Sponsor fees in force (from 8 April 2026; ISC from 16 December 2025)
| Sponsor licence: small / medium-large | £611 / £1,682 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (Skilled Worker) | £525 per hire |
| Immigration Skills Charge: small / medium-large | £480 / £1,320 first year, then £240 / £660 per 6 months |
| Skilled Worker visa from abroad ≤3 / >3 years | £819 / £1,618 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 per adult per year, £776 per child |
No Immigration Skills Charge when…
- the worker switches from a Student visa inside the UK,
- the job is a PhD-level occupation,
- for dependants, or for stays under 6 months from abroad.
Your duties as a sponsor
Right-to-work checks with a share code before the start date, reporting changes (salary, job, absences of 10+ working days without permission, leaving) on the Sponsor Management System, paying the salary on the certificate in every pay period, and keeping records. Illegal working penalties are up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach (£60,000 repeat).
Sources: GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers · GOV.UK: Sponsor guidance Part 2 (sponsor a worker) · GOV.UK: Home Office immigration and nationality fees (8 October 2026) · GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge · GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa · GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027.