The Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Employment Permit lets a company with an overseas branch and an Irish entity in the same group move an existing employee to Ireland for a defined assignment. You keep your contract with the overseas company; you are on temporary assignment here, not a local hire. That makes it fast and light on paperwork, with no advertising step and no ineligible-occupations list to worry about.
The trade-off is that this is a mobility route, not a settlement route. It is capped at a maximum total stay, your family are not automatically brought along on the usual dependant terms, and it does not lead directly to Stamp 4. We are honest with you about that from the start, and we plan the next step early so a transfer does not become a dead end.
Made for people like you
Senior managers
You lead the Irish entity or a function within it and are moving from a role in the same group abroad to set up, run or steer operations here.
Key personnel
You hold specialised knowledge of the group's products, services, systems or processes that the Irish entity needs and cannot readily source locally.
Trainees on assignment
You are a graduate-level employee transferred for career development and structured training, for an assignment capped at 12 months.
Multinationals expanding into Ireland
Your group is standing up or scaling an Irish entity and needs to move trusted people in quickly to build it.
Do you qualify?
Three transfer categories, one core test: you already work for the overseas company, the Irish and overseas entities belong to the same group, and the pay meets the floor for your category.
You will need
- An existing employment with the overseas company for at least 6 months before transfer, or 1 month if you are a trainee
- A genuine link between the overseas branch and the Irish entity as members of the same group of companies
- A role as senior management or key personnel paying at least €49,523, or a trainee assignment paying at least €36,605
- A transfer for a defined assignment, with your employment contract remaining with the overseas company
- A trainee assignment kept within a maximum of 12 months, tied to a structured training plan
This route is not for you if
- You are a fresh local hire with no prior service in the overseas company, look at the General or Critical Skills permit instead
- The two companies are not part of the same corporate group
- You want a direct, settled route to Stamp 4 and long-term residence
- You need your spouse or partner to arrive on Stamp 1G and work automatically
- You are a contractor being placed with an unrelated Irish client, that is a Contract for Services permit
Senior and key personnel vs trainee, at a glance
Senior management and key personnel
Main route- Salary floor
- €49,523
- Prior service
- 6 months in the group
- Initial permit
- Up to 24 months
- Maximum total stay
- 5 years
- Who it suits
- Managers and specialist key staff
Trainee transfer
- Salary floor
- €36,605
- Prior service
- 1 month in the group
- Assignment cap
- 12 months
- Maximum total stay
- 3 years
- Who it suits
- Graduate staff on structured training
How the journey works
- 01
Confirm the group link and the category
Day 1We check that the overseas and Irish companies genuinely belong to the same group, and place you in the right category: senior management, key personnel or trainee. That choice drives the salary floor, the prior-service test and the maximum stay.
- 02
Check prior service and remuneration
Week 1We confirm you have the required time with the overseas company, at least 6 months, or 1 month as a trainee, and that pay clears €49,523, or €36,605 for a trainee, with a comfortable buffer.
- 03
Gather documents on both sides
Week 1-2You supply your passport and evidence of employment abroad; the group confirms the corporate relationship, the assignment terms and the Irish entity's registration. We test everything against the DETE checklist before filing.
- 04
Submit through Employment Permits Online
Week 2The application is lodged on the EPOS portal with the fee, €500 for up to 6 months or €1,000 for 6 to 24 months. DETE asks for applications well before the intended start date. Either the employer or the employee can file; we make sure every field is right.
- 05
DETE processing and any follow-up
The Department reviews the application against the ICT criteria. If it raises a query, for example on the group relationship or the assignment terms, we help you answer quickly and completely.
- 06
Visa, travel and registration
Visa-required nationals apply for an entry visa once the permit issues. After arrival you register with immigration, receive your IRP card with Stamp 1, and begin the assignment.
- 07
Plan the extension or the next move
Month 18Well before the initial permit ends, we map your options: extend up to the 5-year ceiling, or switch onto a Critical Skills or General permit that can lead to settled status. Trainees plan their return or next step before the 12-month cap.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Passport bio page
Valid for the full assignment period
Overseas employment contract
Showing your role and pay with the sending company
Assignment or secondment letter
Setting out the Irish assignment and its duration
Proof of the group relationship
Corporate documents linking the overseas branch and Irish entity
Evidence of prior service
6 months in the group, or 1 month for a trainee
Detailed job description
Duties and why they fit senior, key or trainee status
Training plan
For trainee transfers, the structured programme and 12-month cap
Irish entity company details
CRO number and Revenue registration of the host company
Remuneration evidence
Confirming pay meets the category floor
Passport-standard photo
Recent, plain background
Current IRP card
If you are already in Ireland on another permission
Up-to-date CV
Consistent with the application and job description
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permit for up to 6 months | €500 | For short assignments. Paid on application, by employer or employee. |
| Permit for 6 to 24 months | €1,000 | For the standard longer assignment length. |
| Refund if refused or withdrawn | 90% back | The Department refunds 90% of the fee if the application is refused or withdrawn. |
| Entry visa (visa-required nationals) | €60-€100 | Single entry €60, multi entry €100. |
| IRP registration | €300 | Per adult, each time you register or renew your permission. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Government fees are set by DETE and ISD and can change. We confirm the current figures with you before anything is paid.
How long it takes
Guide figures from current official processing information. Individual cases vary.
DETE decision
A few weeks
Times vary with the current queue and application type. File well before the intended start date.
Entry visa, if required
Around 8 weeks
Applies to visa-required nationals after the permit issues; times vary by visa office.
IRP registration
A few weeks
Appointment after you arrive, then up to 15 working days for the card to be delivered.
Extension or switch
Plan by month 18
Give yourself months, not weeks, to extend toward the 5-year ceiling or move onto another permit.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
No genuine group relationship
The ICT permit only works between an overseas branch and the Irish entity of the same group of companies. A commercial partner or unrelated client does not qualify.
Avoid it: Provide clear corporate documents showing common ownership or control before filing, not after a query lands.
Insufficient prior service
You must have been employed by the overseas company for at least 6 months before transfer, or 1 month as a trainee. Recent hires abroad are refused.
Avoid it: Confirm your start date with the overseas company and count the months before you apply.
Salary below the category floor
Senior management and key personnel need at least €49,523, and trainees at least €36,605. Pay below the floor for your category is refused.
Avoid it: Set the assignment pay with a buffer above the floor and check the figure the week you file.
Wrong category for the role
DETE looks at the actual duties, not the label. A general staff member dressed up as key personnel, or a trainee doing ordinary work, will not stand up.
Avoid it: Match the job description honestly to senior, key or trainee criteria, and keep it consistent with the assignment letter.
Trainee assignment over the cap
Trainee transfers are limited to 12 months and must sit within a structured training plan. Open-ended trainee assignments are refused.
Avoid it: Document a clear training programme with an end date inside the 12-month limit.
Treating it as a settlement route
The ICT permit is temporary and generally does not lead to Stamp 4. Applications that read as a permanent local hire raise questions.
Avoid it: Be clear it is a defined assignment, and plan the switch to Critical Skills or General early if you intend to stay long term.
Common questions
How is the ICT permit different from a Critical Skills or General permit?+
On an ICT permit you stay employed by the overseas company and are here on a defined assignment within one group, with no labour market test and no ineligible-occupations list. Critical Skills and General permits are for local hires by the Irish employer, and unlike the ICT they can build toward Stamp 4 and settled residence.
Does my time on the ICT permit lead to Stamp 4?+
Not directly. The ICT is a temporary mobility route with a maximum total stay of 5 years, 3 years for trainees. Most holders either return abroad or switch onto another permit, such as Critical Skills or General, to settle here. We plan that step with you well in advance.
Can my spouse or partner come with me and work?+
Not on the usual dependant terms. Partners of ICT holders are not eligible for the Dependant, Partner and Spouse permit and do not receive Stamp 1G automatically. They need to secure their own immigration permission or permit, which we can advise on.
How long can I stay in Ireland on this permit?+
The permit is issued for up to 24 months initially and can be extended, but the maximum total stay is 5 years for senior management and key personnel, and 3 years for trainees.
How much service do I need with the overseas company first?+
At least 6 months of employment with the overseas company before the transfer for senior management and key personnel, and at least 1 month for trainees.
What are the salary thresholds?+
At least €49,523 a year for senior management and key personnel, and at least €36,605 for trainees. Pay must meet the floor for your category throughout the assignment.
Do I need to advertise the role or check the ineligible list?+
No. The ICT permit has no labour market needs test, so there is no 28-day advertising step, and the ineligible-occupations list does not apply to it.
What happens when the assignment ends or I want to stay?+
You can extend up to the maximum total stay, return to the overseas company, or, if you want to remain in Ireland long term, switch onto a permit that leads to settlement. We map the timing so you are never caught short.
Grounded in official sources
Ready to talk through your next step?
Book a consultation with our team and leave with a clear, personal plan grounded in the official rules.
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