United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Skilled Worker visa: government fee breakdown
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge.
These are the fees paid to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland government. Your employer does not pay these fees — they are paid by you as the applicant (though some employers reimburse them). Fees for dependants, priority services, or higher salary bands may change the total.
How much does the Skilled Worker visa cost in United Kingdom?
The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge.
Verified against GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs on 1 June 2026.
Headline total
£3,943.20
Single applicant, 3-year CoS, general rate, no priority
Currency
GBP (Pound sterling)
Last checked
1 June 2026
Itemised fees
| Fee component | Amount | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|
Application fee (up to 3 years, outside UK, Immigration Salary List) Applies where the occupation is on the Immigration Salary List. General rate is higher. | £628 | Optional |
Application fee (up to 3 years, outside UK, general) | £819 | Yes |
Application fee (more than 3 years, outside UK, general) Used when CoS duration exceeds 3 years. Choose one of the two tiers, not both. | £1,618 | Optional |
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) Reduced to £776/year for students and under-18s. Paid upfront as a lump sum. | £1,035per year of leave, per person | Yes |
Certificate of Sponsorship fee Paid by the sponsor at CoS assignment. Usually embedded in the job offer. More than doubled from £239 to £525 on 9 April 2025 (held at £525 in the 8 April 2026 fees table). | £525 | Yes |
Biometric enrolment In-UK UKVCAS enrolment fee; for applications from outside the UK biometrics are enrolled at an overseas VAC and charged separately by the commercial partner. Not centrally published as a single GOV.UK figure — verify with your VAC. | £19.20 | Yes |
Priority service (optional) Targets a 5-working-day decision from abroad (subject to availability). | £500 | Optional |
Super-priority service (optional, in-country only) Targets next-working-day decision. Not available at every VAC. | £1,000 | Optional |
Worked example
Single applicant, 3-year CoS, general rate, no priority — £3,943.20
- £819 application fee
- £3,105 IHS (£1,035 × 3 years)
- £19.20 biometrics
- Plus £525 CoS fee (typically borne by the sponsor)
How to read these fees
The £3,943.20 headline covers single applicant, 3-year CoS, general rate, no priority. Of the 8 components listed above, 4 are mandatory and 4 are optional add-ons (such as priority processing) you can choose to skip. The single biggest mandatory line is Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) at £1,035.
Bringing family changes the total — see the dependant section below. Treat the figure as a planning estimate rather than a quote: confirm each line on the official source linked below on the day you pay, because these fees are revised regularly.
Dependant fees
Each dependant pays the same application fee as the main applicant plus their own IHS at £1,035/year (or £776/year if under 18).
Dependant rights are narrowed for the Health and Care Worker care-sector subset and for some student sponsors — verify eligibility on GOV.UK before assuming dependants are permitted.
Why fees change
IHS rose 66% on 6 February 2024 and remains £1,035/year. The 8 April 2026 fees table raised the standard out-of-UK application fee to £819 (≤3 years) and more than doubled the Certificate of Sponsorship fee to £525 (from £239). Always confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before budgeting. The figure to watch is the Immigration Health Surcharge: at £1,035 per person per year it dwarfs the application fee, so a longer grant or extra family members move the total far more than the visa fee itself.
Primary source
GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs
https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Skilled Worker visa cost in government fees?
The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge. The worked example assumes single applicant, 3-year cos, general rate, no priority, totalling £3,943.20. Fees for dependants, priority service, or higher-tier salary bands change the total — see the itemised table above.
Are these fees refundable if my application is refused?
Most application fees are non-refundable once the government begins processing. Some jurisdictions refund specific components (e.g. Canada's Right of Permanent Residence Fee refunds if refused; UK IHS refunds if the visa is refused). Check the linked primary source for the route you are applying to.
How often do these fees change?
IHS rose 66% on 6 February 2024 and remains £1,035/year. The 8 April 2026 fees table raised the standard out-of-UK application fee to £819 (≤3 years) and more than doubled the Certificate of Sponsorship fee to £525 (from £239). Always confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before budgeting. The figure to watch is the Immigration Health Surcharge: at £1,035 per person per year it dwarfs the application fee, so a longer grant or extra family members move the total far more than the visa fee itself.
Do dependants pay the same fees as the primary applicant?
Each dependant pays the same application fee as the main applicant plus their own IHS at £1,035/year (or £776/year if under 18).
Next steps
Full visa guide
Eligibility, application steps, and FAQs for the Skilled Worker visa.
Processing time
How long the Skilled Worker visa takes from application to decision.
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Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.