The Intra Company Transfer or ICT lets businesses with offices around the globe transfer their staff to the UK to work in roles that there were no qualified people in the UK available to work in.

For people who are not British citizens, you can apply with your employer to get a Tier 2 ICT visa that will function for a specific period of time providing they continue to perform in that specific role.

Requirements that the worker must have include performing that duty while they work in Canada or Australia or any country for at least six months. They must also prove they have the right skills and experience for the role – either a degree relevant to the job, or a degree that is not relevant but a year’s experience in the role, or even no degree but three years in the role.

Employees must be registered with a governing council (if there is one for that profession – ie., medicine) and be educated to at least the level 3 of the British National Vocational Qualifications or NVQs.

Depending whether you work in India or Brazil, the filing of the application is either on the prospective employee or the employer – it's inconsistent between nations. The type of UK immigration differs from ordinary Tier 2 work permits because there is no requirement for the sponsoring company to prove they have already advertised the job before applying, although they will have to show why they need the transfer. Unlike the popular Tier 1 visas, there isn't a points-based test either.

The visa can be for between one day and five years, depending on how long the company needs the applicant for. However, as it does not lead to settlement or permanent residency, there is no ability to extend the visa, and the UK immigration authorities have the right to adjust the visa or reject it if the time does not seem reasonable to them.

Most importantly, spouses are able to join the applicant in the UK, providing the relationship can be proved to have been running for at least two years. If you or your spouse/unmarried partner are potentially going to move to the UK to work, speak to a qualified immigration consultant to begin your journey today.