Certificate of Sponsorship Fees for Employers
Sponsoring a worker in the UK involves several fees beyond the Certificate of Sponsorship itself. This guide breaks down every cost an employer faces when sponsoring a worker, from the licence fee to the Immigration Skills Charge and beyond.
- Section
- Employers & Sponsors
- Reading time
- 8 min
- Last checked
- 2 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- The Certificate of Sponsorship fee is £525, but total sponsorship costs are much higher.
- The Immigration Skills Charge is £480 or £1,320 for the first 12 months, then £240 or £660 for each further 6 months, and cannot be passed to the worker.
- A sponsor licence costs £611 to £1,682, paid once — licences no longer expire or need renewing.
- Since 31 December 2024 the licence fee and the Certificate of Sponsorship fee cannot be passed to a Skilled Worker either.
- Budget for the full cost before committing to sponsor a worker.
The total cost of sponsoring a worker includes the sponsor licence fee (£611 to £1,682), the Certificate of Sponsorship fee (£525), the Immigration Skills Charge (£480 or £1,320 for the first 12 months, then £240 or £660 per further 6 months), and potentially the worker's visa fee and health surcharge. This guide provides a complete cost breakdown.
Complete Cost Breakdown
Sponsoring a worker in the UK involves several different fees. Here is the complete breakdown for 2026:
1. Sponsor Licence Fee (One-Off)
Before you can sponsor any workers, you need a sponsor licence:
- Small or charitable sponsors: £611
- Medium and large sponsors: £1,682
Paid once. The requirement to renew a licence every 4 years was removed on 6 April 2024, so there is no expiry date and no renewal fee. See sponsor licence renewal.
2. Certificate of Sponsorship Fee
- £525 per certificate assigned on a Worker licence
3. Immigration Skills Charge
The charge is not a flat yearly amount. It is charged for the first 12 months, then in 6-month blocks:
- Medium and large employers: £1,320 for the first 12 months, then £660 for each further 6 months
- Small or charitable employers: £480 for the first 12 months, then £240 for each further 6 months
Paid upfront for the full sponsorship period. Part of it can be refunded if the worker is granted less time than was paid for, moves to another sponsor, or leaves before the end date on the certificate — the Home Office normally refunds within 90 days of being told.
4. Worker's Visa Application Fee
The worker pays this, but many employers cover it as part of their recruitment package. Fees vary by visa duration and whether the application is from inside or outside the UK.
5. Immigration Health Surcharge
£1,035 per year per worker (exempt for health and care workers). Paid by the worker but sometimes covered by the employer.
Example: Total Cost for a 5-Year Sponsorship
For a large employer sponsoring one worker for 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa:
- Sponsor licence (if new): £1,682
- Certificate of Sponsorship fee: £525
- Immigration Skills Charge: £6,600 (£1,320 for the first 12 months, then £660 for each of the 8 further 6-month blocks)
- Total employer costs: £8,807
A small or charitable employer sponsoring the same worker for 5 years would pay £611 for the licence, £525 for the certificate and £2,400 for the Immigration Skills Charge (£480 then £240 eight times): £3,536 in total.
Neither figure includes any visa fee or immigration health surcharge the employer chooses to cover for the worker.
Which Costs Can Be Passed to the Worker?
The Immigration Skills Charge must be paid by the employer. It cannot be passed to the worker directly or indirectly.
Since 31 December 2024 the same applies to the sponsor licence fee, the administrative costs of applying for the licence, and the Certificate of Sponsorship fee, where the worker is a Skilled Worker. GOV.UK states that a licence may be revoked if a sponsor asks the sponsored worker to pay the fee or any costs linked to the licence application.
The visa application fee and immigration health surcharge are technically the worker's responsibility, but many employers cover them as part of their offer. This is a commercial decision.
For More Information
See our guides on assigning a CoS, employer responsibilities, and sponsor duties for the complete picture of what sponsorship involves.
For information on hiring EU nationals, see our guide on employing EU nationals after Brexit.
Further Resources
See the latest fees at GOV.UK. See also our guides on civil penalties, curtailment, right to work, and the 60-day rule.
You may also find our UK Visa Fees: Complete Guide andHome Office Contact Guide helpful.
Questions and answers
How much does a Certificate of Sponsorship cost?
A Certificate of Sponsorship costs £525 per certificate on a Worker licence, which covers the Skilled Worker visa. A certificate on a Temporary Worker licence costs £55. The total cost of sponsoring a worker is much higher when you include the sponsor licence fee, Immigration Skills Charge, and the worker's visa application fee (which employers sometimes cover).
What is the Immigration Skills Charge?
The Immigration Skills Charge is a charge paid by employers when sponsoring workers on Skilled Worker visas. It is not a flat yearly amount: a medium or large employer pays £1,320 for the first 12 months and £660 for each further 6 months, and a small or charitable employer pays £480 then £240. It is paid upfront for the full duration of the sponsorship.
How much does a sponsor licence cost?
A sponsor licence costs £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium and large sponsors. Since 6 April 2024 a licence does not expire and does not need renewing, so this is a genuine one-off cost that covers every worker sponsored under it.
Can the employer pass sponsorship costs to the worker?
No, not the main ones. The Immigration Skills Charge must be paid by the employer. Since 31 December 2024 the sponsor licence fee, the administrative costs of the licence application and the Certificate of Sponsorship fee also cannot be passed to a Skilled Worker. The visa application fee and the immigration health surcharge can be paid by either party, depending on the arrangement between employer and worker.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.