Italy Intra Company Transfer (ICT) work permit Explained in One Slide

Mar 26, 2025

The Intra Company Transfer (ICT) visa enables multi-national companies to transfer their overseas employees to an Italian subsidiary or connected branch of the business for temporary assignments.

Requirements for the Intra Company Transfer work permit

• It is applicable onlty to Highly skilled workers already employed by the sending company.
• € 30,000 minimum salary (per our experience, not indicated specifically by the law)
• assigned to work at an Italian affiliate/subsidiary of the sending company (employer of the assigned worker)
• 6 months experience in the same work position or 3 months seniority with the sending company

There are two types of Intra Company Transfer work permits

1. National ICT permit (Art. 27 c. 1 lett. (a)): This permit is designed for highly specialized staff or managers temporarily assigned to a subsidiary, branch, or affiliate in Italy, provided that the sending and host companies are part of the same business group or joint venture. It specifically applies to middle managers (Quadro level) and senior managers (Dirigenti) employed by companies with headquarters or subsidiaries in Italy or by representative offices of foreign companies primarily operating in WTO countries.
2. EU ICT permit (Art. 27 quinquies and 27 sexies): This permit covers managers, specialists, and trainees transferred from a non-EU company to an Italian host entity. Managers direct operations under board supervision, specialists possess essential knowledge for the host entity’s activities, and trainees are recent graduates undergoing career development.
   Holders of an EU ICT Permit from another Member State can be transferred to Italy without a visa for short stays (up to 90 days) and are exempt from the work permit requirement. For periods exceeding 90 days, the host company must file an ICT work permit application within 90 days of the worker’s arrival, allowing the assignee to work while the application is processed, provided the initial EU ICT Permit remains valid.

Intra company transfer does NOT apply to:

1. Contractors or freelance workers
2. Researchers
3. Students
4. Workers posted under Directive 1996/71 and 2014/67

Related articles

• Intra-Company Transfer work permit in Italy

Marco Mazzeschi

Attorney at law.
One of the leading corporate immigration lawyers in Italy. Admitted to the Milan Bar Association (1988) and to the Taipei Bar Association (2016), a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and an accredited partner of Invest in Tuscany.

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