The Short Answer
An India Employment Visa is employer-specific — it authorises you to work for the sponsoring employer named in your application, not to work in India generally. If you want to move to a different company, the standard route is to obtain a fresh Employment Visa sponsored by the new employer, applied for from your home country. There is one narrow exception: transfers within the same corporate group, which require prior approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Anything else — quietly starting with a new employer on your existing visa — is a violation of your visa conditions.
Why the Visa Is Tied to Your Employer
The Employment Visa is granted on the strength of a specific sponsorship: the Indian entity's registration, the role, and the salary package all belong to that application. Change the employer and every one of those foundations changes — which is why the system requires a fresh assessment rather than a simple update.
Under the 2026 category structure, this also interacts with which category you hold: E-1 (most direct employment) and E-2 (specific intra-company transfer cases) carry different sponsor documentation.
Route 1 — The Standard Path: A Fresh Visa
If you are moving to an unrelated company:
- The new employer sponsors a new Employment Visa application — with the role, contract and salary package meeting the current threshold
- Your existing visa is dealt with properly — the old employment ends cleanly, and departure formalities are completed
- You generally apply from your home country through the Indian mission there — not from inside India
- On return, FRRO registration is completed afresh for the new employment
Plan the gap realistically: resignation, exit, fresh application, and re-entry take time, and starting work for the new employer before the new visa exists is the exact violation to avoid.
Route 2 — The Narrow Exception: Intra-Group Transfers
A change of employer between registered entities of the same corporate group — for example, from one subsidiary to another, or into a joint venture — may be permitted without leaving India, but only with prior MHA approval. Key points:
- Approval must be obtained before the change, not regularised after
- The application is documentation-heavy: both entities' registrations, the group relationship, the new role and salary evidence
- Processing typically takes several weeks — build it into the transfer timeline
- The salary threshold must still be met in the new role
If your "group transfer" is actually a move to a loosely-affiliated partner company, treat it as Route 1 — stretching the definition is how applications fail.
What Happens If You Just Switch Anyway
Working for an employer other than the one your visa names — even briefly, even during a notice period — is a breach of visa conditions. Depending on the case, consequences can include visa cancellation, penalties, difficulties at extension or exit, and a compliance record that follows your future applications. If you are already in this situation, stop compounding it and take advice — the earlier, the more options you have.
For the official framework, see the MHA's work-visa FAQ (PDF).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change jobs in India without leaving the country?
Only in the narrow intra-group case (same corporate group, prior MHA approval). For a move to an unrelated employer, the standard route is a fresh Employment Visa sponsored by the new employer, applied for from your home country.
How long does MHA approval for an intra-group transfer take?
Typically several weeks, and it must be secured before the change of employer takes effect — factor it into the transfer plan rather than treating it as a formality.
Can I serve my notice period with my old employer while the new visa is processed?
Your existing visa covers your existing employment — finishing your notice with the sponsoring employer is consistent with it. What you cannot do is begin working for the new employer before the new visa (or MHA approval, in group cases) exists.
Does my new employer have to meet the salary threshold again?
Yes. The fresh application (or MHA approval) is assessed on the new role's package, so the ₹16.25 lakh threshold — or the relevant reduced/exempt category — must be satisfied again.
Disclaimer
India Visa Experts is an independent private consulting firm, not affiliated with the Government of India or the MHA. Employer-change rules, approval routes and processing times are set by the authorities, vary by case, and change over time — verified against official and reputable professional sources in July 2026. This article is general guidance only and not legal advice; take advice on your specific situation before acting.