Citizeo
Pathway

Portugal Intra-Company Transfer Residence

Portugal Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Portugal's ICT route is for a manager, specialist, or trainee employee moving temporarily to a Portuguese entity in the same company group. It is not an ordinary local-hire work permit.

Roles
Managers, specialists, and trainee employees
Employer
Transfer must be within the same company group
Mobility
The mobile intra-company transfer route may apply after a qualifying permit in another EU member state
Main limit
Temporary assignment route, not ordinary hiring
What it gives
It allows residence and work for the named Portuguese host as part of the approved group transfer.
First check
The sending employer and Portuguese host must prove that they are the same undertaking or belong to the same group.

Summary

Portugal's intra-corporate transfer permit, marked TDE-ICT, is for a non-EU/EEA/Swiss employee who remains employed by a business outside the EU and is temporarily transferred to a Portuguese entity in the same company or group. It covers managers, specialists, and paid trainee employees. It is not an ordinary local hire.

The permit lasts one year or the planned transfer period, whichever is appropriate. It can be renewed up to a total maximum of three years for a manager or specialist, but a trainee's maximum is one year.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The sending employer and Portuguese host must prove that they are the same undertaking or belong to the same group. The file should state the role, host, pay, working conditions, and transfer duration, and the host must guarantee compliance with Portuguese working-condition and remuneration law.

Immediately before the transfer, a manager or specialist must have worked continuously in the company or group for a period falling between three and 12 months; for a trainee, the required prior period is between three and six months. A manager or specialist must prove the appropriate qualifications and experience. A trainee must have a higher-education diploma and must be transferred for career development or training in business techniques or methods.

Applicants also need the general passport, criminal-record, accommodation, tax, social-security, and health-coverage evidence. Regulated professions require Portuguese recognition. AIMA states that lawful entry can remove the residence-visa requirement for this permit, but lawful entry and visa exemption should be confirmed for the individual case before travel.

What This Route Allows

It allows residence and work for the named Portuguese host as part of the approved group transfer. A change affecting the permit conditions must be notified to AIMA within 15 days.

The law expressly gives ICT holders a right to family reunification under Article 98. That article now includes sponsor waiting periods, so the practical timing—especially for a short assignment—should be confirmed with AIMA before family travel.

An ICT permit issued by another EU member state can support short mobility in Portugal for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Longer Portuguese mobility uses the separate ICT-mobile permit and its filing deadlines.

What This Route Is Not

It is not a route for a permanent transfer, a new hire by an unrelated Portuguese employer, or a contractor. Those cases may require ordinary employed-work, highly qualified, or Blue Card residence.

The maximum ICT period cannot be extended indefinitely through successive renewals. A person remaining after the transfer may need to qualify independently for another Portuguese status.

Next Steps

  1. Map the ownership or control link between the sending company and Portuguese host.
  2. Classify the role as manager, specialist, or trainee and verify the required continuous prior employment.
  3. Prepare the assignment letter, home employment contract, host declaration, pay and working conditions, qualifications, and group evidence.
  4. Ask AIMA or the responsible consulate whether a residence visa is needed for the applicant's exact travel and filing plan.
  5. Plan family timing under the current Article 98 rules rather than assuming simultaneous entry.
  6. File before work begins, observe the one- or three-year cap, and notify AIMA within 15 days of material changes.
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