You might have to pay an additional charge when you assign a certificate of sponsorship to someone applying for a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker visa. This is called the ‘immigration skills charge’.
You must pay the immigration skills charge if they’re applying for a visa from:
- outside the UK to work in the UK for 6 months or more
- inside the UK for any length of time
When you do not need to pay
You will not have to pay the charge if you’re sponsoring someone with one of the following occupation codes:
- chemical scientists (2111)
- biological scientists and biochemists (2112)
- physical scientists (2113)
- social and humanities scientists (2114)
- natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified (2119)
- research and development managers (2150)
- higher education teaching professionals (2311)
- clergy (2444)
- sports players (3441)
- sports coaches, instructors or officials (3442)
You also might not have to pay the charge if you’re sponsoring a worker who was assigned a certificate before 6 April 2017 - there’s more information in the immigration skills charge guidance for sponsors.
You will not need to pay the charge for any of the worker’s dependants, for example their partner or child.
If you’re sponsoring someone who has a UK student visa to switch to a work visa
You will not have to pay the charge if they switch to either a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker visa and then extend their stay on the new visa.
If you’re sponsoring someone on the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker route
You will not have to pay the charge if all of the following apply to the worker you’re sponsoring:
- they were assigned a certificate of sponsorship on or after 1 January 2023
- they are a national of an EU country or hold a Latvian non-citizen’s passport
- they normally work in the EU for an EU business but have been temporarily transferred to work in the UK
- the end date of the temporary transfer, as specified on the certificate of sponsorship, is no more than 36 months after the start date
If you’ve assigned a certificate of sponsorship to someone in your organisation who then moves to a new job in your organisation, you’ll need to assign them a new certificate. They will use this to apply for a new visa.
You only need to do this if the new job has a different occupation code.
You must pay the immigration skills charge for the full length of their visa. If the new certificate of sponsorship allows the worker more time on their visa, you’ll need to pay for this extra time.
Example
A worker has a visa from 1 January 2021 to 1 January 2023. You pay the immigation skills charge for that 2 year period. The worker gets a new job in your organisation and you assign them a new certificate of sponsorship that extends their visa to 1 July 2023.
In this example, you would need to pay an additional immigration skills charge to cover the extra 6 months (1 January 2023 to 1 July 2023).
You do not need to pay the additional immigration skills charge if the new certificate of sponsorship does not extend the time on your sponsored worker’s visa.
How to pay
You pay the immigration skills charge when you assign a certificate of sponsorship to the worker.
How much it costs
The amount you need to pay is based on:
- the size of your organisation
- how long the worker will work for you, using the start and end dates on their sponsorship certificate
| Period | Small or charitable sponsors | Medium or large sponsors |
|---|---|---|
| First 12 months | £364 | £1,000 |
| Each additional 6 months | £182 | £500 |
How to tell if you’re a small or charitable sponsor
You’re usually a small sponsor if at least 2 of the following apply:
- your annual turnover is £10.2 million or less
- your total assets are worth £5.1 million or less
- you have 50 employees or fewer
You’re a charitable sponsor if you’re:
- a registered charity in England or Wales
- a registered charity in Scotland
- a registered charity in Northern Ireland - if you’re not on the register, you must provide proof of your charitable status for tax purposes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
- an excepted charity
- an exempt charity
- an ecclesiastical corporation established for charitable purposes
If you’re not sure which category your business fits into contact the Business Helpdesk:
Business Helpdesk
businesshelpdesk@homeoffice.gov.uk
How much to pay based on how long the worker will work for you
If the worker will be in the UK for longer than 6 months but less than a year, you must pay for at least 12 months.
You must pay the full charge in one go.
The longest you can sponsor a worker for is 5 years, so the most you’ll have to pay is:
- £1,820 (5 x £364) if you’re a small or charitable sponsor
- £5,000 (5 x £1,000) if you’re a medium or large sponsor
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will contact you if you do not pay the charge or pay the wrong amount. You’ll have 10 working days to pay the charge - the worker’s visa application will be refused if you do not.
Refunds
You’ll get a full refund if the worker’s visa application is:
- refused or withdrawn
- successful, but they do not come to work for you
You’ll get a partial refund if the worker:
- gets less time on their visa than you sponsored them for
- starts working for you but then changes to another sponsor
- leaves their job before the end date on their certificate of sponsorship
You’ll also get a partial refund if you paid the medium or large sponsor fee when assigning the certificate, but had already notified UKVI that you’re now a small or charitable sponsor.
How long it takes
You usually get a refund within 90 days of:
- telling UKVI that the worker did not come to work for you
- the expiration date on the worker’s certificate of sponsorship, if they did not use it to apply for a visa
- the date the worker’s visa application is refused or withdrawn
- the date you assigned the certificate of sponsorship, if you had already notified UKVI that you became a small or charitable sponsor
If the worker’s visa application is refused, they can ask for the decision to be reviewed. This is known as an ‘administrative review’.
If they do not ask for an administrative review, you’ll get a refund within 90 days of the deadline for applying for one.
You’ll get a refund within 90 days of the administrative review being dismissed if the worker applied for one and were unsuccessful.
Contact UKVI if your refund is not paid within 90 days.
As an expert in immigration policies and procedures, particularly in the context of the United Kingdom, I can provide a comprehensive understanding of the article's content and shed light on the various concepts involved. My expertise in this field is substantiated by an in-depth knowledge of UK visa regulations and a commitment to staying abreast of any changes or updates in immigration policies up to my last knowledge update in January 2022.
Now, delving into the specifics of the article, it addresses the "immigration skills charge" in the UK, a financial obligation imposed on sponsors assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) to individuals applying for a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker visa. The charge is applicable when the visa applicant is either outside the UK intending to work for 6 months or more or inside the UK for any duration.
The key concepts covered in the article are as follows:
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Charge Exemptions: Certain occupations, identified by specific occupation codes, are exempt from the immigration skills charge. These include chemical scientists, biological scientists, social and humanities scientists, research and development managers, higher education teaching professionals, clergy, sports players, sports coaches, instructors, or officials.
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Pre-April 6, 2017 Exemption: Sponsors are not required to pay the immigration skills charge for workers who were assigned a certificate of sponsorship before April 6, 2017.
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Dependants Exemption: The charge does not apply to the dependants (partners or children) of the sponsored worker.
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Switching from Student Visa: Individuals switching from a UK student visa to a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker visa are exempt from the immigration skills charge.
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Global Business Mobility Exemption: Workers on the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker route may be exempt from the charge if certain conditions are met, including being a national of an EU country and having a temporary transfer period of no more than 36 months.
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Change of Job within the Organization: If a sponsored worker changes jobs within the same organization but with a different occupation code, a new certificate of sponsorship must be assigned, and the immigration skills charge must be paid for the extended period, if applicable.
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Payment of the Charge: The immigration skills charge is paid when a certificate of sponsorship is assigned to the worker. The cost depends on the size of the organization and the length of time the worker will be employed.
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Organization Size Classification: Organizations are categorized as small, medium, or large based on criteria such as annual turnover, total assets, and the number of employees.
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Refunds: Full or partial refunds are possible under various circ*mstances, including visa application refusal or withdrawal, the worker not coming to work, or changes in sponsorship details.
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Refund Processing Time: Refunds are typically processed within 90 days of specific events, such as the expiration date on the certificate of sponsorship or the worker's visa application refusal.
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Administrative Review: If a worker's visa application is refused, they can request an administrative review, and a refund will be processed accordingly.
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Contacting UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI): In case of any issues or delays with refunds, sponsors can contact UKVI for assistance.
Understanding these concepts is crucial for organizations and individuals involved in sponsoring skilled workers to navigate the immigration process in the UK efficiently and compliantly.
