· NextMigrate Team
UK Skilled Worker Visa Cost 2026: The Full Bill for You and Your Family
Imagine you are a civil engineer in Lagos. A UK firm offers you a job for £52,000 a year, and the HR team says "the visa is about £800". Then you open the GOV.UK pages and see a health surcharge, money in the bank and fees for your wife and two children. Is it £800, or is it £20,000?
The short answer: As of November 2026, a Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK costs £819 for up to 3 years or £1,618 for more than 3 years, per person. On top of that, each person pays the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year for adults and £776 per year for children under 18. So one adult on a 3-year visa pays about £3,924, and a family of four on a 5-year visa pays about £24,582, before flights and tests. Your employer pays separate costs, such as the £525 certificate of sponsorship and the immigration skills charge. Sources: GOV.UK and the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026.
The application fee: what each person pays
Every person on the application pays their own fee: you, your partner and each child. Your family pays the same length band as you, even if they join you later (GOV.UK, November 2026).
| Where you apply from | Visa up to 3 years | Visa over 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Outside the UK | £819 | £1,618 |
| Inside the UK (extend, switch or update) | £943 | £1,865 |
| Job on the Immigration Salary List (inside or outside) | £628 | £1,235 |
| Health and Care Worker visa | £324 | £628 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026.
If you are a doctor, nurse or work in some health and adult social care jobs, check the Health and Care Worker visa first. GOV.UK says it is cheaper and you do not pay the annual health surcharge.
The health surcharge: the biggest line
The IHS pays for NHS care. You pay it all at once, when you apply, for every year of the visa (GOV.UK, November 2026):
- £1,035 per year for adults
- £776 per year for children under 18 when they apply
- part of a year over 6 months counts as a full year
- a visa of 18 months or less costs one and a half years
A detail many people miss: the surcharge is based on the length of the visa you are given, and GOV.UK warns that "a visa may last longer than your... period of employment". A few extra days can add half a year, which is £517.50 for an adult. The amount is calculated for you when you apply.
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Money in the bank (shown, not spent)
You must usually show £1,270 in your account for 28 days in a row, with day 28 within 31 days of applying. Your family must show more on top (GOV.UK, November 2026):
- £285 for your partner
- £315 for one child
- £200 for each extra child
You do not pay this money to anyone. You show it. You do not need to show it if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months, or if your employer certifies your maintenance on your certificate of sponsorship.
Can your family come at all?
Check this before you count their fees. If your job code is listed as "medium skilled", your partner and children usually cannot join you, unless you have been in a medium-skilled Skilled Worker job since before 22 July 2025 or another narrow exception applies. Care workers and senior care workers have their own strict rules (GOV.UK, November 2026). Ask your employer for your 4-digit occupation code, then look it up in the table of eligible jobs.
Two worked examples
These use the November 2026 fees. They assume you apply from outside the UK, your job is not on the Immigration Salary List and the visa is granted for whole years.
Example 1: one adult, 3-year visa
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application fee (up to 3 years) | £819 |
| IHS: 3 years x £1,035 | £3,105 |
| Total paid to the Home Office | £3,924 |
| Money to show in the bank (not spent) | £1,270 |
Example 2: family of four, 5-year visa
Two adults and two children under 18, all applying from outside the UK.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application fees: 4 x £1,618 | £6,472 |
| IHS for 2 adults: 2 x 5 x £1,035 | £10,350 |
| IHS for 2 children: 2 x 5 x £776 | £7,760 |
| Total paid to the Home Office | £24,582 |
| Money to show in the bank (not spent) | £2,070 |
Ask yourself: if the visa is granted for 5 years and a few days, could your family pay another half year of surcharge? Keep a buffer.
Want to compare this bill with Canada, Australia or Germany? Our free visa cost calculator puts the main fees side by side.
Other costs you will meet
| Cost | Who pays | Amount (November 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Priority visa decision (outside the UK) | You | £500, where offered |
| Super priority visa decision | You | £1,000, where offered |
| English test (B2 level since January 2026) | You | Set by the test provider |
| TB test (residents of some countries) | You | Set by the approved clinic, see GOV.UK |
| Flights, first rent, deposit | You, unless the offer covers them | Varies |
Priority fees come from the Home Office fee table. The standard decision time from outside the UK is usually 3 weeks (GOV.UK, November 2026).
What the employer pays, not you
Your sponsor has its own bill:
| Employer cost | Small or charitable sponsor | Medium or large sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor licence (one-off) | £611 | £1,682 |
| Certificate of sponsorship, per worker | £525 | £525 |
| Immigration skills charge, first 12 months | £480 | £1,320 |
| Immigration skills charge, each extra 6 months | £240 | £660 |
Sources: Home Office fee table and GOV.UK immigration skills charge, November 2026.
So a large company sponsoring you for 5 years pays £525 plus £6,600 in skills charge. GOV.UK tells employers that their licence may be revoked if they ask the sponsored worker to pay the skills charge "or any costs linked to your application". If a recruiter asks you to pay for your certificate of sponsorship, stop. Read our guide to UK care visa sponsorship scams and check the company on the register of licensed sponsors.
Some employers also cover your own visa fee or surcharge as part of a relocation package. That is a gift, not a rule. Our guide on who pays the visa fees in a relocation package shows how to ask.
Ways to cut the bill legally
- Check the Immigration Salary List. If your job is on it, the fee drops to £628 or £1,235 per person.
- Check the Health and Care Worker visa if you work in health or adult social care. No annual surcharge.
- Choose the visa length with care. The fee jumps at 3 years, and the surcharge grows every year. A shorter certificate means a lower bill now, but an extension later costs more (£943 or £1,865 from inside the UK).
- Ask the employer to certify maintenance and to help with the surcharge.
Before you pay anything, make sure the salary meets the rules. Our guide to Skilled Worker salary thresholds and going rates shows how to check your job code. For the full route, read the UK Skilled Worker visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the UK Skilled Worker visa fee in 2026?
From outside the UK it is £819 for up to 3 years and £1,618 for more than 3 years, per person, as of the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026. From inside the UK it is £943 or £1,865. Jobs on the Immigration Salary List pay £628 or £1,235.
How much is the health surcharge for a Skilled Worker visa?
£1,035 per year for each adult and £776 per year for each child under 18. You pay the full amount when you apply.
How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost for a family of four for 5 years?
About £24,582 to the Home Office for two adults and two children applying from outside the UK: £6,472 in fees and £18,110 in health surcharge. You must also show £2,070 in savings, unless an exemption applies.
Does the employer pay for the Skilled Worker visa?
The employer must pay the certificate of sponsorship fee (£525) and the immigration skills charge. Your own visa fee and surcharge are yours, unless your employer agrees to pay them.
Can I get the health surcharge back?
You get it back in full if your visa is refused or you withdraw before a decision. You get part back in some cases, for example if you are given less time than you asked for. You do not get it back if you leave the UK early or never travel (GOV.UK, November 2026).
Is there a Skilled Worker visa cost calculator?
GOV.UK calculates the exact amount when you apply. For a quick side-by-side estimate with other countries, use our free visa cost calculator.
This article is general information, not legal advice. UK visa fees change several times a year. Always confirm with the official source and a licensed lawyer or registered adviser before you act.
