In short. To obtain an ICT work permit in Italy, the group’s Italian entity submits the Mod. ICT online: it is the application for a nulla osta (work/entry clearance) for the intra-corporate transfer of managers, specialists and trainee employees (Article 27-quinquies of the Testo Unico Immigrazione, the Consolidated Immigration Act). It goes to the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione (Immigration Desk) of the province where the entity has its registered office. The documents must be sent within 10 days and the Immigration Desk decides within 45 days.
When an international group wants to bring one of its non-EU employees to Italy, the first step is the nulla osta from the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione. For intra-corporate transfers, the application is made with a specific form, the Mod. ICT.
In this guide you will find who must submit it, which documents to prepare, how long the procedure takes and the mistakes that most often hold up the application. General requirements and the duration of the permit are covered in our guide to ICT intra-corporate transfers.
What is the Mod. ICT for an ICT work permit in Italy?
It is the online form with which the host entity applies for the work nulla osta for an intra-corporate transfer. The legal basis is Article 27-quinquies of Legislative Decree 286/1998, introduced by Legislative Decree 253/2016 implementing Directive 2014/66/EU. Ministry of the Interior circular no. 517 of 9 February 2017 gave the first operational instructions.
Alongside the Mod. ICT there are two other related forms:
- Mobile ICT: for workers who already hold an ICT permit issued by another Member State and are coming to Italy for more than 90 days (see the guide to ICT mobility).
- CICT: the online notification that replaces the nulla osta for companies that have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of the Interior.
Who submits the ICT nulla osta application?
The application is made for a named worker and is submitted by the host entity, i.e. the branch, office, representative office or group company located in Italy. It is not submitted by the worker.
The competent Immigration Desk is the one at the Prefettura (local government office) of the province where the host entity has its registered office. The application is sent online, using the Ministry of the Interior’s services for work nulla osta (Portale ALI), and can be submitted at any time of year because it is outside the quotas.
If the application is signed by a delegate, a power of attorney is required. If the legal representative or the delegate is a foreign national, their residence document must also be attached.
Which documents are needed for the Mod. ICT?
The exact list may vary between Prefetture: before sending, check the instructions of the competent Immigration Desk. As a reference, the Milan Immigration Desk lists the following documents:
- Proof of the corporate link: an Italian visura camerale (Chamber of Commerce company extract), or a legalised and translated foreign company extract, or the articles of association or deed of incorporation, or the consolidated financial statements. A self-declaration is not accepted.
- The group’s consolidated financial statements, translated into Italian, to prove financial capacity.
- Assignment letter (lettera di distacco) from the foreign company, translated and legalised or apostilled, also signed by the worker as acceptance.
- The worker’s valid passport, or an equivalent document.
- Identity document of the legal representative or the delegate.
- Accommodation: idoneità alloggiativa (housing suitability certificate) and cessione di fabbricato (notification of property occupancy) for private accommodation, or a booking of at least one month at a hotel or similar establishment.
- Training plan, for trainee employees only.
What must the assignment letter contain?
It is the most important document in the application. It must state:
- the duration of the transfer in months, within the legal maximums;
- the date of hiring by the foreign company, which must be at least three uninterrupted months before the transfer;
- the address of the Italian site;
- the worker’s qualifications, experience and educational qualifications;
- the role assigned in Italy: manager, specialist or trainee employee;
- pay and working conditions, equal to those of Italian workers in comparable positions;
- the commitment to return to a group entity outside the EU at the end of the transfer;
- where salary and social security contributions are paid, with the certificate of social security coverage, if there is a social security agreement.
How do you submit the Mod. ICT step by step?
- Check the requirements: worker category, corporate link, three months’ service, duration of the transfer.
- Prepare the foreign documents: translation and legalisation or apostille take time, so it is best to start here.
- Fill in and send the Mod. ICT online to the Immigration Desk of the registered office.
- Send the documents within 10 days of the application, as required by paragraph 7 of Article 27-quinquies. If the Immigration Desk requests additional documents, the time limit is suspended until you reply.
- Assessment: the Immigration Desk obtains the opinion of the Ispettorato territoriale del lavoro (local labour inspectorate) on working conditions and that of the Questura (police immigration office) on any grounds for refusal.
- Nulla osta: issued within 45 days of the application and sent to the consulate.
What happens after the nulla osta?
The nulla osta is valid for a maximum of 6 months: within this period the worker must apply for a work visa at the Italian consulate responsible for their place of residence.
After entering Italy, within 8 working days, the worker declares their presence at the Immigration Desk, which hands over the form for the permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) application. The Questore issues the permit marked “ICT” within 45 days of the declaration of presence. The general rules are explained in our guide to the declaration of presence.
For intra-corporate transfers, the contratto di soggiorno (residence contract for employment) does not need to be signed. Significant changes, for example to the duration or the place of work, must be notified to the Immigration Desk.
How much does the ICT nulla osta application cost?
The main costs are any stamp duty on the application, the translation and legalisation of foreign documents, consular fees for the visa, and the fees and charges for issuing the residence permit. Amounts can change and depend on the procedure: check the current figures on the official channels of the Ministry of the Interior and the Portale Immigrazione before paying.
Which mistakes hold up the ICT nulla osta?
- Insufficient length of service: the worker has been employed by the foreign company for less than three months.
- Corporate link not proven: a self-declaration is attached instead of a company extract, articles of association or consolidated financial statements.
- Foreign documents not legalised or translated.
- Duration beyond the limits: more than 3 years for managers and specialists, more than 1 year for trainee employees.
- Documents sent more than 10 days after the application.
- New application too soon: for the same worker, at least three months must pass after the end of the previous transfer.
- Wrong channel: self-employed workers, agency workers or workers posted to provide services do not fall under intra-corporate transfers.
Decree-Law 146/2025, converted into Law 179/2025, introduced checks on the truthfulness of the host entity’s declarations: the information entered in the form must match the documents exactly.
Frequently asked questions
Who fills in the Mod. ICT, the company or the worker?
The company. The application for the ICT nulla osta is submitted online by the host entity in Italy (branch, office, representative office or group company), through its legal representative or a delegate with a power of attorney. It goes to the Immigration Desk of the province where the host entity has its registered office.
When can the application be submitted?
At any time of year. Intra-corporate transfers are outside the quotas, so they do not depend on the quotas or the click days of the Decreto Flussi (Italy’s annual work-entry quota decree). The documents must then be sent within 10 days of submitting the online application.
How long does it take to get the nulla osta?
The law sets a time limit of 45 days from the application, during which the Immigration Desk obtains the opinions of the labour inspectorate and the Questura. Actual timescales depend on the Immigration Desk and on how complete the documents are; a request for additional documents suspends the time limit.
How long is the nulla osta valid?
Six months at most. Within this period the worker must apply for the work visa at the Italian consulate responsible for their place of residence and enter Italy. After entry, the worker has 8 working days to declare their presence at the Immigration Desk and start the ICT residence permit application.
If the employment ends, can the nulla osta be reused?
No. The nulla osta is tied to that specific transfer and that named worker, so a new employment relationship requires a new procedure. For the same worker, at least three months must also pass after the end of the previous transfer before a new application can be made.
Official sources
- Testo Unico Immigrazione, Article 27-quinquies — Normattiva
- Legislative Decree no. 253 of 29 December 2016 — Normattiva
- Milan Immigration Desk — documents for the ICT, Mobile ICT and CICT forms
- Ministry of the Interior
The sources were consulted on 15 October 2026. Forms and required documents may change: always check the latest instructions from the competent Immigration Desk.
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
SH Immigration Specialists supports companies in preparing the Mod. ICT: checking the requirements, listing the documents for the competent Prefettura, reviewing the assignment letter, filling in and sending the application, and providing support during the visa and residence permit stages. The outcome depends on the competent authorities. For an assessment, contact us. All our services for companies are on the page hiring foreign workers in Italy.
This content provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
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