Visas and residence permits for secondment

For intra-company transfers non-EU nationals may apply for an ICT work visa and residence permit under art. 27 lett. A) of L.D. 286/98 which can be issued, only if the worker has been employed by the sending entity for at least 6 months prior to the secondment and the corporate link is duly demonstrated through public documents, for an initial duration of 2 years, renewable for up to 5 years. This ICT work permit is the only one that allows, upon termination of the first secondment period or at the end of the 5 years, the direct hiring of the worker by the Italian company.

In case of intra-company transfers among companies of the same group workers can apply for a visa and residence permit called EU ICT under art. 27 quinquies L.D. 286/98 which can be issued, only if the worker has been working with the sending entity for at least 3 months prior to the secondment and the corporate link is duly demonstrated through public documents, for a duration of up to 3 years. The EU ICT does not allow the direct hiring of the worker and upon its expiration the worker can request a new one only after waiting a "cool off" period of 3 months. The EU ICT allows the intra-EU mobility which means that workers can move to other EU countries to work for companies of the same group for periods of up tp 90 days over 180 days period withouth the need to apply for a work authorization/permit in the other EU country, unless the transfer is for more than 90 days, in which case a fast-track procedure is available to apply for an EU ICT work and residence permit in the other EU Member State.