ICT visa vs skilled worker visa
Below we present a short comparison of the key features for the Skilled Worker and ICT visa categories:
- The sponsor employer must hold a sponsor licence in the ICT category to be able to employ migrant workers on the ICT visas and it must hold a Skilled Worker sponsor licence category to be able to employ migrant workers on Skilled Worker visas.
- The skill level required for Skilled Worker visa is NQF Level 3 or above and for ICT visa must be at least NQF Level 6 or above (graduate level jobs).
- The job categories (i.e. SOC CODES) and assigned to them minimum salaries are published by the Home Office).
- For Skilled Worker visa the minimum salary is £25,600 or the SOC CODE minimum if higher, and for ICT visa the minimum is £41,500 OR the SOC CODE minimum if higher.
- Tier ICT visa can be used for employees who are already employed by an overseas company and who are now being sent to work in the UK subsidiary/branch. The Skilled Worker visa category does not require previous employment with an overseas company and is available for both current overseas employees and to new hires.
- You cannot apply under Skilled Worker or ICT categories if you are applying for permission to work as a Sportsperson or a Minister of Religion.
- ICT visa does NOT lead to settlement in the UK. Tier Skilled Worker visa does lead to settlement after 5 years in the UK and then to UK citizenship.
Intra Company Transfer visa is a special type of work visa. The visa, however, does not lead to a ILR. It may be, for many, considered as a serious drawback. In some circumstanes, though, the ICT visa is usefull. Those are the people who do not want to stay in the UK for a long time or to settle there. They do not need to take the English test either.
