ICT permit (intra-corporate transfer)
is the EU permit for intra-corporate transferees: managers, specialists and trainee employees moved from a group company outside the EU into an EU entity, under Directive 2014/66/EU. Durations run up to three years (managers/specialists), with intra-EU mobility for assignments in other member states.
When ICT beats the alternatives
ICT fits third-country employees of your group being assigned into EU operations while staying on home employment — no local hire, group seniority requirements (typically 3–12 months pre-transfer), and pay meeting host standards. Its mobility chapter lets ICT holders work in other member states’ group entities under notifications, useful for multi-country programmes.
Where the person will be locally employed, the Blue Card or national permits fit better; where the group link is missing, ICT is unavailable. Switzerland runs its own assignment permits outside the directive — see Swiss work permits.
FAQ
What are the conditions for an ICT permit?
Group employment before transfer (commonly at least 3–12 months by category), a genuine manager, specialist or trainee role, host-level pay and conditions, and return prospects to the group after the assignment. Member states add procedural variations; the directive caps stays at three years (one for trainees) before a cooling-off period.
Can ICT holders move between EU countries?
Yes — short-term mobility (up to 90 days in 180 per state) under notification, and long-term mobility through a simplified application in the second state. This intra-group mobility is ICT’s main advantage over purely national assignment permits.