Skilled Worker visa cost calculator
A Skilled Worker visa is four separate charges: the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge for each person, and the employer’s Certificate of Sponsorship fee and Immigration Skills Charge. Enter the visa length and family size to see each one and the total.
You’ll need the visa length on the Certificate of Sponsorship, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK, and whether the job is on the Immigration Salary List or is a Health and Care Worker role.
Your result
Fill in the form to see the figures.
Fees from 8 April 2026. Your inputs stay in this browser.
Figures checked 25 October 2026 Reviewed by [Regulated immigration adviser] Sources
Fees from 8 April 2026
These are the Home Office fees for the main applicant. Dependants pay the same visa fee.
| Route | Outside UK, up to 3 years | Outside UK, over 3 years | Inside UK, up to 3 years | Inside UK, over 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | £819 | £1,618 | £943 | £1,865 |
| Immigration Salary List | £628 | £1,235 | £628 | £1,235 |
| Health and Care Worker | £324 | £628 | £324 | £628 |
The employer pays £525 for each Certificate of Sponsorship. The Immigration Skills Charge has been £1,320 a year for medium and large sponsors and £480 a year for small sponsors and charities since 16 December 2025. It is charged for the first 12 months, then at half the yearly rate for each further 6 months or part of 6 months.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 a year for adults and £776 a year for children under 18. Part years are charged in halves: 6 months or less is half a year, more than 6 months is a full year. If you apply from outside the UK for 6 months or less, there is no surcharge.
Worked example
A software developer applies from outside the UK for a 3-year visa with a medium-sized employer. Their partner and one child come too.
Visa fees are 3 × £819 = £2,457. The health surcharge is £3,105 each for the two adults and £2,328 for the child, so £8,538. The family’s share is £10,995. The employer pays the £525 sponsorship fee and £3,960 in Skills Charge, so £4,485. Together that is £15,480.
What is not included
The calculator leaves out the sponsor licence fee (a one-off cost for the employer), priority processing (£500, or £1,000 for super priority), TB tests, English tests, flights and legal fees. It also does not check whether the salary meets the going rate for the occupation code.
Questions people ask
How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost in total?
For one worker applying from outside the UK for 3 years, the visa fee is £819 and the Immigration Health Surcharge is £3,105. The employer also pays the £525 Certificate of Sponsorship fee and the Immigration Skills Charge, which is £3,960 for a medium or large sponsor over 3 years. Partners and children add their own visa fee and surcharge.
Who pays the Immigration Skills Charge?
The sponsoring employer. The Home Office sponsor guidance says sponsors must not recover the Immigration Skills Charge, the Certificate of Sponsorship fee or the sponsor licence fee from the worker. The visa fee and health surcharge are the worker’s costs, although some employers choose to pay them.
Do dependants pay the same visa fee?
Yes. A partner or child applying as a Skilled Worker dependant pays the same visa fee as the main applicant for the same length of leave, plus their own Immigration Health Surcharge. Children under 18 pay the reduced surcharge.
Do Health and Care Worker visa holders pay the health surcharge?
No. Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge, and the visa fee is lower. The employer still pays the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and, unless an exemption applies, the Immigration Skills Charge.
Why does a visa over 3 years cost so much more?
The Home Office charges a higher fee for permission longer than 3 years. From 8 April 2026 it is £1,618 from outside the UK and £1,865 from inside, compared with £819 and £943 for 3 years or less.
Sources
This calculator gives general information, not legal or financial advice. A court, tribunal, the Home Office or the scheme administrator makes the actual decision. Read the disclaimer, and for advice on your own situation speak to a regulated adviser, a solicitor or Citizens Advice.