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Cost building blocks
| Item | Fee | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor licence | £611 small or charitable; £1,682 medium or large | Employer |
| Certificate of Sponsorship | £525 for each worker | Employer |
| Immigration Skills Charge, first 12 months | £480 small or charitable; £1,320 medium or large | Employer |
| Immigration Skills Charge, each additional 6 months | £240 small or charitable; £660 medium or large | Employer |
| Skilled Worker visa, outside the UK | £819 up to 3 years; £1,618 over 3 years | Worker, or employer by policy |
| Skilled Worker visa, inside the UK | £943 up to 3 years; £1,865 over 3 years | Worker, or employer by policy |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 for each year | Worker, or employer by policy |
Two budgets finance needs
Present costs as setup vs per hire or finance will under-approve forever.
| Budget | Includes | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed setup | Licence fee, counsel for application, HR system time | Amortise across planned hires |
| Per sponsored hire | CoS, ISC, visa/IHS policy choice, counsel for that case, relocation | Attach to each requisition |
| Contingency | Priority processing, document translation, delay costs | 10–20% planning buffer is common discipline |
How to brief finance (one page)
- 1
Role & destination: UK onshore sponsored hire, title, salary band, visa length assumption.
- 2
Setup vs per-hire: Show both lines; do not hide ISC inside “misc.”
- 3
Who pays worker fees: Policy: employer vs worker for visa/IHS, write it down.
- 4
Counsel assumption: First licence / first CoS usually needs a number, even if approximate.
- 5
Risk note: Empty-role cost if timelines slip, the quiet line that wins budget.
Small sponsors and repeat hiring
Small-sponsor rates often apply to licence and ISC categories (confirm the official definition). Repeat hiring amortises setup cost, one-off hires can still be right, but the business case should say so honestly.
Next step
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Related guides and links
More on this site: related guides, official government pages with the current rules and fees, and quick links to jobs and specialists.
Related guides
Guides that pair well with this page
Official sources
Official sources
The official government pages this guide is checked against.
| Source | Why open it |
|---|---|
| UK, sponsor licence fees | Official government or regulator page with the current rules, fees and forms. |
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Explore employer toolsCommon questions
Are small sponsors cheaper?+
Often yes for licence and ISC rates, subject to the official definition of a small sponsor. Confirm your category before budgeting.
Should we pay the worker’s visa and IHS?+
It is a policy choice with market and fairness implications. Decide before offer stage so candidates are not negotiating in the dark.