Immigration Skills Charge increase
The immigration skills charge has increased which applies each time a Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned to a skilled worker.
From today (16 December 2025), the immigration skills charge has increased from £1,000 to £1,320 per year, per sponsored worker.
Employers must pay the charge each time a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is assigned to a skilled worker and the worker is either applying from outside of the UK to work in the UK for six months or more, or are applying from within the UK for permission to stay for any duration, including for less than six months.
For small and charitable organisations, the charge has increased from £364 to £480.
You do not have to pay the charge if you assign a CoS to the following:
- a worker who is applying for entry clearance from outside the UK for a period of less than six months
- a worker who is being sponsored for the following occupations:
- 2111 chemical scientists
- 2112 biological scientists
- 2113 biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114 physical scientists
- 2115 social and humanities scientists
- 2119 natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified
- 2161 research and development (R&D) managers
- 2162 other researchers, unspecified discipline
- 2311 higher education teaching professionals
More information on the Immigration Skills Charge is available on the GOV.UK website.
