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Intra-corporate transferee residence permit (Directive 2014/66/EU)

Last update: 20 November 2024

You want to apply for an intra-corporate transferee (ICT) residence permit to work in the Netherlands. Find out what the requirements are and how your employer applies for the permit.

What is an intra-corporate transferee residence permit?

An intra-corporate transferee residence permit is a work and residence permit for managers, specialists and trainees who are nationals of countries outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. In these situations, your employer can apply for an intra-corporate transferee residence permit on your behalf:

  • You live and work for a company established outside the EU. You will be transferred to a branch of that company in the Netherlands. Or to another company in the same group.
  • You live and work for a company within the EU. You have an intra-corporate transferee residence permit from another EU country. You will be transferred to the Netherlands for more than 90 days. You start working for a branch of that company in the Netherlands. Or at another company in the same group. We call this long-term mobility (Mobile ICT).

Will you be transferred to branches in several EU countries? If so, your employer must apply for your residence permit in the country where you will be working the longest.

No residence permit for short-term mobility

An employee coming for short-term mobility does not need a residence permit. Short-term mobility applies if you have an intra-corporate transferee residence permit from another EU country. And if you will be working in the Netherlands for less than 90 days out of a total of 180 days.

Report short-term mobility to the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV)

Are you coming for short-term mobility? Your employer must notify the Employee Insurance Agency (in Dutch: Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen or UWV). Your employer can use the UWV notification forms to inform them that you are going to work temporarily in the Netherlands.

Employer: sponsor or recognised sponsor

Your employer is your sponsor. An employer can apply to the IND to become a recognised sponsor. It is quicker and easier for a recognised sponsor to apply for a residence permit. A sponsor without recognition can also apply for the residence permit.

 

Requirements

These are the requirements for an intra-corporate transferee residence permit:

  • You meet the requirements that apply to everyone.
  • You live in a country outside the European Union (EU) at the time of application. Or you live in an EU country with an intra-corporate transferee residence permit. You are being transferred to the Netherlands for a period of more than 90 days.
  • You are going to work in the Netherlands as a manager, specialist or trainee. Read the definitions of manager, specialist and trainee.
  • You are being transferred to a branch of the same company in the Netherlands.
  • You have already worked for the company outside the EU for at least 3 months.
  • You have a valid employment contract with the company outside the EU. The employment contract or letter of engagement will state the following:
    • the duration of the transfer and the location of the branch in the Netherlands;
    • that you will be working as a manager, specialist or trainee;
    • the salary and employment terms and conditions during the transfer; and
    • that you will be able to work in a branch outside the EU at the end of the transfer.
  • Do you have a protected profession such as a doctor or architect? If so, you must show that you are allowed to practise that profession in the Netherlands.
  • Are you going to work in the healthcare sector? If so, you must be listed in the register of Individual Healthcare Professions, (in Dutch: BIG-register).
  • The conditions of employment, employment relationships or working conditions comply with Dutch law. And they are at least on the level that is customary in the business sector.
  • Your salary is in line with the market. The salary is in line with the market if it meets the salary criterion for highly skilled migrants.
  • The branch in the Netherlands has not been set up to facilitate the transfer of employees to the EU. The branch in the Netherlands carries out economic activities.
  • You have not been transferred to the Netherlands in the past 6 months. Or you have not yet reached the maximum length of stay during a previous transfer. The maximum duration of a transfer to the European Union, including transfers between Member States, may not exceed three years. For a trainee, this is 1 year. 
  • Your employer must not have been fined in the 5 years before the application. This means a fine for violation of Section 2 of the Foreign Nationals (Employment) Act (Wav). Or a fine for not paying or not paying enough income tax or employee or national insurance contributions.

Process and costs

These are the steps in the application process for the residence permit.

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Application forms

Recognised sponsors can apply online. The online application forms can be found in the Business Portal.

Written application forms

Make sure that you download the right form. Fill in the form and send it by post.
I am an employer and recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and non-recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and non-recognised sponsor:

Written application forms

Make sure that you download the right form. Fill in the form and send it by post.
I am an employer and recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and non-recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and non-recognised sponsor:
I am an employer and sponsor, my employee has EU long-term resident status:

The residence permit

Find out what else you need to know about the residence permit.

TB test

Did your employer ask you to take a TB (tuberculosis) test at the time of the application? If so, make an appointment with the public health service (in Dutch: Gemeenschappelijke Gezondheidsdienst or GGD). Do this within 3 months after you have received your residence permit. Take with you to the appointment:

Appendix TB test referral form 7604(PDF, 230.36 KB)

Working with the residence permit

With the intra-corporate transferee residence permit, the employee may work at the company's branch in the Netherlands. On the back of the residence permit it says: ‘Arbeid wegens overplaatsing binnen een onderneming en arbeid als zelfstandige toegestaan, andere arbeid toegestaan met TWV’ (Work as an intra-corporate transferee and on a self-employed basis permitted, other work permitted with a TWV). TWV is the abbreviation for tewerkstellingsvergunning (work permit).

Working on a self-employed basis

The intra-corporate transferee residence permit allows you to work as a self-employed person in addition to working for your employer. However, you must still meet the requirements for the permit.

Work permit needed for a different employer

Do you want to work for a another employer? That employer will need a TWV (work permit) for you. This employer must apply to the Employee Insurance Agency (in Dutch: Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen or UWV) for the TWV. Find out more about applying for a TWV to the UWV.

Legal obligations

As a recognised or non-recognised sponsor, your employer has an obligation to provide information and keep records. You only have an obligation to provide information.

Find out more about the legal obligations of the sponsor or recognised sponsor and the foreign national’s obligation to provide information. 

The IND will check whether you fulfill your obligations. If you do not, you may get an administrative fine.

Validity of residence permit

The residence permit for managers and specialists is valid for a maximum of 3 years. The residence permit for trainees is valid for a maximum of 1 year. The maximum period of validity includes transfers between EU countries.

Type of residence permit

The residence permit is type I, temporary regular residence permit.

Other applications

Replacement of residence permit

Has your residence permit been damaged, lost or stolen? Visit the web page Residence permit damaged or change of personal details or Residence permit lost or stolen.

Extension of residence permit

Has your residence permit been valid for less than 3 years (less than 1 year for trainees)? Only then can you extend the residence permit. But only if your Dutch work contract or trainee contract has not yet expired.

Intra-EU mobility to a different EU country

As an intra-corporate transferee you can also be transferred to a branch in another EU country. This is known as intra-EU mobility. There are 2 types of intra-EU mobility:

  • Short-term mobility for a transfer of a maximum of 90 days out of 180.
  • Long-term mobility for a transfer of more than 90 days out of 180. Your employer must apply for a separate residence permit in the other country.

For more information, your employer can contact the immigration service in the country to which you will be transferred. Denmark and Ireland do not participate in this scheme, so you cannot be transferred to these 2 countries under Directive 2014/66/EU.

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