Call for Evidence Launched on Intra-Company Transfer Route

The situation

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has launched a public consultation for employers to share information about their usage of the Intra Company Transfer (ICT) route versus the new Skilled Worker route, as well as minimum skill and salary levels for the route.

Businesses are also asked to provide their views on proposals to allow overseas businesses to send teams of workers to set up branches in the United Kingdom, or to undertake secondments in relation to a high-value contract for goods or services.

Background

The ICT route allows UK employers to transfer senior employees and specialists employed by linked overseas entities for at least 12 months to the United Kingdom on temporary work assignments. 

Applicants in the ICT route must be paid at least GBP 41,500 a year or the market rate for the role, whichever is higher.  Some allowances can be counted towards the salary.  The skill level of the role must be at a Level 6 or higher on the Regulated Qualifications Framework.

There are also provisions for Graduate Trainees to transfer to the United Kingdom, who must meet relaxed criteria (GBP 23,000 per year or 70% of the market rate, and three months’ work experience).

Impact

Employers interested in including their feedback in a submission should contact their Fragomen immigration provider.

Stakeholder feedback will inform the final MAC report which will then be taken into account in government policy.

Looking ahead

• Closure of submission period. The consultation will close at 23:45 (local UK time) on June 15, 2021 and the report is due to be published in October 2021. Fragomen will publish an alert on the report and its findings at that time.
• Additional future considerations. The UK government is also considering whether to extend its mobility offering to enable overseas businesses to send teams of workers to establish branches or subsidiaries in the United Kingdom or to undertake secondments in relation to high-value contracts for goods and services. Currently, only one person can come to the United Kingdom to establish a UK branch of an overseas parent company.

 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].