How much does a UK sponsor licence cost in 2026?
The Skilled Worker sponsor licence fee for small and large employers, the per-worker Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge, how long a licence takes, and the priority option.
Reviewed 28 September 2026 · 1 min read
Short answer: £574 for a small sponsor or charity and £1,579 for a medium or large one, covering four years. Each sponsored worker then needs a Certificate of Sponsorship (£525) and the Immigration Skills Charge (£364 a year for small sponsors, £1,000 a year for others), paid upfront for the whole visa.
Costs in 2026
| Item | Small sponsor or charity | Medium or large |
|---|---|---|
| Licence application (four years) | £574 | £1,579 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship, per worker | £525 | £525 |
| Immigration Skills Charge, per worker per year | £364 | £1,000 |
"Small" follows the Companies Act definition: two of turnover under £15m, balance sheet under £7.5m, 50 or fewer employees. The Immigration Skills Charge is paid upfront for the whole visa length, so a three-year visa at a medium employer costs £3,000. The 2025 white paper proposed a 32 per cent rise in the charge; check the GOV.UK page before budgeting.
Not included
The worker's own visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge are separate. Many employers cover them, but nothing requires it.
How long
Around eight weeks for a standard application; a priority service (£500, limited slots released daily) cuts it to ten working days. Allow three months from decision to start date once the certificate and the visa application are added. The sponsor licence guide covers what the Home Office checks and the duties afterwards.
Sources
- https://www.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers
- https://www.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers/immigration-skills-charge
General information, not regulated immigration advice. Rules change; check the source before you act, and speak to an IAA-registered adviser about your case.