On 15 September 2023, the UK government published changes to immigration fees that will come into effect on 4 October 2023.
We have summarised the relevant fee changes below.
Visa fee increases
| Fee category | Current fee | New fee | Fee increase |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (payable for all new Skilled Worker or Global Business Mobility visas) | £199 | £239 | £40 |
| Application fees for applications made outside the UK (All figures here are approximates as they will be charged in local currency) | |||
| Skilled worker and Global Business Mobility (main applicant and each dependant) – up to three year sponsorship Excluding priority processing | £625 | £719 | £94+ |
| Skilled worker and Global Business Mobility (main applicant and each dependant) – over three year sponsorship Excluding priority processing | £1,235 | £1,420 | £185+ |
| Application fees for applications made inside the UK | |||
| Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility visa application fee (main applicant and each dependant) – up to three year sponsorship Excluding priority processing | £719 | £827 | £108+ |
| Skilled worker and Global Business Mobility (main applicant and each dependant) – over three year sponsorship Excluding priority processing | £1,423 | £1,500 | £77+ |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain (main applicant and each dependant) Excluding priority processing | £2,404 | £2,885 | £481+ |
| Priority fees | |||
| Out of country priority fee | £250 | £500 | £250 |
A full list of the new fees can also be found on the Government website.
We are also anticipating a change to the current Immigration Health Surcharge fee but there has been no official published guidance on how much the fee could be increased to nor when this fee rise will take effect.
Please note at present, we understand there are no proposed changes to the Immigration Skills Charge.
Impact for businesses
The above new rates will apply to visa applications submitted on or after 4 October 2023. Whilst these fee increases are not particularly substantial, in view of the wider payable government fees it may be prudent for employers to consider bringing forward any new applications they may have in the pipeline to avoid incurring these higher fees.
Our Immigration team would be pleased to have a quick call regarding how these changes may affect you. Please contact Eilidh Moncrieff, Kate Hodgkiss or Jane Hannon.
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