How much does the Skilled Worker visa cost in total?

For a 3-year application from outside the UK with no dependants: roughly £4,800 including the £1,500 visa fee, £3,105 IHS, and £100 biometrics. With one dependent partner: ~£8,500. With partner and one child: ~£12,000.

Can my employer pay the Skilled Worker visa fee?

Yes — many employers do, especially for senior or hard-to-fill roles. The fee can be paid by you, your employer, or split. The visa itself is in your name regardless of who paid.

UK Skilled Worker Visa Cost in 2026: Full Breakdown

Q: Is the Skilled Worker visa fee one-off or annual?

The visa application fee is one-off per application. The Immigration Health Surcharge is paid upfront for the entire visa period — not annually. So you pay it once at application but the figure scales with the length of the visa.

TL;DR

A UK Skilled Worker visa costs £719-£1,500 in application fee depending on length and shortage status, plus £1,035 per year of leave for the Immigration Health Surcharge, plus £100 biometrics. A typical 3-year application from outside the UK comes to ~£4,800 total. Dependants add £1,500 application fee + IHS each.

Application fee

The Skilled Worker visa application fee is tiered by length of visa and whether your role is on the Immigration Salary List:

Visa length	Standard role	Shortage list role
Up to 3 years (outside UK)	£719	£719
Over 3 years (outside UK)	£1,500	£1,084
Up to 3 years (inside UK extension)	£827	£827
Over 3 years (inside UK extension)	£1,636	£1,191

Note: shortage-list reduced fees apply only to roles on the Immigration Salary List published by the Home Office.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

IHS gives you NHS access and is paid upfront for the entire visa period, not annually:

£1,035 per year for adults
£776 per year for students and under-18s
Discounted rate for Health and Care Worker visas (none — exempt)

For a 3-year Skilled Worker: £3,105 IHS in addition to the application fee.

Other costs

Biometrics: £100 (paid at the application centre)
Priority Service: £500 — 5 working days decision (vs 3 weeks standard)
Super-Priority Service: £1,000 — next working day decision
English language test (if needed): £150-£200 for IELTS for UKVI
TB test (if from listed country): £75-£150
UK ENIC statement (if needed): £210
Translations: £20-£60 per certificate

Worked examples

Example 1 — Single applicant, 3 years, standard role

Item	Cost
Visa fee (3 years, standard)	£1,500
IHS (£1,035 × 3)	£3,105
Biometrics	£100
TB test (if from India / Nigeria etc.)	£100
Total	~£4,800

Example 2 — Couple, 3 years, no children

Item	Cost
Main visa fee	£1,500
Partner visa fee (Skilled Worker dependant)	£1,500
Main IHS	£3,105
Partner IHS	£3,105
Biometrics × 2	£200
Total	~£9,400

Example 3 — Family of four, 3 years, with priority service

Item	Cost
Main visa fee	£1,500
Partner + 2 children fees	£4,500
IHS × 2 adults + 2 child rate	£8,070
Biometrics × 4	£400
Priority Service	£500
Total	~£15,000

Who can pay

The fees can be paid by you, your sponsoring employer, or split between you. Many UK employers cover the full cost for senior roles or critical hires; smaller employers may offer to cover the visa fee but ask you to pay the IHS yourself. To find sponsoring employers in your field — including those known to cover visa costs — start with our sister site Tarve.

There's no rule against the employer paying. The visa is in your name regardless.

What about ILR later?

Skilled Worker leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years. The ILR application fee is £3,029 per applicant — separate from the Skilled Worker fees. Plan for this in addition to the visa journey.

Total 5-year journey cost (single applicant, standard role):

Initial 3-year Skilled Worker: ~£4,800
2-year extension: ~£3,500
ILR: £3,029
Total over 5 years: roughly £11,500

For a family of four on the same journey: roughly £35,000-£40,000 over 5 years.

How to budget

Confirm with your employer who pays what — get it in writing
Set aside contingency for currency fluctuations if paying from overseas
IHS is paid in pounds at the time of application; budget conservatively
Don't book travel until your visa is granted — refused visas can leave you with non-refundable bookings

For a personalised list of what documents you'll need to support the application, run our Checklist generator. Use the Bundler to assemble those documents in canonical UKVI order.