Any business in the UK intending to hire a foreign worker needs to apply for a sponsorship licence. Once the sponsor licence is granted the company needs to issue a certificate of sponsorship to the migrant applicants allowing them to apply for a skilled worker visa. Sponsoring skilled workers has different types of costs associated with it.

Sponsorship licence application fee

There is a tiered system for sponsorship license application fees. A company small in size and type has to pay less and a company large in size and type has to pay more.

What is a small organization?

An organization is a small sponsor if it fulfills at least 2 of the following requirements:

• annual turnover of the organization is £10.2 million or less
• total assets are approximately £5.1 million or less
• The organization has 50 employees or fewer

Cost of sponsorship license application for large Sponsors

• Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor - £25,000
• Worker sponsor license and Temporary Worker sponsor license, Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence - £1,476
• Worker sponsor license, where sponsor currently holds a Temporary Worker - £940

Cost of sponsorship license application fee for small Sponsors

• Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker and Student sponsors - £8,000
• Skilled Worker sponsor licence application - £536

Priority processing fee

Sponsor license applicants can pay an extra £500 for fast-tracked processing and receive a decision on their application within 10 working days.

Cost of issuing a certificate of sponsorship

Depending on the type of sponsor license (Worker license and temporary license) you need to pay the following amount per certificate of sponsorship:

• Worker (except workers on the International Sportsperson visa) - £239
• Temporary Worker - £25
• International Sportsperson - where the certificate of sponsorship is assigned for more than 12 months - £239
• International Sportsperson - where the certificate of sponsorship is assigned for 12 months or less - £25

Immigration skill charge

Sponsors have to pay immigration skill charges when assigning a certificate of sponsorship to the migrant skilled workers. There are certain exemptions listed below.
Sponsors also don’t need to pay immigration skill charges for the dependents such as partners and children of the main applicant.
The Immigration Skills Charge is £1,000 per year per migrant worker and an additional £500 for each additional 6 months sponsored under the skilled visa for medium and large businesses.
For small businesses and charities, a reduced rate of £364 per annum and an additional £182 for each additional six months apply.
You can sponsor a worker for a maximum 5 years, so the most you’ll have to pay is:

• £1,820 (5 x £364) for a small or charitable sponsor
• £5,000 (5 x £1,000) for a medium or large sponsor

You must pay the full immigration skill charge in one go.

Exemption from paying immigration skill charge

Sponsors issuing certificates of sponsorship to skilled workers for certain occupation codes exempt them from paying any immigration skill charge. These codes include the following:

• Chemical scientists (2111)
• Biological scientists (2112)
• Biochemists and biomedical scientists (2113)
• Physical scientists (2114)
• Social and humanities scientists (2115)
• Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified (2119)
• Research and development managers (2161)
• Other researchers, unspecified discipline (2162)
• Higher education teaching professionals (2311)

Other exemptions

• If you’re sponsoring someone to switch to a work visa from a visa that allows them to study
• If you’re sponsoring someone on the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker route
• If the person you’re sponsoring changes jobs

Application fee for Skilled Worker

The application for a skilled worker application depends on the length of your CoS and your job title –
3 Years or Less - £719 outside UK and £827 Inside UK
3 years or more up to 5 years - £1420 outside UK and £1636 inside UK
Health and Care Jobs - £284 for 3 years and £551 for 5 years

If you are looking for professional advice on skilled worker visa you can contact Visa and Migration Ltd and one of our lawyers will assist you. The above information has been gathered from www.gov.uk