Skilled Worker Visa Fees 2026: The Full Cost Breakdown

If you are pricing up a move to the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, the headline application fee is the smallest part of the bill. The immigration health surcharge (IHS) is paid upfront for every year of the visa, and it is often the biggest single cost. If your partner and children are coming too, every one of them pays both the application fee and the surcharge.

This guide lists every Skilled Worker cost published on GOV.UK as of 28 October 2026. It also includes worked examples that add the figures up for common situations.

Skilled Worker visa application fees

The application fee depends on two things: where you apply from and how long the visa will be for. The length is set by the dates on your certificate of sponsorship.

Where you apply from	Up to 3 years	More than 3 years
Outside the UK	£819	£1,618
Inside the UK (extend, switch or update)	£943	£1,865
Job on the Immigration Salary List (either)	£628	£1,235

Each figure is per person. GOV.UK also says a partner or child pays the fee for the same length of time as you, even if they apply after your visa has been granted. So if you hold a 5-year visa and your child joins you later, they still pay the “more than 3 years” fee.

Most software, DevOps and cloud roles are not on the Immigration Salary List, so the standard fees are the ones to budget for. To check your own occupation code, use the official list linked from the Skilled Worker eligibility page.

Immigration health surcharge (IHS) 2026

Paying the IHS means you can use the NHS free of charge from the date your visa starts. You will still pay for some services, such as prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests. GOV.UK lists these rates:

• £1,035 per year for most visa applicants, including Skilled Workers and their adult dependants
• £776 per year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, and anyone under 18 at the time of application

How part-years are charged

The surcharge is not simply pro-rated by the day. GOV.UK’s rules are:

• More than 6 months but less than a year: you pay a full year.
• More than a year: you pay the yearly cost plus half the yearly cost if the visa is for 18 months or less. If it is for more than 18 months but less than 2 years, you pay 2 full years.
• 6 months or less from inside the UK: you pay half the yearly cost (£517.50 for most applicants).

You pay the IHS online by debit or credit card as part of the application. You get an IHS reference number, which can only be used once.

Can you get the surcharge back?

GOV.UK lists a full refund if your application is refused, if you withdraw it before a decision, or if you paid twice for the same application. A partial refund applies in some cases, for example if you get less time on your visa than you asked for, or if a dependant on the application is refused. You will not get a refund if you leave the UK early or if the visa is granted but you never travel. People who work in health or care may be able to claim a separate refund.

Proving you can support yourself

This money is not a fee. You keep it, but you may need to show it. Unless you are exempt, you need at least £1,270 in your bank account, held for 28 days in a row, with day 28 falling within 31 days of your application.

You usually do not need to show this if either:

• you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or
• your employer certifies on your certificate of sponsorship that it will cover your costs for your first month, up to £1,270.

For dependants, GOV.UK lists £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each additional child.

Worked examples: what a Skilled Worker visa really costs

These examples simply add up the GOV.UK figures above. They assume standard fees (not the Immigration Salary List) and no priority service, and they leave out optional costs such as English tests or document translations.

Scenario	Application fee(s)	Health surcharge	Total paid to the Home Office
You alone, 2-year visa, from outside the UK	£819	£2,070 (2 × £1,035)	£2,889
You alone, 3-year visa, from outside the UK	£819	£3,105	£3,924
You alone, 5-year visa, from outside the UK	£1,618	£5,175	£6,793
You alone, 5-year visa, switching from inside the UK	£1,865	£5,175	£7,040
You, partner and one child (under 18), 5 years, outside the UK	£4,854 (3 × £1,618)	£14,230 (2 × £5,175 + £3,880)	£19,084

The first row matches GOV.UK’s own worked example, which gives £2,889 for a 2-year visa from outside the UK. In the family example you would also need to show £1,870 in savings (£1,270 + £285 + £315) unless an exemption applies.

The difference between a 3-year and a 5-year certificate of sponsorship is more than the extra surcharge. Crossing the 3-year line roughly doubles the application fee as well. The length of sponsorship is decided by your employer and the role, but it helps to know where the price steps are.

Faster decisions: priority and super priority

From outside the UK, GOV.UK says a Skilled Worker decision usually takes about 3 weeks. From inside the UK it usually takes about 8 weeks. If the option is offered when you apply, you may be able to pay for a faster decision:

• Priority service: £500 on top of the application fee
• Super priority service: £1,000 on top of the application fee

Each family member applying with you pays the extra fee too. Places are limited, and GOV.UK says you will only find out whether you can use these services when you apply.

What your employer pays (and you should not)

Sponsoring a Skilled Worker also costs the employer money. These fees sit with the sponsor:

Employer cost	Small or charitable sponsor	Medium or large sponsor
Sponsor licence application	£611	£1,682
Certificate of sponsorship (per worker)	£525	£525
Immigration skills charge, first 12 months	£480	£1,320
Immigration skills charge, each extra 6 months	£240	£660

On those figures, the immigration skills charge for a 5-year certificate works out at £2,400 for a small sponsor and £6,600 for a medium or large one. That is the first 12 months plus eight further 6-month periods.

GOV.UK is explicit that the employer must pay the certificate of sponsorship fee and the immigration skills charge itself. A sponsor’s licence may be revoked if it asks the worker to pay these or “any costs linked to your application”. If a job offer asks you to pay for your certificate of sponsorship, treat that as a serious red flag. Our guide to checking whether an employer can sponsor you explains how to verify an employer on the official register.

Your own visa fee and health surcharge are different. Some employers choose to reimburse them as a relocation benefit, but there is no GOV.UK rule that says they must.

How to keep your Skilled Worker visa costs down

• Check the salary rules before you negotiate. A job that does not meet the salary threshold will not get a visa at any price. Our breakdown of DevOps and cloud salaries against Skilled Worker thresholds shows the going rates for IT occupation codes.
• Ask about relocation support in writing. Some employers cover the visa fee and surcharge. Get that confirmed in your offer.
• Ask whether the sponsor will certify maintenance. If it does, you may not need to show the £1,270.
• Plan family applications together. Dependants pay for the same length of time as you whenever they apply, so applying later does not make it cheaper.
• Factor in settlement costs. If you plan to stay long term, indefinite leave to remain has its own fee. The proposed 10-year earned settlement model could change how many visa extensions you end up paying for.

Fees can change, so always check the figure shown in your application form before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Skilled Worker visa in 2026?

GOV.UK lists standard application fees of £819 (up to 3 years, applying from outside the UK), £1,618 (more than 3 years, outside the UK), £943 (up to 3 years, inside the UK) and £1,865 (more than 3 years, inside the UK). The immigration health surcharge of usually £1,035 per year is paid on top.

Do I have to pay the immigration health surcharge upfront?

Yes. GOV.UK says you pay the surcharge when you apply, by debit or credit card, for the full length of the visa you are applying for.

Can my employer pay my Skilled Worker visa fees?

Employers can choose to cover costs such as your visa fee, but they must pay the certificate of sponsorship fee and the immigration skills charge themselves. GOV.UK warns that a sponsor's licence may be revoked if it asks the worker to pay those.

How much money do I need in my bank account for a Skilled Worker visa?

Usually at least £1,270, held for 28 days in a row, unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer certifies maintenance on your certificate of sponsorship.

Do children pay the full health surcharge?

No. GOV.UK lists £776 per year for applicants under 18 at the time of application, compared with £1,035 per year for most other applicants.