If you're applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa — or you're an employer thinking about sponsoring someone — one of the first questions is always: how much does it actually cost? The answer is not straightforward, because the costs are split between the employer and the employee, and the total depends on the visa length, employer size, and where you're applying from.
This guide breaks down every fee involved in UK visa sponsorship as of April 2026, with realistic totals so you know exactly what to budget. Whether you're a worker planning your finances or an employer costing a hire, every figure here is current and verified.
💡 Who pays what?
The costs of UK visa sponsorship are split between the employer and the employee. Some fees are mandatory for the employer by law — they cannot pass these costs on to you. Other fees (like the visa application itself and the health surcharge) are paid by the applicant. Since 31 December 2024, employers are banned from recovering any of their sponsorship costs from workers.
2. Employer costs breakdown
Before an employer can sponsor anyone, they need a sponsor licence. Once they have one, each individual hire triggers additional fees. Here's what the employer pays — none of which can be charged back to the worker.
| Fee | Small / charitable sponsor | Medium / large sponsor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor licence | £611 | £1,682 | One-off fee, valid for 4 years |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) | £525 | £525 | Per worker, per visa application |
| Immigration Skills Charge (3-year visa) | £1,440 | £3,960 | £480/yr (small) or £1,320/yr (large) |
| Immigration Skills Charge (5-year visa) | £2,400 | £6,600 | £480/yr (small) or £1,320/yr (large) |
Understanding each employer fee
- •Sponsor licence: This is a one-off cost to become a licensed sponsor. It lasts 4 years before renewal. Small or charitable organisations pay £611; medium and large employers pay £1,682. You only pay this once — it covers all the workers you sponsor during the licence period.
- •Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Every individual worker needs a CoS — it is the formal record that the employer is sponsoring them. This costs £525 per worker, per visa application. If the worker extends or switches employer, a new CoS is needed.
- •Immigration Skills Charge (ISC): This is the biggest employer cost. It is charged per worker based on the visa duration. Small or charitable sponsors pay £480 per year (£240 per additional 6 months). Medium or large sponsors pay £1,320 per year (£660 per additional 6 months). The ISC is non-refundable, even if the worker leaves early.
⚠️ Employers cannot pass these costs to workers
Since 31 December 2024, it is illegal for UK employers to recover sponsorship costs from workers. This includes the sponsor licence fee, CoS fee, and Immigration Skills Charge. Any contract clause requiring a worker to repay these costs is unenforceable. If an employer asks you to pay or reimburse any of these fees, that is a serious red flag.
3. Employee costs breakdown
As the applicant, you pay for the visa application itself, the health surcharge, and a few smaller fees. These are your responsibility — your employer cannot pay them on your behalf (though some choose to as a benefit).
| Fee | Up to 3 years | Over 3 years (up to 5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa application (from outside UK) | £819 | £1,618 | Paid online when you apply |
| Visa application (from inside UK) | £943 | £1,865 | Higher fee for in-country switching |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | £3,105 | £5,175 | £1,035 per year of visa |
| Priority processing (optional) | £500 | £500 | 5 working days — optional |
| Super priority processing (optional) | £1,000 | £1,000 | Next working day — optional |
| English test (IELTS UKVI) | ~£200 | ~£200 | One-off — may already have this |
| Biometrics appointment | £19.20 | £19.20 | Fingerprints and photo |
| TB test (if required) | £50–£150 | £50–£150 | Varies by country |
Key details on employee fees
- •Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): This is usually the biggest single cost for applicants. At £1,035 per year, a 3-year visa costs £3,105 and a 5-year visa costs £5,175. You pay the full amount upfront when you submit your visa application. The IHS gives you access to the NHS on the same basis as a UK resident.
- •Visa application fee: The fee depends on whether you are applying from outside the UK or switching from inside the UK, and on the visa length. Applying from outside the UK is slightly cheaper.
- •English language test: You need at least a B2 level in English (raised from B1 in January 2026). The IELTS UKVI test costs around £200. If you have a degree taught in English from a majority English-speaking country, you may be exempt.
- •Priority processing: Standard processing takes around 3 weeks from outside the UK or 8 weeks from inside. You can pay £500 for a 5-day decision or £1,000 for a next-day decision. These are optional — useful if you have a start date to meet.
💡 Some employers cover employee fees too
While employers are not legally required to pay for the visa application fee or IHS, many do — especially large companies, NHS trusts, and tech firms trying to attract international talent. This is a significant benefit worth asking about during offer negotiations. It can save you thousands of pounds.
4. Total cost: realistic examples
Here's what the total cost looks like for a single applicant applying from outside the UK. These examples include all mandatory fees (no priority processing). The employer already has a sponsor licence.
| Cost item | 3-year visa (small employer) | 3-year visa (large employer) | 5-year visa (small employer) | 5-year visa (large employer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoS fee (employer) | £525 | £525 | £525 | £525 |
| ISC (employer) | £1,440 | £3,960 | £2,400 | £6,600 |
| Sponsor licence (employer, amortised) | £611 | £1,682 | £611 | £1,682 |
| Employer total | £2,576 | £6,167 | £3,536 | £8,807 |
| Visa application (employee) | £819 | £819 | £1,618 | £1,618 |
| IHS (employee) | £3,105 | £3,105 | £5,175 | £5,175 |
| Biometrics + English test (employee) | £219 | £219 | £219 | £219 |
| Employee total | £4,143 | £4,143 | £7,012 | £7,012 |
| Combined total | ~£6,719 | ~£10,310 | ~£10,548 | ~£15,819 |
⚠️ These totals exclude optional costs
The figures above do not include priority processing (£500–£1,000), TB test fees (£50–£150), or the cost of bringing dependants. Each dependant adds their own visa application fee and IHS. For a family of three on a 5-year visa, the employee-side costs alone can exceed £20,000.
5. The employer cost recovery ban — what it means for you
Before 31 December 2024, some employers included clauses in contracts requiring workers to repay sponsorship costs if they left within a certain period — sometimes tens of thousands of pounds. This practice has now been banned.
The ban means employers cannot charge, deduct, or recover any of the following costs from sponsored workers:
✅ What to do if an employer tries to charge you
If an employer asks you to pay for their sponsorship costs — either upfront or through salary deductions — do not agree. This is a breach of the rules. Report it to the Home Office or seek advice from a regulated immigration adviser. Any contract clause requiring you to repay these costs is unenforceable, even if you signed it.
6. Key fee changes in 2025–2026
UK visa fees have changed significantly over the past 18 months. Here is a timeline of the major changes that affect what you pay today.
| Date | Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2024 | Employer cost recovery ban takes effect | Employers can no longer pass sponsorship costs to workers — contract clauses requiring repayment are unenforceable |
| 16 Dec 2025 | Immigration Skills Charge increased by 32% | Small sponsor: £364→£480/yr. Large sponsor: £1,000→£1,320/yr. Significantly increases employer costs per hire |
| 8 Jan 2026 | English language requirement raised to B2 | Applicants now need B2 (upper-intermediate) instead of B1. Some applicants may need to retake their English test |
| April 2026 | Visa application fees increased ~6.5% | All Skilled Worker visa application fees went up. Outside UK fee: £819 (up to 3 yrs), £1,618 (over 3 yrs) |
| April 2026 | Certificate of Sponsorship fee more than doubled | CoS fee rose from £239 to £525 per worker — a 120% increase that hits employers on every new hire |
| Unchanged | Immigration Health Surcharge stays at £1,035/year | No change — the IHS was last increased in February 2024 and remains at £1,035 per year |
💡 Fees are reviewed regularly
The Home Office typically adjusts visa fees in April each year, and the IHS and ISC can change at any time. Always check the official GOV.UK fees page before you apply. The figures in this guide are accurate as of April 2026, but they may increase again in future.
7. Settlement (ILR) costs — the final step
After 5 years on the Skilled Worker visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — also called settlement. This gives you permanent residence in the UK. There are additional fees for this final step.
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ILR application fee | £3,226 | Per person — dependants pay separately |
| Life in the UK test | £50 | One-off — must pass before applying |
| Biometrics appointment | £19.20 | Fingerprints and photo |
| Total | ~£3,295 | Per person, excluding any legal advice |
Once you have ILR, you no longer need a visa or sponsorship to work in the UK. You can work for any employer, change jobs freely, and access public funds. After 12 months with ILR, you can apply for British citizenship if you wish (that has its own separate fees).
✅ No more IHS after ILR
One of the biggest benefits of ILR is that you stop paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. Over a 5-year visa, the IHS alone costs £5,175 — so reaching settlement saves you this recurring expense permanently.
8. How to reduce your costs
You can't avoid the mandatory government fees, but there are practical ways to reduce the total amount you spend on the visa process.
Many employers — especially large corporates, NHS trusts, and tech companies — will cover your visa application fee and IHS as part of your relocation package. Always ask during offer negotiations. This alone can save you £4,000–£7,000.
A 3-year visa costs significantly less upfront than a 5-year visa (around £4,143 vs £7,012 for the employee). You can extend for 2 more years later. The downside is paying two sets of application fees, but it spreads the cost and gives you time to save.
Priority (£500) and super priority (£1,000) are useful if you have a firm start date, but standard processing works fine for most applicants. Don't pay for speed you don't need.
If you have a degree taught in English from a majority English-speaking country (UK, USA, Australia, Canada, etc.), you may be exempt from the English language test. This saves around £200 and the time of booking and sitting the exam.
Employers who already hold a sponsor licence and sponsor workers frequently have smoother, faster processes — and are more likely to cover your fees. First-time sponsors may be less willing to absorb costs and more prone to delays.
If you leave the UK before your visa expires, you can claim a partial refund of the IHS for the unused months. This is often overlooked — apply via the GOV.UK refund form.
9. Final summary
UK visa sponsorship is a significant financial commitment — for both the employer and the applicant. As an employee, expect to pay at least £4,143 for a 3-year visa or £7,012 for a 5-year visa, covering your application fee, IHS, English test, and biometrics. The employer's costs range from around £2,576 (small employer, 3-year visa) to £8,807 (large employer, 5-year visa).
The good news: employers can no longer pass their costs on to you. The cost recovery ban means you only need to budget for the employee-side fees. And if you negotiate well, your employer may cover those too.
Plan your finances early, understand which fees are yours and which are the employer's, and always check the latest figures on GOV.UK before you apply. Fees go up regularly — the April 2026 increases won't be the last.
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