What is an intracompany transfer (ICT) visa?

An intracompany transfer (ICT) visa is a government-issued authorization that allows a multinational company to move a qualifying employee from one of its overseas offices to a related entity in another country.

Unlike a standard work visa, the ICT category ties eligibility to the employee's existing relationship with the organization rather than to an open-market job offer. Countries administer their own ICT routes under different names and rules, but the core logic is consistent: the company sponsors the move, the employee already works for the group, and the entities share a qualifying corporate relationship.

How the intracompany transfer (ICT) visa works

The destination-country entity applies to the local immigration authority on the employee's behalf. The application confirms the corporate relationship between the sending and receiving entities, the employee's role and length of service, and the position the employee will hold in the new location. Once the authority approves the application, the employee can enter and work for the receiving entity for a set period.

Duration, extensions, and any caps on total stay vary by country and by type of role. Some routes cover temporary assignments only. Others can support a subsequent long-term assignment or lead to longer-term residence.

Who qualifies for an intracompany transfer (ICT) visa

Eligible categories vary by country. The most widely recognized are:

• Executives and managers: employees who direct the organization or a major department, make strategic decisions with wide latitude, and oversee professional staff.

• Specialized knowledge workers: employees with specific expertise in the organization's products, processes, research, equipment, or international operations.

• Some countries include a graduate trainee category for employees in structured development programs, subject to their own conditions.

Prior employment requirement for ICT visa applicants

Most ICT routes require the employee to have worked for a qualifying entity within the corporate group for a minimum continuous period before filing.

For the US L-1 route, USCIS requires at least one continuous year of employment at the affiliated overseas entity within the three years before filing. The required period varies by country, and the relevant immigration authority sets the specific rule for each route.

Corporate relationship requirement

The sending and receiving entities must share a qualifying relationship: parent company, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate. A company cannot use an ICT route to move a worker between two unrelated businesses.

How the intracompany transfer (ICT) visa differs from a standard work visa

A standard work visa typically requires the destination-country employer to identify and sponsor a candidate, often after advertising the role locally. The employee and sponsor may have no prior relationship.

An ICT visa removes the open-market requirement. The employee already works for the corporate group, and the immigration authority accepts that existing relationship as the basis for the transfer. This distinction makes ICT routes particularly suited to international assignments within a multinational group rather than new external hires.

ICT visa routes by country

United States: L-1 (USCIS)

The US intracompany transfer route is the L-1 visa, administered by USCIS. Two sub-categories apply:

1. L-1A (executives and managers): initial approval for one year when establishing a new US office, or three years in other cases. USCIS grants extensions of up to two years each, with a seven-year maximum total stay.

2. L-1B (specialized knowledge): initial approval for up to three years.

For both categories, USCIS requires the employee to have worked for a qualifying affiliated entity outside the US for at least one continuous year within the three years before filing.

United Kingdom: Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker (Home Office)

The UK replaced its former intracompany transfer route with the Global Business Mobility (GBM) Senior or Specialist Worker route, administered by the Home Office. The sponsoring organization must hold a valid sponsor license for this route.

Salary and prior-employment requirements apply, and the specific thresholds depend on how long the applicant has worked for the overseas employer. Current figures appear on the Home Office's official guidance and change periodically. Applicants should confirm the current thresholds with a qualified immigration adviser before filing.

European Union: intracompany transfer permit

Several EU member states offer an intracompany transfer permit for qualifying employees of multinationals. The eligible categories, permit duration, and any provisions for moving between member states vary by national immigration authority. Applicants should contact the relevant authority in the destination member state for current requirements.

Compliance and ICT visa sponsorship

The sponsoring entity in the destination country takes on ongoing obligations. These typically include maintaining the qualifying corporate relationship, keeping the employee in the approved role category, and renewing the authorization before it expires.

An employee who changes role, moves to a different legal entity, or whose organization restructures may need a new application. Many countries require the employer to report material changes to the immigration authority.

Multinational groups managing ICT visa holders across multiple locations benefit from tracking each person's category, status, and renewal timeline. A lapse in legal work authorization creates compliance risk for the employee and the employer.

How Deel Mobility supports intracompany transfer (ICT) visa processes

Deel Mobility helps multinationals coordinate intracompany transfer processes, from eligibility assessment and route selection to application tracking across locations. For teams managing moves between entities in multiple countries, it centralizes the immigration and compliance workflow.

Intracompany transfer visa key facts

• An ICT visa ties to an employee's existing employment with the corporate group, not to an open-market job search.

• Eligible categories typically include executives, managers, and specialized knowledge workers. Some countries add graduate trainees.

• The sending and receiving entities must share a qualifying corporate relationship, such as parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate.

• The US L-1 visa (USCIS) covers two categories: L-1A for executives and managers, and L-1B for specialized knowledge workers.

• The UK processes intracompany transfers through the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker route, administered by the Home Office.

• Duration and renewal limits vary by country and by category. Most routes do not lead directly to permanent residency without a separate application.

FAQ

What makes a corporate relationship "qualifying" for an ICT visa?

A qualifying relationship generally means the sending and receiving entities share a parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate structure. The exact definition varies by country. USCIS, for example, provides specific definitions of qualifying relationships for the L-1 route.

Can ICT visa holders apply for permanent residency?

Some countries allow time on an intracompany transfer route to count toward permanent residency, but the rules vary by country and category. The relevant national immigration authority sets the conditions, and qualified immigration advisers can assess individual eligibility.

Can ICT visa holders bring family members?

Many countries allow ICT holders to bring dependants, typically a spouse and minor children, under a dependent visa or equivalent. Entitlements and conditions vary by country and by route.

What happens if the employee changes role during the ICT visa period?

Moving to a role outside the approved category may require the employer to file a new application or amend the existing authorization. The sponsoring employer must monitor role changes and report material differences to the immigration authority as the route requires.

How does an ICT visa interact with a work permit?

The relationship between a visa and a work permit varies by country. Some countries issue both documents. Others combine the authorization into a single permit. The ICT route in each country determines which documents apply.

Intracompany transfer visa rules, categories, and thresholds vary by country and change over time, and qualified immigration advisers and the relevant national immigration authorities, including USCIS and the UK Home Office, are the authoritative sources for current requirements.