As of 9 April 2025, the Government has increased the fees for various immigration products and services as part of ongoing efforts to manage immigration and ensure the costs of processing applications are adequately covered. The cost of a sponsor licence has increased to £574 for a small company and to £1,579 for a medium or large company.
The cost of a certificate of sponsorship, which is assigned by a company with a sponsor licence to each worker from outside the UK that it employs, has increased to £525. The application fee for a Skilled Worker visa has also increased to a minimum of £769 and a maximum of £1,751, depending on an individual’s circumstances. Build UK has updated its flowchart providing an overview of the process of employing a worker from outside the UK, along with its guidance on How to Get a Sponsor Licence and How to Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa, to reflect the new fees.
The Home Office has announced that right to work checks will be extended to self-employed workers as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently making its way through Parliament. Companies will be legally required to carry out checks confirming anyone working in their name is eligible to work in the UK or face fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker.
