 TIER 2 INTRA COMPANY TRANSFER
What is the intra-company transfer category?
The intra-company transfer category is for employees of multi-national companies who are being transferred by an overseas employer to a skilled job in a United Kingdom based branch of the organisation.
Who can apply as an intra-company transferee?
Before you apply under the intra-company transfer category, you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
When you apply you are awarded points based on your:
- qualifications;
- future expected earnings;
- sponsorship;
- English language skills;
- Available maintenance (funds).
When applying for permission to come to the United Kingdom under the intra-company transfer category, or extending your permission to stay, you do not have to meet the English language requirement if your extension does not take the time of your stay to more than three years.
You can apply under the intra-company transfer category now if you are:
- applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') under the intra-company transfer category
- in the United Kingdom with permission to stay in an immigration category that allows you to switch into the intra-company transfer category
- Already in the United Kingdom as a intra-company transfer and want to extend your permission to stay within your existing category
- You must have at least 50 points for your attributes to be able to apply.
- Points are awarded for the following (known as attributes):
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Attribute
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Points available
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Sponsorship
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30
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Qualifications
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0-15
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Future expected earnings
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0-20
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- You will score 50 points if you are applying under the transitional arrangements.
- How many points you must score for English language
- You must score 10 points for English language skills or your application will be refused.
- This is unless you are applying from outside the United Kingdom, or to extend your permission to stay in the United Kingdom and this extension does not take the time of your stay to more than three years.
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- How many points you must score for maintenance (funds)
- You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds) or your application will be refused.
How long can you stay for?
If you are applying from outside the United Kingdom and are given permission to come as an intra-company transferee, you will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum time of three years plus one month, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus one month, whichever time is shorter.
If you are already inside the United Kingdom in a different category, you may be able to apply to switch into the category of intra-company transfers (Tier 2 intra-company transfers). If UKBA approve your application you will be able to live and work here for a maximum of three years, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.
At the end of the three years, you will need to apply to extend your stay as an intra-company transferee if you want to stay.
If you are given permission to extend your stay in the United Kingdom as an intra-company transferee, you will get another two years, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever time is shorter.
If you are applying to extend your permission to stay in the United Kingdom and your previous permission to stay was as a work permit holder, you can still apply under the transitional arrangements for permission to stay for a time that takes you to five years in the United Kingdom.
If this means you would get permission to stay for less than a further two years, you can apply for permission to stay for two years instead.
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