The UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa is designed for multinational corporation employees who need to be transferred to a UK branch of their employer to carry out a specialized role in the United Kingdom.

If you will not be earning £73,900 or above in the UK, you must have worked for your employer abroad for at least 12 months.

Criteria for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa 

To be eligible for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, you must demonstrate to UK Visas and Immigration that:

•    You must be 18 years of age or above.
•    You must be currently employed by an organization approved by the Home Office as a sponsor.
•    You must have worked for your sponsor, or a business connected to your sponsor through ownership, outside the UK for a minimum of 12 months, unless you will earn £73,900 or more in the UK.
•    You must possess a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your sponsor for the intended job.
•    The job you are planning to undertake must be legitimate.
•    The job you are planning to undertake must be at an appropriate skill level.
•    You must receive a salary of at least £41,500 or the 'going rate' for your job, whichever is higher.
•    Your sponsor must have paid any necessary Immigration Skills Charge.
•    You must have enough financial resources to support yourself without depending on public funds.
•    You must have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The specific criteria you must meet may differ based on your individual situation. It is advisable to consult with a professional immigration solicitor for specialised guidance.
 

Requirement for Duration of Employment for UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

To qualify for an Intra-Company Transfer Visa while earning less than £73,900 annually, you must currently work for your sponsor or a related business outside the UK for at least 12 months. 

The 12 months can be accumulated historically if you were continuously employed by the sponsor group, either in the UK or overseas, with breaks only for specific reasons like statutory leave or humanitarian activities. There is no specific employment period requirement if you earn £73,900 or more.

Requirement for Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

To be eligible for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, you must possess a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the specific job you intend to undertake.

The Certificate of Sponsorship should be issued by an employer authorized by the Home Office to sponsor the job under the Intra-Company Transfer route.

Your sponsor must be classified as A-rated on the Home Office's register of licensed sponsors, unless you were previously granted permission under the Intra-Company routes and are seeking to continue working for the same sponsor.

The Certificate of Sponsorship is not to be issued more than 3 months prior to the date of your Intra-Company Transfer application and needs to include all essential information as mandated.

•    Personal information including full name, occupation, and income;
•    Verification of employment outside of the United Kingdom for a minimum of one year, unless classified as a high-income earner;
•    The commencement date should fall within three months from the date of submitting your Intra-Company Transfer Visa application.
•    Assurance that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been utilized in any prior applications that were approved, denied, withdrawn by the sponsor, or cancelled by the Home Office.

Authentic Employment Prerequisite

To obtain a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, you must demonstrate to the Home Office that you are sponsored for a legitimate job.
 
If there are suspicions that the sponsored job is not genuine, or if it has been created solely for visa application purposes, your application will be rejected. 

The Home Office will also need assurance that you are not entering into an arrangement to fill a temporary or permanent position, or to provide ongoing services to a third party who is not your sponsor.

UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Job Skill Level Criteria 

The UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa requires the sponsored job to be at or above a minimum skill level. The Home Office provides a list of eligible jobs, including occupation codes and related titles. 

Meeting the skill level requirement is likely if the job is on this list. However, the sponsor must select the correct occupation code. 

Neglecting to fulfill this condition may lead to the rejection of your visa request. The Home Office evaluates factors like genuine job need, applicant qualifications, and sponsor compliance when assessing the chosen occupation code.

Salary Requirement for UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa 

Employers looking to transfer an employee via the UK Intra-Company Transfer route must provide their skilled workers with a salary that meets or surpasses either a general salary threshold or the 'going rate' for the particular occupation, whichever is greater.

The general salary threshold for the UK Intra-Company Transfer route stands at £41,500 per annum. Consequently, most applicants for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa must receive a salary that is at least £41,500 per year and 100% of the going rate for their occupation, whichever sum is greater.

The evaluation of the salary is determined by the guaranteed basic gross pay (for up to 48 hours per week) in addition to any allowances that are assured to be paid throughout the employment in the UK, including mobility premiums or allowances to cover the extra cost of living in the UK.

The Home Office has published a list detailing the current rates for eligible Intra-Company Transfer occupation codes. The annual salaries listed are calculated based on a 39-hour work week and should be adjusted accordingly for other work schedules.

Requirement for Immigration Skills Charge

The sponsor is also required to have settled the Immigration Skills Charge in its entirety. This charge is applicable for every overseas worker that a sponsor wishes to hire. 

The Immigration Skills Charge must be paid when a sponsor assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to a migrant.

Financial Requirement for UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

Subject to the exceptions provided below, you must have available cash funds of at least £1,270.

You must have possessed the money for a minimum of 28 consecutive days, with the period ending no more than 31 days before the submission of your Intra-Company Transfer Visa application.

You will not be required to meet the financial requirement if your sponsor agrees to cover your maintenance expenses up to the end of the first month of your employment, with a minimum amount of £1,270, if necessary. The confirmation of this must be provided by your sponsor on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

If you are seeking permission to remain in the UK and have been legally present in the country for 12 months or more at the time of application, you will satisfy the financial requirement and will not need to demonstrate funds.

Transitioning to the UK Intra-Company Transfer Pathway

You can prolong your visit by switching to the UK Intra-Company Transfer pathway if you have been given permission to stay in the country under a different immigration classification. 

However, this option is not available to Visitors, Short-term students, Parents of Child Students, Seasonal Workers, Domestic Workers in Private Households, or individuals who do not comply with the Immigration Rules.

Period of validity for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

If your UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa application is successful, you will receive entry clearance or leave to remain for the duration indicated on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus an additional 14 days, up to a maximum of 5 years, or until you reach the maximum allowable stay in the category, whichever is less.

Maximum Duration Allowed on the UK Intra-Company Transfer Route

If your UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa application is successful, you can prolong your stay in the UK for up to five years within a six-year period if your annual salary is below £73,900, you can apply for a mortgage for up to ten years. 

If your annual salary is £73,900 or higher, you can apply for a mortgage for up to nine years within a ten-year period.

In a previous iteration of the route, there was a cooling-off requirement that barred individuals from re-entering the UK on the Intra-Company Transfer route for 12 months after their departure. However, this cooling-off provision is no longer in effect.

Guidelines for Residing in the UK with an Intra-Company Transfer Visa

Intra-company transfer Visa holders are allowed to carry out the tasks outlined on their Certificate of Sponsorship for their sponsor. Moreover, they can work a second job for up to 20 hours per week, as long as it is in the same field and level as their primary job or is included in the Skilled Worker shortage occupation list. 

Furthermore, they have the option to enroll in an academic program. It is important to note that access to public funds is not permitted.

UK Intra-Company Transfer Route Settlement

Residence in the United Kingdom does not solely depend on the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa. However, it is possible to switch to a different immigration route that allows for settlement. 

Moreover, you may qualify to prolong your stay until you fulfill the requirements for settlement based on longer residency.

Dependents of applicants for the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

Children who are under 18 years old and/or a partner who is over 18 years old and dependent may accompany or join individuals holding an Intra-Company Transfer Visa.