United Kingdom: Significant Immigration Fee Increases Forthcoming

Key immigration-related fees that will increase are as follows:

• Certificates of Sponsorship: GBP 525, up from GBP 239.
• Skilled worker applications:
  • Out-of-country applications:
    • With a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) of three years or less: GBP 769, up from GBP 719
    • With a COS of more than three years: GBP 1,519, up from GBP 1,420.
  • In country applications:
    • Three years or less: GBP 885, up from GBP 827
    • More than three years: GBP 1,751, up from GBP 1,636.
  • Worker Sponsor licenses:
    • Large Sponsor: GBP 1,579, up from GBP 1,476.
    • Small Sponsor: GBP 574, up from GBP 536
  • Visit visas:
    • Six months: GBP 127, up from GBP 115.
    • Two years: GBP 475, up from GBP 432.
    • Five years: GBP 848, up from GBP 771.
    • 10 years: GBP 1,059, up from GBP 963.
  • Electronic Travel Authorisation: GBP 16, up from GBP 10.

 A full list of immigration fee changes can be found here.

• Budget assessments. These fee increases will affect employer immigration programs – particularly where budgets are restricted and recruitment rates from overseas are high. In light of these upcoming fee increases, employers may need to reassess budget assessments for foreign talent (including reconsidering potential foreign worker hires). 
• Application dates. Where possible, employers are advised to submit applications prior to the April 9, 2025 fee increase date.

• Current fees had already increased. These changes come after other fee increases were introduced last year including increases to the upfront immigration health surcharge that foreign nationals entering the United Kingdom must pay as workers and students.
• Government rationale for fee increases. The government has previously stated that such fee increases are part of reducing the cost to taxpayers of running the immigration system.
• Earlier Certificate of Sponsorship changes. These fee increases coincide with earlier government confirmation that employers must pay Certificate of Sponsorship fees, and that these fees are not recoupable from the foreign nationals they sponsor; this has already increased financial burdens for some sponsors.

These fee increases follow earlier fee increases introduced under the previous UK government. They indicate a generally restrictive turn on immigration. It remains to be seen, however, whether this restrictive approach will continue.

The government’s ‘White Paper’ on immigration is expected soon (though no exact date has yet been announced) and will provide further clarity about the government’s future approach to immigration policy, including about whether the country will maintain its current restrictive trend (including further fee increases), or look to liberalize certain features of immigration policy.