Intra-Company Transfer Permits

Description

The Intra-Company Transfer scheme was introduced to facilitate the transfer of foreign senior management, key personnel or trainees from an overseas branch or a multinational corporation to its Irish branch.

It entitles the employer to hire the foreign national for the duration of the permit. As soon as employment ends or when the permit expires, the employee/transferee must leave the country.

Qualified Applicants

Application for an Intra-Company Transfer Permit can only be made by the employer.

Intra-Company Transfer Permits are strictly limited to senior management, key personnel, or those undergoing a training program.

They must be:

• Earning a minimum annual salary of EUR 40,000, and
• The employee/transferee in question must have been working for a minimum period of 12 months with the overseas company prior to transferring

Senior Management is defined as persons who:

• Manage the organization, department, subdivision, function or component of the organization
• Supervise or control the work or other supervisory, professional or managerial employees, or manage an essential function within the organization, or a department or subdivision of the organization.
• Have the authority to hire and fire or recommend these, as well as other, personnel actions (such as promotion and leave authorization) OR if no other employee is directly supervised, function at a senior level within the organization hierarchy or with respect to the function managed and,
• Exercise discretion over everyday operations of the activity or function for which the employee has the authority

Key Personnel are defined as persons who have special knowledge in the establishment's:

• Service
• Research equipment
• Techniques or management

In assessing such knowledge, high level of qualification or prior exprience will be taken into account.

Trainees will be considered for a maximum of 12 months, provided it can be adequately demonstrated that a detailed training program will be in place.

Duration of Permit

The duration of the permit depends upon the reason for transfer. Persons transferring to an Ireland branch for the purpose of training will only be allowed a permit for a maximum of 12 months. Other permits may be granted for a maximum period of up to 24 months for the first application and may be extended upon application to a maximum stay of five years.

Processing Fees

The following must be attached with the application:

• For a period of up to six months: EUR 500
• For any period between 6 and 24 months: EUR 1,000
• For any period between 25 and 36 months: EUR 1,500