Understanding the ICT Work Permit Program
The Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) work permit represents one of Canada’s most strategic immigration pathways for multinational corporations and their key personnel. Unlike standard work permits that require Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), the ICT program recognizes the unique value of transferring experienced executives, managers, and specialized knowledge workers within established corporate networks.
What this means for you: If your company has operations in both Canada and another country, the ICT program offers a streamlined path to bring essential personnel to Canada without the lengthy LMIA process. This isn’t just about work authorization—it’s about positioning your business for growth while creating clear pathways to permanent residence for your top talent.
The program serves a dual purpose: supporting Canadian economic interests by facilitating international business expansion while providing corporations with the flexibility to deploy their most valuable human resources where they’re needed most. For multinational companies, this translates to faster market entry, enhanced operational efficiency, and the ability to maintain consistent leadership across global operations.
Eligibility Requirements: Building Your Foundation for Success
Corporate Relationship Requirements
The cornerstone of any successful ICT application lies in demonstrating a qualifying corporate relationship. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires clear evidence of one of four specific relationships between your foreign and Canadian entities: subsidiary, parent company, branch office, or affiliate status.
Real mistake we’ve seen: Companies often assume that similar business names or shared ownership automatically qualify as a corporate relationship. We’ve seen applications rejected because applicants couldn’t provide proper corporate documentation showing legal connections between entities.
What this means for you: You’ll need comprehensive corporate documentation including articles of incorporation, shareholder agreements, organizational charts, and financial statements that clearly demonstrate the relationship between your companies. The connection must be legal and financial, not just operational or contractual.
Employee Qualification Standards
The ICT program requires that transferred employees have worked for the foreign entity for at least one continuous year within the three years immediately preceding their application. This employment must have been in a similar capacity to the position they’ll assume in Canada, and it must be full-time employment.
If you’re applying from countries with high refusal rates: Officers pay particular attention to employment verification from certain regions. Ensure your employment letters are detailed, include specific job duties, reporting relationships, and are issued on official company letterhead with verifiable contact information.
The position in Canada must be at an executive, senior management, or specialized knowledge level. Generic job titles aren’t sufficient—you need detailed job descriptions that clearly demonstrate the level of responsibility and expertise required.
Minimum Employment History and Documentation
Your employment history documentation becomes the foundation of your application. Beyond the basic one-year requirement, officers look for evidence of career progression, increasing responsibilities, and genuine expertise in your field.
Optional—but strongly recommended by AVID experts: Include performance reviews, promotion letters, and project portfolios that demonstrate your value to the organization. These supporting documents often differentiate approved applications from those that receive additional scrutiny.
Documentation must be recent, detailed, and verifiable. Employment letters should specify start dates, current position, salary, job duties, and reporting structure. Bank statements showing salary deposits can provide additional verification of your employment relationship.
Transfer Categories: Understanding Your Pathway
Executive Positions
Executive transfers represent the most straightforward ICT category, designed for individuals who direct the management of the organization or a major component thereof. True executives make decisions with wide latitude and receive only general supervision from higher-level executives, boards of directors, or stockholders.
What this means for you: If you’re applying as an executive, your role must involve setting policies, making strategic decisions, and having authority over other managers or supervisory personnel. Day-to-day operational management typically doesn’t qualify as executive-level responsibility.
Documentation requirements for executives include organizational charts showing reporting relationships, evidence of decision-making authority, and examples of strategic initiatives you’ve led. Officers want to see that you’re genuinely operating at the executive level, not just carrying an executive title.
Senior Management Roles
Senior managers receive only general supervision or direction from higher-level executives or boards of directors. They control and direct the work of professional and managerial employees and have the authority to hire, fire, or recommend personnel actions.
Real mistake we’ve seen: Applications where the “senior manager” title doesn’t match the actual job responsibilities.
Resources from AVID
📎 ICT Application Checklist
Complete documentation checklist covering corporate requirements, employee qualifications, and supporting evidence needed for successful applications.
📝 Sample Corporate Structure Documentation
Templates and examples showing how to properly document qualifying corporate relationships between foreign and Canadian entities.
📄 Executive Position Profile Guide
Detailed guide for documenting executive, management, and specialized knowledge positions with examples of successful job descriptions and qualification evidence.
🧠 ICT Common Questions and Answers
Comprehensive FAQ addressing complex scenarios, documentation requirements, and strategies for addressing potential application challenges.
Ready to Move Forward?
The ICT work permit process requires careful planning, comprehensive documentation, and strategic positioning. While self-service resources provide the foundation for understanding requirements, the complexity of corporate immigration often benefits from expert guidance.
Need peace of mind? Let one of our seasoned AVID experts walk you through your specific situation. We’ve successfully guided hundreds of multinational companies and their employees through the ICT process, from initial eligibility assessment through permanent residence planning.
Our corporate immigration specialists understand the nuances of international business structures, the documentation requirements that satisfy immigration officers, and the strategic approaches that maximize both approval chances and long-term immigration success.
Contact AVID today to discuss your ICT work permit strategy and discover how we can help you achieve your corporate immigration objectives with confidence and expertise.