Visa Costs
When you apply for a Skilled Worker visa, you’ll need to have enough money to:
- pay the application fee - the standard fee ranges from £610 to £1,408 depending on your circumstances
- pay the healthcare surcharge - this is usually £624 per year
- support yourself when you arrive in the UK - you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)
You’ll pay a lower application fee if your job is on the shortage occupation list.
You’ll be told how much you need to pay when you apply.
Example: You’re applying to come to the UK from Argentina for 2 years on a Skilled Worker visa.
Your job is not in a shortage occupation so your visa will cost £610, plus £624 for each year of your stay for the healthcare surcharge. This means you’ll pay a total of £1,858 when you apply for your visa.
You’ll also need to prove you have £1,270 available to support yourself in the UK if your employer cannot cover these costs.
Application fees
If you’re applying from outside the UK, the standard fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:
- up to 3 years - £610 per person
- more than 3 years - £1,220 per person
If you’re applying from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the standard fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:
- up to 3 years - £704 per person
- more than 3 years - £1,408 per person
If your job is on the shortage occupation list
You and your family will pay a lower application fee if your job is on the shortage occupation list.
The fee for each person applying is:
- £464 if you’re staying for up to 3 years
- £928 if you’re staying for more than 3 years
The fee is the same whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.
There’s a different list of shortage occupations if you work in healthcare or education.
If you’re from an eligible country
Your application fee will be automatically reduced by £55 if you’re from one of the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden or Turkey.
If your job is on the shortage occupation list, you’ll get this reduction as well as paying a lower fee.
This reduction only applies to your visa application. Your partner and children will still need to pay the full application fee.
Healthcare surcharge
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay - this is usually £624 per year. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply. Healthcare workers are at times exempt for having to pay healthcare surcharge. Please contact us for further details
Money to support yourself
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK.
You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either:
- you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
- your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270
Your partner and children will also need to prove they can support themselves while they’re in the UK. Check how much they’ll need.
Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
If your employer can support you instead
Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate. This is under ‘Additional data’.
