2025 UK Immigration Fees Increase: What Employers Need to Know

4
min read
Last updated
April 10, 2025

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Starting April 9, 2025, immigration-related fees in the UK have increased across multiple categories. These changes come after increases to Skilled Worker salary thresholds in January. They’ll impact employers hiring foreign workers under the Skilled Worker route, as well as those applying for sponsor licenses, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), and temporary work visas.

These updates are part of a broader tightening in immigration policy. The government has framed these changes as part of an effort to reduce the cost of the immigration system for UK taxpayers. If your company is relocating or sponsoring international talent in the UK, these fee updates may affect your hiring budgets and timelines.

What are the new fees?

Here’s a breakdown of the most relevant fee increases for UK employers hiring international professionals:

Category Previous Fee New Fee (from April 9, 2025) Change
Certificate of Sponsorship £239 £525 +£286
Sponsor Licence (Large Sponsor) £1,476 £1,579 +£103
Sponsor Licence (Small Sponsor) £536 £574 +£38
Skilled Worker visa –
out-of-country application, with a Certificate of Sponsorship of 3 years or less
£719 £769 +£50
Skilled Worker visa –
out-of-country application, with a Certificate of Sponsorship of more than 3 years
£1,420 £1,519 +£99
Skilled Worker visa –
in-country application, with a Certificate of Sponsorship of 3 years or less
£827 £885 +£58
Skilled Worker visa –
in-country application, with a Certificate of Sponsorship of more than 3 years
£1,636 £1,751 +£115
Skilled Worker – on Immigration Salary List, with a Certificate of Sponsorship of 3 years or less £551 £590 +£39
Skilled Worker – on Immigration Salary List, with a Certificate of Sponsorship of more than 3 years £1,084 £1,160 +£76
Health and Care visa – with a Certificate of Sponsorship of 3 years or less £284 £304 +£20
Health and Care visa – with a Certificate of Sponsorship of more than 3 years £551 £590 +£39
Temporary Work visa (e.g. Seasonal, Creative, International Agreement) £298 £319 +£21
Representative of an overseas business £719 £769 +£50

Download this table and subscribe to our newsletter.

Find the complete list of immigration and nationality fees on GOV.UK.

What Increased Fees Mean for Employers

For companies hiring international skilled workers, the cost of immigration sponsorship has gone up, especially for those sponsoring long-term hires or high volumes of candidates. But these changes don’t have to slow down your hiring plans.

Here’s how to approach it:

  • Budget wisely: Review and update your mobility budget to reflect the new costs across application routes.

  • Plan ahead: Submitting complete, accurate applications the first time avoids delays and repeat fees.

  • Work with a partner: With experts like Jobbatical, you can stay ahead of policy changes while keeping your hiring process fast, compliant, and cost-effective.

How Jobbatical Can Help

At Jobbatical, we support global employers in adapting to changes like this without losing momentum in international recruitment. Our services combine expert human support with a powerful automated platform to help you manage visa applications, relocation, and compliance in one place.

Talk to our local team to explore how we can support your global mobility needs.

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