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If your company is going to sponsor someone, you should know how much the skilled worker visa will cost so you can plan accordingly. When you hire a skilled worker every time after that, you’ll have to pay a number of fees.
When a company sponsors a worker on a skilled worker (formerly Tier 2) visa, this article lists the fees that the employer can expect to pay.
Cost of Sponsorship Licence Application to Hire Skilled Worker
For most work visa routes, UK employers who want to hire non-UK residents must have a current sponsor licence. Being a sponsor licence holder comes with costs for companies. These costs need to be planned for in their budgets for hiring new people and keeping current employees.
The Home Office has a skilled worker visa application fee structure for applications for funding licences.
Charities and Small Businesses Sponsor Licences
The group must pay the £536 small company application fee if it is a charity or qualifies under the Companies Act. Additionally, the Companies Act says that a business is a small one if two of the following are true:
- The business can’t make more than £10.2 million a year.
- The company can’t have more than £5.1 million in its bank account.
- No more than 50 people can work there.
Sponsor Licence for a Large Business
Large businesses will have to pay a fee of £1,476 if they fail to meet the criteria.
Skilled Worker Visa Application Fee
Here is a complete list of UK skilled worker visa fees set by the Home Office:
| Visa Type | Cost |
| Premium Service for Sponsors (12 months) Worker sponsor and temporary worker sponsor—big sponsors | £25,000 |
| Premium Service for Sponsors (12 months) Temporary worker sponsor and Worker sponsor – small sponsors | £8,000 |
| Service for Premium Sponsors (12 months) Student Sponsors | £8,000 |
| A worker sponsor or temporary worker sponsor can ask for their sponsorship management request to be processed more quickly. | £200 |
| Priority service for faster handling of applications for sponsor licences | £500 |
| Temporary Worker sponsor licence and Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,476 |
| licence to sponsor a skilled worker (small sponsor) | £536 |
| Large sponsor licence for worker and temporary worker | £1,476 |
| Worker and student sponsor licence (Large Sponsor) | £1,476 |
| Licence to support a worker, a temporary worker, or a student (large sponsor) | £1,476 |
| Sponsor licence for workers (large sponsor), if the sponsor already has a licence for temporary workers and/or students | £940 |
Fees for Certificate of Sponsorship
Sponsors will need to pay for both the licence application and a Certificate of Sponsorship for each person they hire.
The Certificate of Sponsorship is an important document that skilled worker visa candidates must have to submit their application.
It costs £239 to give each Certificate of Sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa. To hire a sponsored person, you will have to pay this fee every time.
Immigration Skills Charge
When employers receive the Certificate of Sponsorship, they also need to pay the Immigration Skills Charge. This is an annual fee that all sponsors must pay for each worker they support.
Additionally, it costs £1000 a year for each skilled worker supported by a company to pay the Immigration Skills Charge. Small businesses and charities pay a lower rate of £364 per year.
The sponsor, not the worker, must pay the fee.
There are some exceptions for PhD-level jobs in science and research, as well as UK graduates switching from a Tier 4 visa. Additionally, exceptions apply to people moving within their company to obtain a graduate trainee visa.
Application Fees for Skilled Worker Visa
The cost of applying for a skilled worker visa varies depending on the application location: within the UK or abroad.
| Apply Outside the UK | Fee |
| Skilled worker with a sponsorship certificate that has been valid for three years or less; the main application and any dependents | £719 |
| A skilled worker in a shortage job with a sponsorship certificate that has been valid for three years or less—the main candidate and any dependents | £551 |
| Skilled Worker with a sponsorship certificate that has been valid for more than three years—main candidate and any dependents | £1,420 |
| To be a skilled worker, you must have a job on the Immigration Salary List and a certificate of sponsorship that is valid for no more than three years. The main applicant and any dependents must have a certificate of sponsorship that was given on or after April 4, 2025. | £551 |
| Skilled worker (primary applicant and their dependents) in a shortage occupation for which a sponsorship certificate has been obtained for more than three years | £1,084 |
| A skilled worker is someone who has a job on the Immigration Salary List and has had a certificate of sponsorship for more than three years. The main applicant and any dependents must have an application with a certificate of sponsorship given on or after April 4, 2025. | £1,084 |
| Skilled Worker Health and Care Visa—main applicant and those living with them—if the certificate of sponsorship has been valid for three years or less | £284 |
| Healthcare and Skilled Worker Visas for people with proof of sponsorship that is more than three years old. This visa is for the main applicant and any dependents. | £551 |
| As a skilled worker in a shortage occupation, you can get a health and care visa if your certificate of sponsorship has been valid for three years or less. This is for the main application and any dependents. | £284 |
| A skilled worker with a job on the Immigration Salary List can apply for a health and care visa as long as the certificate of sponsorship has been valid for at least three years. The main applicant and any dependents must have a certificate of sponsorship granted on or after April 4, 2025. | £284 |
| The main candidate and any dependents can get a skilled worker, shortage occupation, health care, or care visa if they have had a certificate of sponsorship for more than three years. | £551 |
| A skilled worker with a job on the Immigration Salary List can apply for a health and care visa if they have had a certificate of sponsorship for more than three years. The main applicant and any dependents must have a certificate of sponsorship that was granted on or after April 4, 2025. | £551 |
Inside the UK
| Apply Inside the UK | Fee |
| Skilled Worker with a sponsorship certificate that has been valid for three years or less; the main application and any dependents | £827 |
| Skilled Worker with a sponsorship certificate that has been valid for more than three years—main candidate and any dependents | £1,636 |
| Skilled worker in a shortage job with a sponsorship certificate that has been valid for three years or less—main candidate and any dependents | £551 |
| Skilled Worker: A job on the Immigration Salary List with a certificate of sponsorship that is less than three years old; the main applicant and any dependents for applications made with a certificate of sponsorship given on or after April 4, 2025. | £551 |
| Skilled worker in a shortage job for which a certificate of support has been valid for more than three years; the main applicant and any dependents | £1,084 |
| A skilled worker is someone who has a job on the Immigration Salary List and has had a certificate of sponsorship for more than three years. The main applicant and any dependents must have an application with a certificate of sponsorship given on or after April 4, 2025. | £1,084 |
| Skilled Worker Health and Care Visa—main applicant and those living with them—if the certificate of support has been valid for three years or less | £284 |
| Skilled Worker Health and Care Visa: main applicant and dependents can get this visa if they have had proof of sponsorship for more than three years. | £551 |
| As a skilled worker in a shortage occupation, you can get a health and care visa if your certificate of sponsorship has been valid for three years or less. This is for the main application and any dependents. | £284 |
| A skilled worker visa is for people with a job on the Immigration Salary List. A health and care visa is for people with a certificate of sponsorship that has been valid for three years or less. The main applicant and any dependents must have an application with a certificate of sponsorship that was given on or after April 4, 2025. | £284 |
| The main candidate and any dependents can get a skilled worker, shortage occupation, health care, or care visa if they have had a certificate of sponsorship for more than three years. | £551 |
| For skilled workers with jobs listed on the Immigration Salary List, individuals seeking a health and care visa and whose sponsorship certificates are more than three years old (primary applicant and any dependents) for applications made with sponsorship certificates issued on or after 4 April 2025 | £551 |
Immigration Health Surcharge
Most people who want to get a UK visa have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. The National Health Service (NHS) is accessible to visa holders at no additional cost. Though some services may still require payment.
The immigration health surcharge is £1,035 for each main application for each year of leave. Applicants who are students or children can get a discount on the IHS rate of £776.
Anyone who depends on the main candidate has to pay the same rate.
The fee is paid in full when the visa application is made.
People with visas must have paid enough IHS to cover their stay in the UK. The IHS amount due depends on the duration of the granted leave. For instance, at the present rate, a single application will have to pay 5 x £1,035 = £5,175 for a five-year visa that lasts for the whole time of the visa.
For periods shorter than six months in a year, the applicant pays half of the normal annual rate. This rate applies specifically for that shorter duration.
If the application covers more than six months of a year, the full year must be paid for.
Premium & Fast-Tracked Services
Under the Sponsor Licence Application Priority Service, people can pay an extra £500 to have their application processed more quickly. They can expect to receive a result within 10 working days. Businesses that have found a suitable applicant often use this service. They want to move quickly through the hiring and onboarding processes.
People seeking visas or settlements may pay for priority or super-priority services to expedite the process.
The normal time it takes to process visas varies by country, service place, and type of visa being applied for. Most of the time, applications take between a few weeks and a few months.
The immigration office may offer priority services for an additional fee. This service is available for visa applicants with job offers who need to reach the UK quickly.
| Premium services for applications outside of the UK | Fees |
| Faster visa service for people who are not moving | £500 |
| Super fast visa service | £1,000 |
| User-pay visa application centre | £76.50 |
| Email Service for the International Contact Centre (per question) | £2.74 |
| Helpline for the International Contact Centre (per minute) | £0.69 |
Applications from inside the UK
| Category for applications from inside the UK | Fees |
| Super Priority Service | £1,000 |
| Priority service for quick processing | £500 |
| Mobile biometric enrollment is an on-demand service that costs money per hour per representative of the company offering the service. | £650 |
| Giving an immigration officer to a government department to do any high-level work related to entering or passing through the UK | £57.33 |
| Having an immigration officer provide any premium service for entering or passing through the UK | £77.40 |
| Help and checks on premium status – Administrative Officer (per minute) | £0.80 |
| High-level status checks, advice, or training – Executive Officer (during business hours) (per minute) | £0.88 |
| Extra checks on your position, advice, or training – Executive Officer (after hours) (per minute) | £1.10 |
| High-level status checks, advice, or training – Higher Executive Officer (during business hours) (per minute) | £0.97 |
| A higher-level executive can get premium status checks, advice, or training outside of work hours (per minute). | £1.23 |
Premium Sponsor Scheme
Sponsors with an A-rated licence and a history of following the rules can join the premium sponsor plan. If you pay extra, you receive an “enhanced level of support” through a personal account manager. This manager provides you with personalized help and advice.
| Application Category | Fee |
| Service for Premium Sponsors (12 months) Worker sponsor and temporary worker sponsor—large sponsors | £25,000 |
| Service for Premium Sponsors (12 months) Small sponsors for worker sponsors and temporary worker sponsors | £8,000 |
| Premium Service for Sponsors (12 months) Sponsors for students | £8,000 |
| A worker sponsor or temporary worker sponsor can ask for their sponsorship management request to be processed more quickly. | £200 |
| Priority service for faster handling of applications for sponsor licences | £500 |
Sponsor Action Plan
The Home Office can take enforcement action against a sponsor if they say they have not met their compliance tasks. There is a need for an action plan for early-stage penalties. Moreover, it will cost £1,476 for the sponsor.
Conclusion
We are expert UK immigration lawyers. Additionally, we have a lot of experience and a good reputation. We help businesses understand the sponsorship system and hire talented people from other countries.
With expertise in sponsorship processes, we provide honest assessments of skilled worker visa costs. Get in touch with us if you need expert immigration help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What does it cost to sponsor a UK visa?
Ans. A sponsor must pay £239 to get a Certificate of Sponsorship. This is true for the Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker routes. When given the COS, you will also need to pay the £1000 Immigration Skills Charge.
Q2: How much does it cost to become a sponsor?
Ans. To sponsor a skilled worker visa, the company will need to pay several fees. These include the fee to apply for a sponsor licence. Also, the fee to give the worker a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Q3: Can you hire immigrant workers without sponsoring them?
Ans. Migrant workers in the UK need work permits. Most of the points-based work visa routes need to be sponsored by a licenced company. However, the Global Talent route is one example of an immigration route. It does not need sponsorship but does have other eligibility requirements.
