UK Skilled Worker Visa Costs and Fees: A Full Breakdown

Before you commit to the UK route, you need a realistic picture of the money involved. Skilled Worker visa costs are made up of several separate charges, and crucially, some are paid by you while others are the legal responsibility of your employer. Knowing the difference can save you a lot of stress — and protect you from scams.

This breakdown covers every major skilled work visa fee, who pays it, and how to budget. As with all official charges, exact amounts are updated periodically, so confirm current figures on gov.uk before you apply.

The Main Costs at a Glance

• Visa application fee — paid per applicant; the amount depends on how long the visa is for and whether you apply from inside or outside the UK.
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) — paid per year of the visa; gives you access to the NHS.
• Maintenance funds — money you must show you have available (not a fee, but cash you need).
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee — paid by the employer.
• Immigration Skills Charge — paid by the employer, not you.

Costs You Pay as the Applicant

1. The Visa Application Fee

This is the core skilled work visa cost. Applying from outside the UK is generally cheaper than switching inside the UK, and a visa of more than three years costs more than a shorter one. Each family member you bring pays their own application fee.

2. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

The IHS is often the largest single cost and is charged for every year of your visa, per person. Recently it has been around £1,035 per year for main applicants (less for some categories). For a multi-year visa with dependants, this adds up quickly, so budget for it carefully. In return you can use the NHS like a UK resident.

3. Maintenance Funds

Unless your employer certifies maintenance on your behalf, you must show you have a set amount of money available (recently around £1,270) held for a continuous period before applying. This is not a fee you lose — it is proof you can support yourself initially.

Hidden Costs Applicants Often Forget to Budget For

Beyond the official fees, a realistic budget for relocating to the UK should account for costs that aren't part of the visa application itself but hit your finances around the same time:

• Document translation and certification — if any of your supporting documents (degree certificates, marriage certificates for dependants) aren't in English, official translation and sometimes notarisation adds real cost.
• Police clearance certificate fees — obtaining a criminal record certificate from your home country, required for many occupations, often carries its own processing fee separate from the visa cost.
• TB test fees — required for applicants from many African countries, payable directly to the approved testing clinic, not included in the visa fee.
• Priority service upgrades — if you choose faster processing, this is an additional fee on top of the standard application cost.
• Initial UK living costs before your first paycheck — rent deposits, initial groceries, and transport in the weeks before your first salary lands are easy to underestimate.

None of these are hidden in a deceptive sense — they're simply costs outside the core visa fee structure that a first-time applicant can overlook when budgeting.

Costs Your Employer Pays

This is the part many applicants do not realise, and it matters. UK rules place certain charges firmly on the sponsoring employer:

• The Immigration Skills Charge — a per-year charge the employer pays for sponsoring a worker. It is illegal for an employer to pass this specific charge on to you.
• The Certificate of Sponsorship fee — the cost of issuing your CoS.
• The sponsor licence — the employer's own cost of being allowed to sponsor at all.

If an employer asks you to pay the Immigration Skills Charge or to "buy" your Certificate of Sponsorship, treat it as a serious red flag. Legitimate sponsors absorb these costs.

Sample Budget (Illustrative)

Amounts change over time — confirm current values on gov.uk.

Total Cost Examples for Different Family Sizes

Because the Immigration Health Surcharge and application fee are charged per person, family size changes your total cost dramatically. These illustrative examples show the pattern (using recent approximate figures — always verify current amounts on gov.uk before budgeting):

This is exactly why negotiating employer support for dependants' costs — not just your own — is worth raising explicitly during your offer discussion if you're relocating with family. A generous single-applicant package can still leave a family paying thousands out of pocket if dependant costs were never discussed.

Fee Waivers and Reductions

A small number of situations can reduce what you owe:

• Certain health and care visa categories have historically had a reduced or exempted Immigration Health Surcharge, in recognition that these workers already contribute to the NHS through their work.
• Children born in the UK to parents on a Skilled Worker visa may have different fee considerations for their own status applications.
• Fee waivers for financial hardship exist in some parts of the UK immigration system generally, though they are more commonly associated with human rights-based applications than employer-sponsored work routes.

None of these should be assumed — always confirm your specific eligibility against current gov.uk guidance rather than budgeting around a discount you haven't verified applies to your case.

How to Reduce the Burden

• Find employers who reimburse costs. Many good sponsors cover or refund the visa fee and IHS as part of the package. Ask during the offer stage.
• Apply from outside the UK. It is usually the cheaper entry route.
• Check for fee reductions. Some health and care roles benefit from lower or waived charges.
• Plan dependants carefully. Each family member multiplies the IHS and application fee, so budget realistically.

Want roles where the employer helps with costs? Browse UK sponsorship jobs and read our guide on how employers sponsor foreign workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a UK Skilled Worker visa cost in total?

It depends on visa length and family size, but the biggest components are the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (recently around £1,035 per year). Always total the current figures on gov.uk for your exact situation.

Can my employer pay my visa fees?

Yes, and many do. The employer must pay the Immigration Skills Charge and CoS fee; they may also choose to cover your application fee and IHS.

What is the Immigration Health Surcharge?

A yearly charge that gives visa holders access to the NHS. It is paid up front for the full length of the visa.

Do I get any of these costs back?

Maintenance funds are your own money (you just show them). Fees and the IHS are generally non-refundable once granted, though the IHS can be partly refunded if you leave early.

Is it a scam if a company asks me to pay for sponsorship?

Asking you to pay the employer's charges (Skills Charge, CoS) is against the rules and a major warning sign. You only pay your own government fees.

Does the visa fee differ if I'm switching from another UK visa versus applying from Africa?

Yes — switching to Skilled Worker status from inside the UK (for example, from a student visa) is generally priced differently from applying fresh from outside the UK, and outside applications are usually the cheaper route. Confirm the current fee structure for your specific scenario.

What happens to my IHS payment if my visa is refused?

If your visa application is refused, the Immigration Health Surcharge is typically refunded since you never gained NHS access, though the visa application fee itself is generally non-refundable regardless of outcome. Confirm current refund policy on gov.uk.

Can I pay these fees in instalments?

No — application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge are paid in full upfront as part of the application process, not in instalments. This is exactly why confirming employer support for costs before accepting an offer matters so much financially.

Conclusion

Budget for the UK route by separating your costs (application fee, IHS, maintenance) from the employer's costs (Skills Charge, CoS). Prioritise sponsors who help with fees, apply from outside the UK, and verify every figure on gov.uk. Then find a sponsoring employer and prepare a winning CV.

Related guides

Keep building your move abroad with these in-depth guides from TontonAfriJobs:

• UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary Threshold Explained (2026)
• How to Get a UK Work Visa: The Application Process Step by Step
• UK Temporary and Seasonal Work Visas Explained

Ready to act? Browse current visa-sponsored and remote jobs open to Africans or build a country-tailored CV with our free CV builder.