Breakdown of the Costs for a Skilled Worker Visa in 2025

Applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa involves several mandatory costs that both applicants and their sponsors need to understand and budget for. These costs vary depending on the visa duration, the size of the sponsoring organisation, and whether dependants are included in the application. In this blog post, we’ll break down the key components of these costs, provide detailed calculations for 3-year and 5-year visa periods, and illustrate how the total expense increases when dependants are added. All figures are based on the latest fee updates as of April 2025 and exclude professional legal fees for assistance.

The primary costs associated with a UK Skilled Worker visa are:

1. CoS Fee – Paid by the sponsor
2. Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) – Paid by the sponsor.
3. Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – Paid by the applicant and each dependant.
4. Skilled Worker Application Fee – Paid by the applicant and each dependant.

Let’s dive into the details of each cost and calculate the totals for different scenarios.

1. CoS Fee

From April 2025, the cost for assigning a single Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) has risen from £239 to £525.

This fee is a mandatory fee that must be paid by the sponsor and cannot in any way be expensed to the employee.

2. Immigration Skills Charge 

The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) is a fee paid by the sponsoring employer to support skills and training programs for the UK workforce.

This amount depends on the size of the organisation:

1. Small or charitable sponsors: £364 per year, or
2. Medium or large sponsors: £1,000 per year.

In order to tell if you’re a ‘small’ sponsor, at least 2 of the following apply:

• your annual turnover is £15 million or less
• your total assets are worth £7.5 million or less
• you have 50 employees or fewer

This fee is calculated based on the duration of the visa. For example:

• A 3-year visa requires payment for 3 years (e.g. £1,092 for a small sponsor)
• A 5-year visa requires payment for 5 years (e.g. £5,000 for a medium/large sponsor).

Note that dependants do not affect the cost of the ISC, as this is charged for the main applicant who requires the CoS.

However, the government also announced in their recent Immigration White Paper (May 2025) that for the first time since 2017, these charges will increase by 32%, reflecting rates in-line with inflation.

3. Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) 

The Immigration Health Surcharge grants visa holders access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). It is:

• £1,035 per year per person, paid by the main applicant and each dependant.
• £776 per year per person who is aged 18 years at the time of application.

The total IHS depends on the visa duration. For instance:

• 3 years: £1,035 × 3 = £3,105 per person.
• 5 years: £1,035 × 5 = £5,175 per person.

Unlike the ISC for example, the larger the family unit that is applying, the more the IHS fee for their application will increase.

4. Skilled Worker Application Fee

 The application fee is the cost of processing the visa itself and varies by visa length:

• £885 per applicant for visas of 3 years or less.
• £1,751 per applicant for visas of more than 3 years (e.g., 5 years).

This fee applies to the main applicant and each dependant, with the amount determined by the duration of their visa.

Total Costs for a Single Applicant 

Let’s calculate the total costs for a single applicant (no dependants) for both a 3-year and a 5-year Skilled Worker visa. We’ll consider two scenarios: a small/charitable sponsor and a medium/large sponsor for full clarity.

3-Year Visa Costs

• CoS Fee: £525
• Immigration Skills Charge (ISC):
  
  - Small/charitable sponsor: £364/year × 3 years = £1,092, or
  - Medium/large sponsor: £1,000/year × 3 years = £3,000
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035/year × 3 years = £3,105
• Application Fee: £885

Total Costs:

1. Small/charitable sponsor: £525 (CoS) + £1,092 (ISC) + £3,105 (IHS) + £885 (application fee) = £5,607, or
2. Medium/large sponsor: £525 (CoS) + £3,000 (ISC) + £3,105 (IHS) + £885 (application fee) = £7,515

5-Year Visa Costs

• CoS Fee: £525
• Immigration Skills Charge (ISC):
  
  - Small/charitable sponsor: £364/year × 5 years = £1,820, or
  - Medium/large sponsor: £1,000/year × 5 years = £5,000
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035/year × 5 years = £5,175
• Application Fee: £1,751

Total Costs:

1. Small/charitable sponsor: £525 (CoS) + £1,820 (ISC) + £5,175 (IHS) + £1,751 (application fee) = £9,271, or
2. Medium/large sponsor: £525 (CoS) + £5,000 (ISC) + £5,175 (IHS) + £1,751 (application fee) = £12,451

Additional Costs for Dependants 

When dependants (e.g., a spouse/partner or children) are included, they each incur their own Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and application fee. The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) remains a one-time cost for the main applicant only, paid by the sponsor.

Summary of Total Costs

Here’s a comparison of the total costs for 3-year and 5-year visas, based on the number of dependants and sponsor type.

Key Takeaways

• Visa Duration: A 5-year visa costs more upfront than a 3-year visa, but it may be more cost-effective long-term by avoiding renewal fees.

• Sponsor Type: Small or charitable sponsors save significantly on the ISC (£1,092 vs. £3,000 for 3 years; £1,820 vs. £5,000 for 5 years), reducing the overall cost.

• Dependants: Each additional dependant adds £3,990 (3-year visa) or £6,926 (5-year visa), making family applications notably more expensive.

• Other Circumstances: There may be other exceptions may apply which can reduce the cost of the visa application. For example, Student visa holders switching directly into Skilled Worker after finishing their course do not need to may for an ISC fees. Alternatively, those with roles on the Immigration Salary List can benefit from a 20% discount to the Skilled Worker application fee.

• Exclusions: These figures exclude legal fees and other government fees such as expedited application processing, which also may need to be taken into consideration.

Final Thoughts

Applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa requires careful financial planning. The choice between a 3-year and 5-year visa depends on your long-term plans – while the 5-year option is pricier initially, it may save money if you’d otherwise need to extend a shorter visa. The size of the sponsor and the number of dependants also play a major role in the total cost. Always check the latest fees on the official UK government website, as they are subject to change.

By understanding these costs upfront, applicants and sponsors can budget effectively and make informed decisions about their visa applications. Whether you’re an individual worker or a family relocating to the UK, this breakdown should help you navigate the financial aspects of the Skilled Worker visa process with confidence.

If you would like to discuss the above in further detail, or require any immigration advice, please get in touch with the expert immigration team at Migrate UK info@migrate-uk.com who will be happy to assist.