The Tier 2 visa for employees of multinational companies in UK, or the Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer Visa (ICT), is for employees of multinational companies who are transferred by their foreign employer to a branch of the same corporation into the UK. In order to qualify for this visa, just like other visas in UK, you must be a citizen of a country outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. If you are interested in applying for ICT visa for UK, it is suggested to talk to one of our immigration solicitors in London for complete information and assistance at the application. They can also help you obtain a residence permit in UK or British citizenship.
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Sub-categories of the ICT Visa for UK
There are four sub-categories of the Tier 2 visa for employees of multinational companies:
- Long-term employee: if you have been working for your corporation for at least 12 months before the transfer and you are transferred to a skilled job in the UK that cannot be occupied by a local worker. This is granted for more than 12 months to a maximum of five or nine years for employees who earn GBP 155,300 a year or more.
- Short-term employee: it applies if you have been hired by your organization for at least 12 months before your transfer and you are transferred to the UK to fill a position that cannot be occupied by a local worker for a maximum time frame of 12 months.
- Graduate trainee: if you are a new graduate recruit who is transferred to the UK branch of your corporation in order to be trained. This sub-category must not be utilized to occupy long-term positions. You have to come to the UK as a participant in a structured graduate training programme with defined advancement towards a managerial or specialist position within your corporation for a maximum time frame of 12 months.
- Skills transfer: if you are hired abroad and are transferred to the UK branch of the same corporation in a graduate job in order to obtain the skills and knowledge necessary to perform your position abroad, or to share your specialist skills with the UK workforce for a maximum time frame of six months. There is no request for being formerly employed for a minimum period in order to qualify for this sub-category. Our London immigration lawyer can tell you more.
Terms for the Tier 2 Visa for Employees of Multinational Companies in UK
In order to be granted the Tier 2 visa for employees of multinational companies in UK, you have to meet the following requirements:
- you have to be offered a job and own a certificate of sponsorship from a corporation that is a licensed sponsor in the UK. Our immigration solicitors in London can provide you more information on this matter and about residence permit in UK;
- your UK sponsor has to follow the requirements for the category you are applying for and engage in certain responsibilities to assist with immigration control;
- you have to total a minimum of 50 points for attributes, including having a sponsor and a valid certificate of sponsorship and 10 points for maintenance (funds).
- even if you total the requested 60 points, if you have an immigration history, for example, your application could be refused. Our London immigration lawyer can assist you to apply for this type of visa in order to make sure your request is accepted. If you do not qualify for this visa, you might want to apply for the Tier 2 visa for skilled workers in UK;
- you have to be at least 16 years of age at the date the application is decided.
With an ICT visa forUK, employees are allowed to bring the family members if they apply for a family visa for UK. Another condition is to make proof that the dependants can be sustained during your stay in the country, a bank statement being sufficient in this case. It is good to know that a tuberculosis test is mandatory when applying for such a visa if your country is part of the list of states where this condition is compulsory before entering UK. Interested in obtaining a UK residence card or British citizenship? Please talk to our UK immigration lawyer.
Changes for Intra-Company Visa for UK
Starting with March 2016, the ICT visas for UK have suffered a few changes. For instance, the skills transfer visa category is no longer available. As for the short-term intra-company visas, the minimum salary was set at GBP 30,000 and represented a requirement when applying for such a visa in 2017. The changes for Tier 2 visa for employees of multinational companies in UK involved eliminating the short-term category in 2017 and established a minimum salary threshold applicable for all categories of this type of visa: GBP 41,5000. The only exception to this rule is linked to the new graduates who must earn GBP 23,000 at the time of transfer. The good news about the modifications of such visa is that companies are allowed to call for 20 graduates in UK starting with 2017.
For updates and complete information about the Tier 2 visa for employees of multinational companies in UK, please do not hesitate to contact our UK immigration lawyer. Our specialists can also help foreigners obtain a UK residence card.
