Is a start up eligible to utilize the ICT program?

Yes, in the sub-category of New Office. But you need to demonstrate that the company is financially ready to fund the start-up and has a practical approach of staffing operation within the first year.

Does it have a 2-week priority processing selection?

Yes. Workers at the high-skilled level of the visa-exempt countries can be given the 2-week expedited processing under the Global Skills Strategy (GSS).

Can my spouse work in Canada?

Generally, yes. Open Work Permit is usually given to spouses of ICT work permit holders in skilled positions (TEER 0-3).

Canada L-1 Visa Guide: Intra-Company Transfers for Professionals 2026

Are you an upper-level manager or a professional who needs to head the expansion of your firm to the Great White North? Although this is also known as the Canada L-1 Visa, the official program is the Indra-Company Transfer (ICT). This will be among the most dependable and quickest cross-border movement of valuable talent by multinational corporations, in the year 2026.

Nevertheless, recent policy updates of 2026 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have made the bar pretty high. With more stringent definitions of a specialized knowledge or the introduction of the need to have physical commercial premises, going through the ICT sphere needs to be precise.

Main eligibility The Three Pillars of ICT Capacity

ICT program is allocated to high skilled professionals under NOC TEER 0 and 1. In order to qualify, you have to belong to one of the following three categories:

Executive Capacity: When the leader is mainly involved in guiding the running of the organization or a significant part thereof, and he has broad latitude in making decisions.
Senior Managerial Capacity: It is the part of the enterprise that one manages and oversees the work of other managers or professional employees.
Specialized Knowledge (2026 Definition): This category is the most reviewed one. The applicants have now to prove a dual-threat: Proprietary Knowledge specific to the company products/services as well as Advanced Expertise that cannot be sourced or trained easily within the Canadian labor market.

Multinational Corporation (MNC) Standard

By 2026, the definition of a qualifying company is narrowed. IRCC now has a requirement that the sending entity should be a legal MNC.

MNC Requirement: Before expanding or transferring to Canada, the foreign enterprise must conduct active and revenue generating business in at least two countries.
Physical Commercial Premises: Virtual offices, co-working addresses and residential based businesses are not typically qualified. The transferees will be required to be engaged in a bona fide physical business location in Canada.
Qualifying Relationship: The foreign and Canadian entities need to demonstrate the existence of a parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate relationship in terms of ownership and control.

Employment History and Compliance Standard

The IRCC has stringent employment and wage criteria in order to avoid the practice of importing employees to Canada under a parachute program:

The One-Year Rule: The transferee has to have worked at least one full-time (365 days), uninterrupted, with the foreign company during the three years before the application.
LMIA-Exempt (Code C61/C62/C63): The ICT route is effective as it is an exempt free Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The employers are not required to demonstrate that no Canadian could have been hired to carry out the position.
Prevailing Wage Floor: To avert wage saturation, wages on specialized knowledge employees have to be at or higher than the prevailing median in the Canadian location of employment.

FAQs

Is a start up eligible to utilize the ICT program?

Yes, in the sub-category of New Office. But you need to demonstrate that the company is financially ready to fund the start-up and has a practical approach of staffing operation within the first year.
Does it have a 2-week priority processing selection?

Yes. Workers at the high-skilled level of the visa-exempt countries can be given the 2-week expedited processing under the Global Skills Strategy (GSS).
Can my spouse work in Canada?

Generally, yes. Open Work Permit is usually given to spouses of ICT work permit holders in skilled positions (TEER 0-3).

Final Thoughts

Canada ICT program is stronger in 2026 and it is also more challenging. Proving that the transfer is real benefit to Canada and that the expertise of the applicant really is uncommon counts in success.

Disclamier

This employment data will be disseminated as educational and informational purposes. Always ensure that you verify information on the official employer or government web site like the IRCC portal before submitting your application.