Skilled Worker Visa Fees: What You and the Employer Pay

Who Pays What?

The costs of a Skilled Worker visa (see the official GOV.UK Skilled Worker page) are split between the worker and the employer. Understanding who pays what is important for both parties.

The worker typically pays:

• The visa application fee.
• The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
• English language test fees (if needed).
• Biometric fees (if applicable).

The employer must pay:

• The sponsor licence fee.
• The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee.
• The Immigration Skills Charge.

In practice, many employers choose to cover some or all of the worker's costs as well, especially when recruiting for hard-to-fill roles. This is a matter for negotiation between the worker and employer.

Visa Application Fee

The Skilled Worker visa application fee depends on the length of the visa, where you apply from, and whether the job is on the Immigration Salary List. Applying from outside the UK:

• Up to 3 years: £819
• More than 3 years: £1,618

Applying from inside the UK — to extend, switch route, or update your visa — costs more:

• Up to 3 years: £943
• More than 3 years: £1,865

If the job is on the Immigration Salary List the fee is £628 for up to 3 years and £1,235 for more than 3 years, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK.

Health and Care Worker visa applicants pay reduced fees:

• Up to 3 years (Health and Care Worker): £324
• More than 3 years (Health and Care Worker): £628

These fees are paid when you submit your application, either online or at a visa application centre. They are non-refundable. Check the current fee schedule on GOV.UK for the latest figures.

Immigration Health Surcharge

The IHS is £1,035 per year for Skilled Worker visa holders. This must be paid upfront for the entire visa duration.

• 3-year visa: £3,105
• 5-year visa: £5,175

The IHS gives you access to the NHS on the same basis as a UK resident. It is refunded in full if your application is refused or withdrawn before a decision, and in part if you are granted less time than you asked for. It is not refunded if you leave the UK before your visa ends.

Employer Costs

Sponsor Licence: £611 or £1,682

Before an employer can sponsor a Skilled Worker, they must hold a valid sponsor licence. The licence costs:

• Small or charitable sponsors: £611
• Medium or large sponsors: £1,682

Since 6 April 2024 a sponsor licence no longer needs renewing. Once granted, it stays valid until the employer gives it up or the Home Office revokes it, and it covers every worker the employer sponsors.

Certificate of Sponsorship: £525

The employer must assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to each worker they sponsor. Each CoS costs £525. This is a mandatory fee that must be paid by the employer (it cannot legally be passed on to the worker).

Immigration Skills Charge: £480 or £1,320 per year

The employer must also pay the Immigration Skills Charge:

• Small or charitable sponsors: £480 per year
• Medium or large sponsors: £1,320 per year

For a 3-year visa, this means the employer pays £1,440 (small) or £3,960 (medium/large) in Immigration Skills Charges alone. This charge is designed to fund training for UK workers.

Total Cost Examples

Example 1: Standard 3-Year Visa

• Application fee: £819
• IHS (3 years): £3,105
• English test: no published price
• Worker total: ~£4,100

• CoS: £525
• Immigration Skills Charge (3 years, large employer): £3,960
• Employer total: ~£4,485

Combined total: ~£8,585

Example 2: 5-Year Visa

• Application fee: £1,618
• IHS (5 years): £5,175
• English test: no published price
• Worker total: ~£6,970

• CoS: £525
• Immigration Skills Charge (5 years, small employer): £2,400
• Employer total: ~£2,925

Combined total: ~£9,895

Extension and ILR Costs

If you extend your Skilled Worker visa, you pay the application fee and IHS again for the new period. You also need a new CoS from your employer.

After 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa, you can apply for ILR (£3,226). The employer does not need to pay the Immigration Skills Charge for the ILR application.

The full journey from Skilled Worker visa to British citizenship costs the worker at least £11,858 in government fees over 6 or more years on a 5-year visa: £1,618 for the visa, £5,175 health surcharge, £3,226 for settlement and £1,839 for citizenship. Extending a shorter visa, or adding dependants, costs more.

For the salary requirements alongside these costs, see our Skilled Worker salary threshold guide and our Skilled Worker requirements guide.

For a broader view of all UK visa costs, see our UK visa fees guide and hidden costs of immigration guide. You can also review the Immigration Health Surcharge details.

Questions and answers