Which Visa Sponsorship Costs Must the Employer Pay?

An employer saying “we’ll cover all your visa costs” is not, by itself, a warning sign. Some employers voluntarily pay costs that would otherwise fall to the applicant as part of a relocation package.

The important distinction is between sponsorship costs the sponsor must bear and applicant costs an employer may choose to cover. Problems arise when an employer asks the worker to repay a sponsor-only cost, hides a deduction in a loan or salary arrangement, or will not explain what “cover” means.

Costs a Skilled Worker sponsor must not pass to the worker

The current Home Office sponsor-licence guidance says a sponsor is responsible for its sponsorship fees and will normally have its licence revoked if it recoups, or attempts to recoup, specified costs. For Skilled Worker sponsorship these include:

• the sponsor licence fee and associated administrative costs, where recoupment is on or after 31 December 2024;
• the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and associated administrative costs for a Certificate assigned on or after 31 December 2024; and
• the Immigration Skills Charge, whenever the sponsor is required to pay it.

The Immigration Skills Charge has exemptions, so it is not due for every worker. Where it is due, the official charge guidance says the sponsor must pay it itself and must not ask the sponsored worker to pay it.

These are sponsor-compliance rules. Calling the employer’s payment of them a discretionary benefit is misleading, because the sponsor cannot make the worker fund them in the circumstances above.

Costs that may still sit with the applicant

The Skilled Worker cost guide lists the visa application fee, Immigration Health Surcharge where applicable, and the maintenance requirement as applicant-side requirements. The exact amount and whether the surcharge applies depend on the route and circumstances. For example, eligible Health and Care visa applicants do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

An employer can choose to pay or reimburse applicant-side costs. That can be a genuine benefit. Read any repayment clause carefully: an employer-funded application fee is different from an arrangement that ultimately makes you reimburse the employer’s own CoS fee or Immigration Skills Charge.

Questions to ask before accepting an offer

Ask for a written breakdown covering:

1. each fee the employer will pay;
2. whether it pays the fee directly or reimburses you later;
3. every repayment or clawback condition if you leave; and
4. every amount that may be deducted from salary.

Then verify that the company is currently licensed and that the person contacting you uses independently confirmed company details. Do not rely on a logo, email signature or a screenshot of the sponsor register.

If the employer asks you to fund or repay its sponsor licence fee, Skilled Worker CoS fee or Immigration Skills Charge, pause and get independent advice. The label used—“deposit”, “loan”, “processing fee” or “admin fee”—does not override the Home Office rule against recoupment.

Our separate guide covers other warning signs:

How to spot a sponsorship scam →

Sources and verification

• Sponsor guidance Part 1: applying for a licence — sponsor responsibility and the fees that must not be recouped.
• Sponsor guidance Part 2: sponsoring a worker — CoS fees and the Immigration Skills Charge.
• Immigration Skills Charge: GOV.UK — who pays, exemptions and refunds.
• Skilled Worker visa costs: GOV.UK — applicant fees, surcharge and maintenance.

Verified against the official sources above on 3 August 2026. Fee levels and sponsor guidance change; check the current GOV.UK pages and obtain advice on any repayment clause before agreeing to it.