Cost of UK immigration applications to rise for businesses

The cost increases, which are subject to parliamentary approval, were announced by the Home Office on 15 September and concern a range of immigration routes popular with businesses, including applications for visit visas, sponsorship of foreign workers, and settlement. Most of the increases are between 10% and 15% but some fees will increase by more.

Immigration law expert Shara Pledger said businesses can expect a further significant increase to the cost of making immigration applications later this year when an increase to the immigration health surcharge is expected to take effect. The surcharge is levied to help fund the cost of NHS treatment for foreign nationals with permission to work in the UK.

The full list of fee increases has been published by the government. A summary of some of the most noteworthy changes is set out below.

Visit visas

The cost of applications for single visits up to six months in duration will rise from £100 to £115, while applications for visas for repeat visitors over a 10-year period will now cost £963 annually, up from £837 a year currently.

Sponsored work categories

In the case of an individual who can be classed as a ‘skilled worker’ under the UK’s immigration regime, the fixed cost of an ‘overseas’ application – where a company wishes to sponsor a foreign worker to come to work in the UK – will increase to £719, up from £625 currently, in cases where the sponsorship would last for up to three years. For overseas sponsorship over three years, the cost will increase to £1,420 for most applicants – up from £1,235 currently.

Overseas sponsorship applications for skilled workers will cost less where they concern ‘shortage occupations’ – skilled roles the government acknowledges are difficult to fill due to a skills shortage in the UK labour market. Examples currently include jobs in the health service, as well as a range of jobs in science, engineering and construction. Overseas sponsorship applications will cost £551 from 4 October where the sponsorship period lasts up to three years, up from £479 currently. For sponsorship periods lasting more than three years in such cases, the cost of applications is to rise from £943 to £1,084.

The cost of in-country applications to sponsor foreign ‘skilled workers’ is also increasing – to £827 for most applicants, or to £551 in respect of shortage occupations, where sponsorship is to last up to three years. For sponsorship over three years, the cost of in-country applications will increase to £1,500, or to £1,084 in respect of shortage occupations.

Settlement applications

The biggest single rise in immigration applications fees will impact on settlement applications. For in-country applications, the cost of applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK, for both main applications and their dependants, will rise to £2,885 from £2,404.

Priority services

The cost of using the priority visa service will also increase in respect of some applicants. To expedite applications through the priority service will, for example, cost £500, up from £250 currently, in respect of overseas applications for non-settlement. In-country applicants are already charged £500 – there is no increase to that fee.

The cost of using the super priority visa service is also rising – to £1,000, for both overseas and in-country applicants.

Certificates of sponsorship

While no change has been announced to licensing costs or to the immigration skills charge, some costs attached to assigning certificates of sponsorship will go up – for example, allocation of a graduate trainee certificate of sponsorship will cost £25 each, while other certificates of sponsorship will cost £239, up from £199.