The one-off sponsor licence fee
The sponsor licence application has a one-off Home Office fee that depends on your organisation's size — smaller for a small sponsor or charity, higher for medium and large organisations. The exact figures are in the fee table on this page.
Per-hire costs: CoS and the Immigration Skills Charge
For each worker you sponsor you pay a Certificate of Sponsorship fee, plus the Immigration Skills Charge for every year of sponsorship (lower for small sponsors and charities). The skills charge is the sponsor's cost and can't be passed to the worker.
Costs the worker usually carries
The worker generally pays the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge for the length of their visa. We set out the full split — sponsor costs versus worker costs — before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a UK sponsor licence cost in 2026?
There's a one-off Home Office application fee that depends on whether you're a small or a medium/large sponsor, then per-hire costs (Certificate of Sponsorship plus the Immigration Skills Charge). The current figures are in the fee table above — always confirm against GOV.UK.
Can I pass sponsorship costs on to the worker?
No. The sponsor licence fee and the Immigration Skills Charge must be paid by the employer and can't be recouped from the worker. The worker typically pays their own visa fee and health surcharge.
What's the total five-year cost of sponsoring a worker?
It's the licence fee (one-off) plus, per worker, the CoS fee and the Immigration Skills Charge for each sponsored year — which is why a five-year sponsorship costs materially more than the headline licence fee. Our team can model it for your specific case.
Last reviewed: 16 July 2026. This guide is general information for employers, not legal advice — final decisions rest with the Home Office / UKVI.
Sources: UK Home Office / UKVI.