How Much Does a UK Certificate of Sponsorship Cost?

The Cost of a UK Certificate of Sponsorship

Sponsors must pay a fee for each Certificate of Sponsorship they assign to a migrant worker. The exact amount you will pay will depend on the type of sponsor licence you hold.

Be sure to pay the correct fee, as the Home Office may cancel your Certificate of Sponsorship if you do not.

Here’s the cost of assigning a CoS:

Sponsor Licence Fees

Certificates of Sponsorship are assigned through the online Sponsorship Management System (SMS). However, before you can access the SMS to assign a certificate to a foreign worker, you will be required to pay a sponsorship licence application fee.

Here is the cost of sponsor licence applications in the UK:

Immigration Skills Charge

If you assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to a worker on the Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker route, you might have to pay an additional fee called the ‘immigration skills charge.’ Some occupations on the Skilled Worker visa route do not attract this charge.

You must pay the immigration skills charge if your sponsored employee is applying for a visa from:

• Outside the UK to work in the UK for six months or more
• Inside the UK for any length of time.

The immigration skills charge is paid annually and the fee you will pay will depend on your organisation’s size and how long the employee will work for you.

Here is how much it costs:

Premium Service for Employers

The Home Office offers premium customer service for licenced sponsors under the Worker and Temporary Worker route. This service provides employers with tailored support for their immigration needs, including issues with Certificates of sponsorship.

The premium service costs £25,000 annually for medium or large organisations and £8,000 annually for small or charitable sponsors.

Fees Payable by the Sponsored Worker

The Certificate of Sponsorship and the sponsor licence fees must be paid by the organisation sponsoring the worker. However, the sponsored worker will be required to pay certain fees if they intend to work in the UK.

Visa Application Fee

An applicant’s visa application fee will depend on the route they are applying under, whether they are applying from within the UK or overseas, and the duration of their stay.

The application fees for UK work visas range from £479 to over £1,600. However, applicants on the shortage occupation list, such as those applying for the Health and Care visa, may pay a reduced fee.

Immigration Health Surcharge

Some visa applicants might be required to pay an immigration health surcharge fee to enable them to access the NHS services. This payment is mandatory whether or not the visa applicant has private medical insurance.

The immigration health surcharge fee is £1,035 a year for applicants over 18.

Priority Service

The Home Office also offer visa applicants priority and super-priority services to help fast-track their applications. Some of these services include status checks, advice, and courier services.

The cost of these services varies depending on where an applicant is applying, and they can be from £0.69 to £959.

How can IAS Help

If you are a UK-based employer looking to hire foreign nationals, our lawyers at IAS can help you obtain your Certificates of Sponsorship.

We will help you determine the appropriate CoS for the role in which you are hiring, explain all the fees involved, support your use of the online Sponsorship Management System, and ensure you comply with your sponsor duties when managing your skilled workers.

For more information on Certificates of Sponsorship and sponsor licences, call us on 0333 305 9375, or contact us online today.