Visa, work permit & immigration support in India

When international employers look to place talent in India, the critical question is not market opportunity but how to move quickly, stay compliant, and avoid operational gridlock. India’s immigration system is complex and non-negotiable. Even a single missing document or a wrongly sequenced application can stall a project or trigger costly penalties. Most failures in global expansion here are operational — missed deadlines, wrong employment models, or incomplete tax registrations, not strategic.

What’s new for employers in 2025:

• Longer lead times: Increased scrutiny of documentation and employment contracts means rushed or improvised processes are likely to fail.
• Digital transition: More immigration steps now require online submission and digital verification, making preparation and timing even more critical.
• Role-based review: Authorities now assess the actual business need for foreign talent more closely, especially where roles overlap with the local workforce or sensitive sectors.

The first step for any employer is to clarify who will sponsor, employ, and pay the foreign assignee, and who will be accountable for statutory filings and ongoing compliance. If you do not have your own entity in India, you need a local Employer of Record. If you do have an entity in India, you must still ensure your hiring structure and filings are watertight.

Key Immigration Pathways for Employers in India

International employers have several legal routes to place foreign talent in India. The right approach depends on the nature of the assignment, the candidate’s role, and your business structure.

1. Employment Visas (E-Visas):
The most common route for hiring skilled foreign professionals, executives, and technical experts. Requires proof of business need, contract details, salary thresholds, and employer sponsorship. Processing times are variable, and applications are increasingly subject to role-based scrutiny and verification of local talent availability.

2. Business Visas:
For short-term assignments, meetings, or project set-up, business visas may be available but do not permit hands-on, operational work. Employers should not use this route for ongoing roles or active project delivery, as it exposes both the employer and assignee to legal risk.

3. Project Visas:
Available for certain large-scale infrastructure or government-sanctioned projects, typically in the power and steel sectors. These visas have specific eligibility and compliance requirements, including detailed documentation from both the project owner and employer.

4. Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Visas:
For multinational employers moving existing staff from overseas branches to Indian operations. Requires robust documentation linking the overseas and Indian entities and a clear business rationale for the transfer.

5. Dependent and Family Visas:
Foreign employees may apply for dependent visas for immediate family members, but the process is tied to the main work permit and subject to ongoing compliance by the employer.

6. Short-Term Assignment Visas:
Special categories may exist for short-term experts or consultants on defined project deliverables, but these are tightly regulated and subject to ongoing policy change.

Each of these routes involves complex paperwork, multi-step sequencing, and ongoing reporting requirements. Immigration authorities are now focused on the actual employment structure, who the employer of record is, and whether all filings and tax registrations are in place.

Employer Responsibilities and Compliance

Successfully relocating foreign talent into India requires far more than obtaining a visa. Indian authorities hold employers, whether a direct entity or a local Employer of Record, accountable for every stage of the immigration and employment process.

Key responsibilities include:

• Sponsorship Accountability
  The sponsoring employer must provide all required documentation, including employment contracts, proof of business need, salary details, and statutory undertakings. Incomplete or inconsistent submissions are a leading cause of delay or refusal.
• Statutory Registrations
  Employers must ensure all foreign employees are properly registered with Indian tax, social security, and immigration authorities—before the start of work. Delays or errors here can lead to compliance breaches and fines.
• Payroll and Withholding
  Foreign staff must be paid through fully compliant payroll structures, with the correct tax withholding, Provident Fund contributions (if applicable), and benefits administration. Payment through overseas accounts or off-books arrangements exposes both employer and assignee to serious risk.
• Ongoing Monitoring and Renewals
  Employers are responsible for tracking visa and work permit expiry dates, managing renewals, and notifying authorities of any change in employment status, assignment location, or job role.
• Audit-Ready Documentation
  All employment, payroll, and immigration documents must be maintained and made available for inspection. Indian authorities are increasingly conducting both routine and spot audits, including on digital submissions.
• Exit and Repatriation Compliance
  On completion or early termination of assignment, the employer must manage compliant offboarding, tax reporting, visa cancellation, and exit notifications to avoid future sanctions.

Non-compliance at any stage can result in business disruption, financial penalties, or a bar on future immigration sponsorships. For companies without in-country experience or infrastructure, professional immigration support, or a Global Employer of Record, is essential to maintain control and reduce risk.

Employer of Record in India: Integrated Global Mobility Solutions with Acumen International

For employers without a local entity in India, Acumen International delivers a fully integrated solution, combining compliant employment, payroll, and end-to-end immigration support under one accountable partner.

How Acumen International supports your immigration and employment needs in India:

• Work Permit and Visa Sponsorship
  Acumen International acts as the official sponsor for employment visas and work permits, managing all required documentation, submissions, and government liaison on your behalf.
• Legal Employment Structure
  By employing foreign assignees directly under Indian law, Acumen International ensures that all immigration processes align with compliant contracts, payroll registrations, and statutory benefits, eliminating the gaps that often result in visa delays or rejections.
• Dependent and Family Visas
  Acumen International can sponsor and process dependent visas for eligible family members, coordinating the process for a unified, compliant outcome.
• Renewals and Ongoing Compliance
  All visa renewals, extensions, and status changes are proactively managed by Acumen International, preventing lapses in legal status and ensuring uninterrupted assignments.
• Audit, Exit, and Repatriation
  Acumen International maintains audit-ready employment and immigration records, managing compliant offboarding, visa cancellation, and exit filings at the end of each assignment.
• Unified Point of Contact
  Employers and assignees benefit from a single, responsive team at Acumen International for all employment and immigration queries, ensuring consistent accountability and operational support throughout the assignment.

With Acumen International as your Employer of Record in India, you can deploy both local and foreign talent efficiently, compliantly, and with full operational confidence, no matter the scale or complexity of your requirements.