Figures checked September 25, 2026. The standard UK Skilled Worker visa application fee is £819 from outside the UK for a stay of up to three years and £1,618 for more than three years. Applying inside the UK to extend, switch or update costs £943 or £1,865 respectively. Those are application fees, not the full amount a worker may have to pay. Most applicants also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). The government’s Skilled Worker cost page is the authoritative starting point.
Choose the correct fee row before doing any arithmetic
| Standard Skilled Worker application | Up to three years | More than three years |
|---|---|---|
| Applying from outside the UK | £819 | £1,618 |
| Applying inside the UK | £943 | £1,865 |
The length tied to the sponsorship decision matters. A job offer saying “permanent” does not automatically identify the correct visa-duration row: look at the actual sponsorship and application details. A partner or child who qualifies as a dependant pays an application fee of their own; a later dependant application can still be charged by reference to the relevant length stated by UKVI. Do not assume one family payment covers everyone.
Add the healthcare surcharge—carefully
The standard adult IHS rate is currently £1,035 per year. It is normally calculated and paid during the visa application for the period of immigration permission, which may not be identical to a simple count of full employment years. The official IHS guidance explains partial years and dependant charges. A child under 18 may be charged at a different annual rate.
Illustrative two-year case: a single adult applying outside the UK for a standard two-year Skilled Worker visa might budget £819 plus two times £1,035, or £2,889, using the government’s own straightforward example. It excludes optional appointment services, any extra visa validity and dependants. The actual checkout amount is decisive. A five-year case should not simply reuse the two-year application fee because it falls into the longer-duration row.
Lower-fee routes are conditional, not automatic
A qualifying job on the Immigration Salary List has a lower application charge: currently £628 for up to three years or £1,235 for more than three years, whether applying from inside or outside the UK. Do not call every shortage occupation an “Immigration Salary List” job without checking the current official list and sponsorship details. An eligible Health and Care Worker application has its own lower fees and is generally exempt from the IHS. Eligibility depends on the actual role and sponsor, not simply working somewhere in healthcare.
Maintenance money is not another application fee
A Skilled Worker applicant usually needs to show £1,270 available for initial support, subject to exceptions such as qualifying UK residence or employer-certified maintenance. This is an evidence requirement, not an automatic payment of £1,270 to the Home Office. Check that the funds have been held for the required period if you rely on personal savings. Our separate Skilled Worker requirements guide helps assess whether the job and sponsorship route fit before budgeting.
Ask the employer for a cost split
Sponsor-side costs, such as a Certificate of Sponsorship fee or Immigration Skills Charge where applicable, are different from the worker’s application fee and IHS. If a recruiter presents one unexplained lump sum, request an itemised breakdown and verify which charges are genuine and whose responsibility they are. Optional faster-decision services, translations and travel expenses may add costs but are not part of the basic government application fee. Recheck all current charges immediately before submitting, because a fee update can make an older quote wrong.