0330 390 9021
info@commonwealthcontractors.comTier 2 ICT (Intra Company Transfer) Visas are designed to allow multi-national companies to transfer overseas employees to the UK to fill specific roles which they have not been able to fill with resident workers (except in the case of Graduate Trainee and Skills Transfer ICTs).
ICT visas are very popular in the technology sector and also with law firms. Each year companies such as Tata, IBM, Wipro, Accenture, Sapient, Infosys etc send thousands of employees to the UK to deliver service contracts with UK clients further to ICT visas.
In this section we have provided detailed information on Tier 2 ICT Visas, including;
If you are working in the UK on a Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer Visa and you would like to ‘switch’ to Tier 2 General Commonwealth Contractors may be able to help. We partner with Tier 2 Licensed employers and consultancies who may be prepared, where required, to sponsor an individual under Tier 2 General.
Types of Tier 2 ICT Visa
There are four types of Intra Company Transfer Visa which have been detailed below.
ICT Category |
ICT Details |
Long Term Staff |
Long Term Staff ICTs are used where an employer wishes to send an overseas employee to work in the UK for a period of longer than 12 months. In order to meet visa requirements the sponsor MUST conduct a Resident Labour Market Test before assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship. |
Short Term Staff |
Short Term Staff ICTs are used where an employer wishes to send an overseas employee to work in the UK for a period of less than 12 months. In order to meet visa requirements the sponsor MUST conduct a Resident Labour Market Test before assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship. |
Graduate Trainee |
The Graduate Trainee ICT allows a company to send a recent graduate to the UK as part of a structured graduate training programme which clearly defines progression towards a managerial or specialist role. A Resident Labour Market Test is not required. |
Skills Transfer |
The Skills Transfer ICT allows a recent graduate employee to come to the UK to learn the skills and knowledge required to perform their job overseas. A Resident Labour Market Test is not required. |
Periods of Grant
The periods of grant in the ICT subcategory of Tier 2 depend upon the type of visa approved. The following table sets out current approval periods.
ICT Category |
Entry Clearance Period |
ICT Extension Period |
Long Term Staff |
Up to 3 years and 1 month | Up to 2 years |
Short Term Staff |
Up to a maximum 12 months | None |
Graduate Trainee |
Up to a maximum 12 months | None |
Skills Transfer |
Up to a maximum 6 months | None |
You may like to vist our main page on:
Tier 2 General Visa Information
Find out More
To discuss switching from Tier 2 ICT to Tier 2 General call Commonwealth Contractors now on 0330 390 9021 or Submit your Details and we will get right back to you!
