Switching from Tier 2 ICT to Tier 2 General

[mamin1310]

Hello,
Hoping someone can help and provide some guidance.

I entered UK in March 2011 on Tier 2 ICT established staff visa and I have been working in the UK since then without any break in stay. I am exploring the option to switch from Tier 2 ICT to Tier 2 general visa. When I refer the UKBA site https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/switch-to-this-visa it states 'Tier 2 (Intra company Transfer) visa under the Immigration Rules in place before 6 April 2010 and you’re applying to change sponsor' as eligibility criteria for switching from Tier 2 ICT to Tier 2 general. The same page has a link to the Tier 2 guidance notes (updated last on 6th April 2017) which states that a switch to Tier 2 general is possible only if one has entered the UK on a Tier 2 ICT visa before 06 April 2011. The link to the document is https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _04_17.pdf (refer to page 7)

Could someone please help me understand what the correct eligibility criteria is?

Thanks in advance.

[CR001]

uk-tier-2-employer-sponsored-visas/swit ... 88997.html

[mamin1310]

Thanks for the quick response. I went through the link and also looked at the link which refers to the changes done in April 2014. According to the changes done in April 2014, I would not be able to switch to Tier 2 general as my stay has already exceeded the cap. But I am aware of a similar case at work i.e the person entered UK somewhere between 06 April 2010 and 06 April 2011, and he was able to successfully switch his visa last year (August 2016) from Tier 2 ICT to Tier 2 general and is still working. Are there any special circumstances under which the switch can be done? Is there anyone else on the forum who came to UK before 6 April 2011 on Tier 2 ICT established staff visa and were able to successfully switch to Tier 2 general visa recently?

P.s. My initial reason for posting the query on the forum was to know if any changes had been introduced to visa switching along with the other changes that came into effect from April 2017.

[mamin1310]

Should have read all the posts in the links before posting here...so there was a rule change done incorrectly in Apr 2014 which was then corrected again in Oct 2014.

uk-tier-2-employer-sponsored-visas/oct- ... 74306.html

So that clears things up.

So, my understanding now is that I am eligible for a switch to Tier 2 general if I can find a different sponsor, and that if I indeed switch to Tier 2 general, the Tier 2 general visa would be valid for a maximum of 6 years starting from the day when the Tier 2 general visa was issued (eligible for ILR after completing 5 years under the Tier 2 general visa).

Could someone please confirm that my understanding is correct?