six months), you can move to a second EU country for up to 90 days in any 180-day period on short-term mobility, or apply for "mobile ICT" status for longer assignments. This makes the EU ICT especially attractive for companies that need to deploy staff across multiple European offices.

Germany: The ICT Card

Germany issues the ICT Card (ICT-Karte) under section 19 of the Residence Act, implementing the EU directive. It is available to managers, specialists, and trainees being transferred to a German branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of their multinational employer.

Eligibility requires at least six months of continuous employment with the sending company outside the EU. The minimum gross annual salary is approximately 58,400 euros as of 2025, though this threshold can shift annually. You need proof of professional qualifications, a binding intra-corporate transfer agreement, and a clean criminal record. Health insurance with at least 30,000 euros of coverage is mandatory.

The ICT Card is valid for up to three years for managers and specialists, and one year for trainees. Fees are modest by global standards: 75 euros for the national visa application and 100 to 113 euros for the residence permit itself. Processing takes four to six weeks in straightforward cases, though appointment availability at German consulates can add two to three months to the practical timeline. Family members (spouse and children under 18) can join under family reunification rules, and spouses receive unrestricted work authorization.

Spain: Fast Processing, Growing Popularity

Spain's ICT permit (Autorizacion de residencia por traslado intraempresarial) has become increasingly popular, partly because of its relatively fast processing and Spain's growing appeal as a tech hub. The permit falls under Spain's International Mobility framework, and it is handled by the Large Companies and Strategic Economic Sectors Unit (UGE-CE), which tends to process applications faster than the standard immigration channels.

Spain requires 12 months of prior employment with the sending company for managers and specialists, and three months for trainees. The salary threshold typically ranges between 42,000 and 45,000 euros per year, depending on the position and regulatory updates. Applicants need a university degree or at least five years of relevant professional experience. The permit lasts up to three years for managers and specialists, one year for trainees, and is renewable based on ongoing business need. No labor market test is required.

Processing is notably quick. The ICT authorization is typically resolved within 20 to 45 business days, with the entry visa issued within 10 to 15 additional business days after authorization. During peak seasons, total processing can stretch to about two months. Compared to Germany, where consulate appointment backlogs can cause delays, Spain's timeline is often more predictable.

Canada: LMIA-Exempt Under the International Mobility Program

Canada's Intra-Company Transfer program sits under the International Mobility Program (IMP), which means it is exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This is a significant advantage, because the LMIA process adds weeks or months and thousands of dollars to standard Canadian work permit applications.

The program uses three exemption codes: C61 for executives and senior managers, C62 for workers with specialized knowledge, and C63 for functional knowledge. You must have been employed full-time by the foreign company for at least one continuous year within the past three years, and the Canadian and foreign entities must have a qualifying relationship (parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate).

The Canadian entity must submit an Offer of Employment through the IRCC Employer Portal and pay the 230 CAD employer compliance fee. The work permit application fee is 155 CAD, plus 85 CAD for biometrics if applicable. Total government fees for the applicant typically come to around 240 CAD, with total employer costs (including the compliance fee) running higher. Attorney fees vary but commonly range from 2,000 to 5,000 CAD.

Processing can be remarkably fast. Under the Global Skills Strategy (GSS), qualifying high-skilled applications may be processed within two weeks. Standard processing varies by visa office and application volume, but many cases are resolved within one to three months. The maximum duration is seven years for executives and senior managers, and five years for specialized knowledge workers. After reaching the maximum, you must work outside Canada for at least one full year before reapplying.

One important nuance: if the Canadian office is a new operation (operating for less than one year), the initial work permit is limited to one year, and you will need to demonstrate at renewal that the business is genuinely operational and generating activity.

United Kingdom: The Senior or Specialist Worker Route

The UK replaced its old Intra-Company Transfer visa in April 2022 with the Senior or Specialist Worker route, part of the Global Business Mobility (GBM) framework. The rebrand came with tightened requirements and higher costs.

You need a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer with an A-rated sponsor license. The minimum salary is 52,500 pounds per year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. If you have worked for the overseas business for at least 12 months, or if you earn 73,900 pounds or more annually, the prior employment requirement is relaxed. Your role must be at least RQF Level 6 (degree level) on the Appendix Skilled Occupations list.

The maximum stay is five years in any six-year period if you earn below 73,900 pounds, or nine years in any ten-year period if you earn above that threshold. Application fees range from 769 to 1,519 pounds depending on circumstances, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of 1,035 pounds per year of the visa. You also need to show at least 1,270 pounds in your bank account. Processing takes three to eight weeks through standard channels, with priority service available in five to seven working days at extra cost.

A critical limitation: time spent on the Senior or Specialist Worker route does not count toward settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain). If permanent residency in the UK is your goal, the ICT route will not get you there. You would need to switch to a Skilled Worker visa or another settlement-eligible route.

Switzerland: Its Own Rules

Switzerland is not part of the EU ICT Directive and applies its own domestic immigration rules, including annual quotas for work permits. This makes the Swiss ICT process less predictable than in EU member states.

You must have been employed by the sending company for at least 12 months before the transfer. You need to hold a senior position, typically as an executive, manager, or specialist with advanced expertise. The Swiss entity must be a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of the sending company. Your salary must align with Swiss market standards for the equivalent role, and the transfer must be genuinely temporary.

Switzerland issues two permit types for ICT transfers. The L permit covers stays of up to 12 months and can be renewed once for a maximum of 24 months. The B permit covers stays up to five years. Total fees for the work permit and visa run approximately 500 to 900 CHF. Processing times are variable and depend on the canton handling the application, but four to eight weeks is common once all documentation is filed.

Who Qualifies? Key Criteria Across Countries

While the details vary, the common threads across all ICT programs include several core requirements. You must already be employed by the company abroad. The minimum prior employment period ranges from six months (EU directive for managers and specialists) to twelve months (Canada, Switzerland, UK without salary exception). You must be transferring to a corporate entity with a genuine legal relationship to your current employer. And you must fit into one of the recognized categories: manager, specialist, or trainee.

Salary matters everywhere. Even where no explicit minimum is set, ICT permits require that your compensation is at least equivalent to what a comparable local worker would earn. This prevents companies from using ICT transfers to undercut domestic wages.

Education requirements vary. Spain requires a university degree or five years of experience. Germany requires proof of professional qualifications. Canada and the UK focus more on the nature of the role than formal education credentials, though having a degree strengthens any application.

Costs: What You Will Actually Pay

The government fees for ICT permits are generally modest compared to other visa categories. Germany charges around 175 euros total. Spain's government fees are similarly low, typically under 400 euros. Canada's total government fees (employer compliance plus work permit plus biometrics) run about 470 CAD. The UK is the outlier, where visa fees plus the Immigration Health Surcharge can easily exceed 5,000 pounds for a multi-year stay.

Legal and administrative costs are where the real spending happens. Immigration attorneys typically charge 2,000 to 8,000 dollars or equivalent, depending on complexity and jurisdiction. Document translation, notarization, and apostille fees add another few hundred. Relocation costs (flights, temporary housing, shipping) are usually borne by the employer but vary widely.

For the employee, the out-of-pocket cost is often minimal because most ICT transfers are employer-sponsored. But knowing the numbers helps you evaluate whether your company is handling the process competently and whether the total investment justifies the move.

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

Processing times are one of the biggest variables in ICT transfers. At the fast end, Canada's Global Skills Strategy can deliver a work permit in two weeks for qualifying cases. Spain's UGE-CE often resolves authorizations within 20 to 45 business days. Germany's processing is four to six weeks once filed, though securing a consulate appointment can add months in some locations.

The UK's standard processing takes three to eight weeks, with priority service cutting that to under a week. Switzerland varies by canton but generally falls in the four-to-eight-week range.

In practice, the total timeline from "the company decides to transfer you" to "you are legally working in the new country" is usually three to six months. This includes internal company approvals, document gathering (which can take weeks for apostilles and translations), application filing, and actual processing. Companies that have transferred employees before tend to move faster because they already have the corporate documentation in order.

ICT vs. Standard Work Visas: When Does It Make Sense?

The ICT visa makes sense when you are genuinely being transferred within the same corporate group. If you are changing employers, ICT does not apply, and you need a standard work visa. The main advantages of ICT over a standard work permit are the absence of a labor market test, generally faster processing, and the corporate sponsorship framework that simplifies the application.

The downsides are real, though. ICT permits are temporary by design, and in some countries (notably the UK), time on ICT does not count toward permanent residency. If your long-term plan is to settle permanently, you may be better off pursuing a standard skilled worker visa from the start, even if the ICT route is faster initially.

For companies, the ICT is often the most cost-effective way to deploy talent internationally, especially when the transfer is genuinely temporary (one to three years). For employees, the ICT is a powerful way to gain international experience, but you should be clear-eyed about whether it advances or delays your permanent residency goals.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

One of the most frequent mistakes is underestimating document preparation time. Apostilles, notarized translations, and criminal background checks from multiple countries can take weeks to obtain. Start gathering documents the moment a transfer is discussed, not after the application is filed.

Another common issue is misclassifying the employee's role. If you apply under the "manager" category but the actual role is an individual contributor position, the application can be denied. Be precise about the job duties, reporting structure, and level of authority.

Companies sometimes fail to maintain the required corporate relationship documentation. Immigration authorities may ask for proof that the sending and receiving entities are genuinely part of the same corporate group, including ownership charts, articles of incorporation, and annual reports. Having these ready prevents delays.

For EU ICT holders, failing to properly notify authorities before exercising intra-EU mobility rights is a common oversight. Short-term mobility (up to 90 days) requires notification to the second member state, and long-term mobility requires a separate application. Moving without proper notification can jeopardize your permit status.

Finally, do not assume your employer's HR or legal team knows the process well. Many companies transfer employees infrequently and may not be familiar with the specific requirements of your destination country. If the process seems to be stalling, ask whether the company is using an immigration attorney who specializes in the destination country.

Is the Intra-Company Transfer Right for You?

The ICT visa is ideal if you are already working for a multinational company and want to gain experience in another country without changing employers. It works best for mid-career and senior professionals who bring genuine institutional knowledge, and for companies that need to deploy specific expertise across borders.

If you are early in your career, check whether the trainee category applies in your destination country. If you are a senior manager or executive, the ICT is often the fastest and simplest route available. And if you are a specialist with deep knowledge of your company's proprietary systems or processes, the ICT was literally designed for you.

Before committing, think about your long-term plans. If you want permanent residency, check whether ICT time counts toward settlement in your destination country. If it does not, consider whether switching to a standard work visa after arrival is feasible.

Ready to explore your options? Use Migration Explorer to compare ICT visas and alternative work permits across every country in our database. Filter by your nationality, your goals, and your profession to find the routes that fit your situation.