The Tier 2 – Intra-Company Transfer visa is for semi-skilled and highly skilled workers, with a job offer in the United Kingdom on the basis of a transfer or secondment with their existing employer.
Applicants who are granted temporary residence under the Tier 2 – Intra-Company Transfer visa scheme are permitted to live and work in the UK for the duration of their employment for a maximum three (3) year period.
The basic requirement for this visa is to score a minimum of 70 points for attributes including sponsorship, qualifications, prospective earnings, English language and available maintenance (funds). Intra-company transferees will automatically be awarded points for English language (except in cases where the applicants combined stay in the UK on this visa will then exceed three (3) years).
Applicants for the Tier 2 – Intra-Company Transfer visa must have been employed by their existing overseas employer for a minimum of six (6) months with essential company knowledge and experience prior to lodgement of the application. The overseas company should be linked to the receiving UK employer by way of common ownership (one company owns the other, or both must be part of a group of companies controlled by the same parent or holding company).
In the first instance, a prospective sponsor will apply to the UK Home Office in order to be granted a licence. When successfully licensed, a sponsor can apply for a number of certificates of sponsorship, which they can then present to the people whom they intend to sponsor. Once a prospective employee has been allocated a certificate of sponsorship, he or she will be eligible to apply for UK entry clearance or leave to remain in the UK.
The Tier 2 – Intra-Company Transfer visa is issued for an initial maximum period of three (3) years.
Upon successfully holding a Tier 2 – Intra-Company Transfer for a total of five (5) years, individuals may be entitled to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). ILR entitles individuals to permanent residency in as well as visa-free travel to and from the UK. ILR holders may also be able to sponsor their non-British relatives into the UK and may also ultimately be eligible to apply for British citizenship. Eligible dependants may also qualify to be included and upon obtaining the visa, may be entitled to work or study without any restrictions.
