Skilled Worker Visa Fees & Sponsor Costs 2026

Section A: Skilled Worker Visa Fees in 2026

The Home Office Skilled Worker visa application fee varies, depending on whether the application is made from outside the UK (entry clearance) or from inside the UK (permission to stay). The fee also changes depending on whether the Certificate of Sponsorship has been assigned for three years or less, or for more than three years.

The application fee is payable per applicant. Where dependants apply at the same time, each dependant pays the same application fee as the main applicant for the same length and category. The tables below show the per-person application fee that applies to the main applicant and to each dependant included in the application.

These application fees cover the Home Office processing charge for the visa application itself. They do not include the Immigration Health Surcharge, any priority processing fee, biometric enrolment or sponsor-side fees such as the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and the Immigration Skills Charge, which are dealt with in later sections.

Section B: Additional Costs for the Skilled Worker Visa Applications

In addition to the Skilled Worker visa application fee, most applicants will incur further mandatory and optional costs as part of the application process. These costs sit alongside, rather than within, the visa application fee and can significantly increase the total amount payable. From a budgeting perspective, it is important to separate applicant-paid costs from sponsor-paid costs and to understand which charges apply automatically and which are optional.

The key additional costs for applicants are the Immigration Health Surcharge and, where chosen and available, priority processing services. These costs are payable directly to the Home Office or its commercial partners at the point of application submission.

1. Immigration Health Surcharge

The Immigration Health Surcharge is payable by most Skilled Worker visa applicants and their dependants and provides access to the UK’s National Health Service during the period of leave granted. Although the surcharge allows access to NHS treatment, certain services, such as prescriptions, dental care and eye tests, may still attract separate charges if used.

As at today, the Immigration Health Surcharge is charged at a standard rate of £1,035 per person for each year of leave granted. A reduced annual rate of £776 applies to students, student dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and children under the age of 18. The surcharge is paid in full upfront when the visa application is submitted and is calculated based on the total period of leave granted rather than the length of employment stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

Health and Care Visa applicants are treated differently. Individuals applying under the Health and Care Visa route, and their eligible dependants, are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. This exemption applies only where the application is made under the Health and Care Visa classification and does not extend to Skilled Worker applications outside that route.

The total Immigration Health Surcharge payable depends on the length of leave granted. For example, at the current standard rate, a Skilled Worker visa granted for five years results in an Immigration Health Surcharge of £5,175 for a single adult applicant. Where dependants apply, the same calculation applies separately to each person included in the application.

Where the period of leave granted includes part of a year of less than six months, the applicant pays half of the annual Immigration Health Surcharge rate for that period. Where the part-year exceeds six months, the full annual rate applies. These calculations are automated by the Home Office system at the point of application and are not discretionary.

Read more about the UK Immigration Healthcare Surcharge here >>

2. Priority Services

Applicants may be offered the option to pay for priority or super priority processing, allowing for a faster decision on the visa application. These services are optional and attract additional fees on top of the standard application costs.

Priority services are not guaranteed to be available for every Skilled Worker application. Availability depends on the applicant’s location, the type of application being made and daily capacity limits within the Home Office system. Even where priority fees are listed in the official fee tables, applicants may not see these options offered during the online application process.

Where available, priority processing can be relevant for applicants with fixed employment start dates or time-sensitive relocation plans. However, expedited processing does not change the evidential requirements or reduce the level of scrutiny applied to the application.

Read more about UK Visa Application Processing Times here >>

Section C: Skilled Worker Visa Fee Reductions

In some circumstances, reduced application fees apply under the Skilled Worker route. These reductions are set by the Home Office and apply only where the role and visa category meet the relevant criteria. Reduced fees are not discretionary and are applied automatically based on the information entered in the visa application and the details recorded on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

One of the main fee reduction mechanisms under the Skilled Worker route applies where the sponsored role appears on the Immigration Salary List. Where this applies, the visa application fee is lower than for roles that are not on the list. For example, for applications made from outside the UK with a Certificate of Sponsorship issued for three years or less, the reduced fee is £590, compared with £769 for non-Immigration Salary List roles. Where the Certificate of Sponsorship has been issued for more than three years, the reduced fee is £1,160, compared with £1,519 for roles that do not benefit from Immigration Salary List status.

Equivalent reductions apply to applications made from inside the UK. These reduced rates apply on a per-applicant basis, meaning that each dependant included in the application pays the same reduced fee as the main applicant where the role qualifies.

The Health and Care Visa represents a separate category within the Skilled Worker framework and carries its own reduced fee structure. For Health and Care Visa applications made from outside the UK, the application fee is £304 where the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued for three years or less, or £590 where the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued for more than three years. The same reduced fee structure applies to in-country Health and Care Visa applications.

It is important to distinguish between reduced application fees and other cost exemptions. While Health and Care Visa applicants benefit from reduced application fees, they also benefit from an exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. By contrast, Immigration Salary List roles attract reduced application fees but do not benefit from any exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

There are no general fee waivers available for Skilled Worker visa applicants. Reduced fees apply only where expressly provided for in the Home Office fee regulations. Applicants who do not fall within these categories are required to pay the full application fee and any associated charges.

Section D: Sponsorship Costs for Employers

UK employers recruiting non-UK resident workers under the Skilled Worker route are required to hold a valid sponsor licence. Sponsorship is a regulatory status rather than a payment arrangement, but holding and operating a sponsor licence involves a number of Home Office fees which employers need to factor into recruitment and workforce planning. These costs are separate from the visa application fees paid by the worker and their dependants.

Employer-side costs typically arise at four stages: applying for a sponsor licence, assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, paying the Immigration Skills Charge and, where compliance issues arise, meeting the cost of any Home Office-mandated remedial action.

1. Sponsorship Licence Application Fee

The Home Office applies a tiered fee structure for sponsor licence applications based on the size and type of organisation. These fees apply when applying for a Worker sponsor licence, which covers the Skilled Worker route, and are payable once at the point of application.

The apparent duplication in the licence fee structure reflects the way the Home Office prices combined licence categories. Where an organisation applies for more than one sponsor route at the same time, the £1,579 fee applies once, rather than being charged separately for each route. The same principle applies where a sponsor later adds a Worker route to an existing Temporary Worker or Student licence, subject to the reduced upgrade fee.

a. Sponsor licence application fee

Small businesses and charitable organisations benefit from a reduced sponsor licence application fee. For the Worker licence, the reduced fee is £574, while medium and large organisations pay £1,579.

An organisation generally qualifies as a small sponsor where it meets at least two of the following criteria: an annual turnover of no more than £15 million, total assets valued at £7.5 million or less, or a workforce of 50 or fewer employees. Charitable status is assessed separately and requires registration with the relevant charity regulator or, in the case of unregistered Northern Irish charities, confirmation of charitable tax status from HMRC.

b. Priority processing

Employers may opt to use the Sponsor Licence Application Priority Service, which allows for expedited processing of a sponsor licence application for an additional fee of £750. Where available, this service aims to deliver a decision within 10 working days. Access to the priority service is limited by daily allocation caps and is not guaranteed, even where the additional fee is paid.

2. Cost to Assign Certificates of Sponsorship

Once a sponsor licence has been granted, the employer is required to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to each Skilled Worker it wishes to sponsor. The Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record created through the Sponsor Management System and is a mandatory prerequisite for the worker’s visa application.

The cost of assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route is £525. This fee is payable each time a new Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned, including where an existing sponsored worker applies to extend their permission or change employer.

3. Immigration Skills Charge

In addition to the Certificate of Sponsorship fee, sponsors are required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship to a Skilled Worker. The charge is designed as a levy on employers and is payable upfront for the full period of sponsorship stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

The Immigration Skills Charge is set at £1,320 per year per sponsored worker for medium and large sponsors, with an additional £660 payable for each subsequent six-month period. Small businesses and charitable sponsors benefit from a reduced rate of £480 per year, with an additional £240 payable for each additional six-month period.

The Immigration Skills Charge is payable by the sponsor and cannot be passed on to the worker. Limited exemptions apply, including certain PhD-level roles in science and research and some workers switching from the Student route, but these exemptions are narrowly defined and assessed by the Home Office on a case-by-case basis.

4. Sponsor Action Plan

Where the Home Office identifies compliance concerns, it may take enforcement action against a sponsor. At an early stage, this can include requiring the sponsor to follow a formal action plan to address identified breaches. Where an action plan is imposed, the sponsor is required to pay a fee of £1,579.

This cost is separate from any wider operational or reputational impact arising from Home Office compliance intervention and should be factored into the overall risk profile of holding a sponsor licence.

Section E: Summary

The Skilled Worker visa route involves a layered cost structure rather than a single application fee. For applicants, the headline costs consist of the visa application fee and, in most cases, the Immigration Health Surcharge, with optional priority processing fees where available. These costs are payable per person and apply separately to the main applicant and each dependant included in the application.

For employers, the financial commitment sits outside the visa application itself and arises through holding and maintaining a sponsor licence, assigning Certificates of Sponsorship and paying the Immigration Skills Charge. These costs are mandatory for sponsorship and are payable by the sponsor rather than the worker.

Reduced fees apply only in defined circumstances, such as roles on the Immigration Salary List and applications made under the Health and Care Visa. Outside these categories, there are no general fee waivers available under the Skilled Worker route. As Home Office fees are subject to change and errors in fee payment can invalidate an application, accurate upfront budgeting is an important part of both recruitment planning and individual visa applications.

Read our full guide to the Skilled Worker visa here >>

Section F: Need Assistance?

We are specialist UK immigration lawyers with extensive experience advising both employers and individuals on the Skilled Worker route. Our work covers the full lifecycle of sponsorship, from initial workforce planning and sponsor licence applications through to ongoing compliance, extensions and settlement.

For employers, we provide practical guidance on sponsorship costs, budget forecasting and compliance risk, including how application fees, Certificates of Sponsorship and the Immigration Skills Charge interact across multi-year recruitment plans. For applicants, we advise on the total cost exposure of Skilled Worker visa applications, including dependants, Immigration Health Surcharge liabilities and the availability of priority services.

With detailed insight into how the Home Office applies fee regulations in practice, we can help ensure costs are calculated correctly and paid at the right stage, reducing the risk of delay or invalid applications. For tailored advice on Skilled Worker visa fees and sponsorship costs, contact us.

Section G: Skilled Worker Visa Fees FAQs

What is the basic fee for a Skilled Worker visa application in 2026?

The Skilled Worker visa application fee depends on the length of sponsorship and whether the application is made from inside or outside the UK. For example, an application made from overseas with a Certificate of Sponsorship issued for three years or less costs £769 per applicant.

Are there any additional fees associated with a Skilled Worker visa application beyond the application fee?

In most cases, applicants are also required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for each year of leave granted. Optional fees may apply where priority or super priority processing is available. Employers pay separate sponsorship-related fees, including the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and the Immigration Skills Charge.

What are the costs involved for an employer sponsoring a Skilled Worker?

Employers sponsoring Skilled Workers are required to hold a sponsor licence and pay the relevant licence application fee. They must also pay to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship and, in most cases, pay the Immigration Skills Charge for the period of sponsorship.

How much does it cost to become a sponsor?

The sponsor licence application fee is £574 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,579 for medium or large organisations. Employers may also choose to pay for priority processing where available.

Can you hire migrant workers without sponsoring them?

Workers can only be employed in the UK where they hold appropriate immigration permission. While most work routes require sponsorship by a licensed employer, some routes do not, such as the Global Talent route. These routes operate under different eligibility criteria and do not remove the need for right to work checks.

Can I get a refund if my Skilled Worker visa application is refused?

Visa application fees are generally non-refundable once an application has been submitted. Refunds are typically available only where an application is rejected as invalid or where the Home Office has confirmed an administrative error.

Section H: Glossary

Section I: Additional Resources