ICT seconded employees

In the context of globalization, international employee mobility has become a necessity for many multinational companies. Among the various mechanisms enabling temporary transfers of staff abroad, the “ICT” – Intra-Company Transfer – status plays a key role.

It allows a company located outside the European Union to temporarily second an employee to an entity within the same group in France, without establishing a local employment contract.

This status, created under the European Directive (2014/66/EU), has been incorporated into French law to regulate this very specific type of mobility. It offers advantages for companies but also comes with legal and practical constraints that must be carefully managed.

When employees are seconded to France under intra-group mobility, they can obtain a three-month visa, followed by a multi-year residence permit, “Salarié détaché ICT” (Intra-Corporate Transfer). If the assignment is less than one year, the seconded employee is issued a VLS-TS visa marked “Salarié détaché ICT.”

An ICT seconded employee is an employee who:

• Is employed by a non-EU company
• Is temporarily sent to a subsidiary or entity of the same group in France
• Maintains their contract with the original company

This arrangement is designed to facilitate intra-group mobility while protecting the working conditions of the employees concerned.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for ICT status, several conditions must be met.

For the employee:

• Minimum of 6 months’ seniority within the group prior to transfer
• Assigned to a managerial, expert, or training role
• Remains contractually linked to the foreign company (no French contract)

For the employer:

• Must belong to the same international group (subsidiary, branch, etc.)
• Must ensure remuneration in line with French labour law

For the family:

• The spouse and children can benefit from “ICT Family” status
• The spouse is allowed to work, which is not the case for all statuses

Points to consider:

• Maximum duration of 3 years, non-renewable (except after a waiting period outside the EU)
• The stay is temporary and solely linked to the assignment

Steps to follow

Apply for a long-stay visa
The visa application should be submitted up to three months before the planned arrival in France, at the French consular authorities in the employee’s usual country of residence or country of origin.

Obtain the “Salarié détaché ICT” residence permit
Once in France, the ICT visa allows immediate employment.
The corresponding residence permit is then issued by the Prefecture of the place of residence upon presentation of:

• The long-stay visa
• Supporting documents already provided to the consulate
• Any additional documents requested