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Key Takeaways CoS cost UK:
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): £525 per certificate for Skilled Worker and most Worker routes £55 for Temporary Worker routes. Unchanged in the April 2026 fee round.
- CoS is a per-worker, repeatable fee: payable every time you sponsor someone, including new hires, visa extensions, and role changes so 10 sponsored workers costs £5,250 in CoS fees alone.
- CoS is not the only sponsorship cost: budget also for the sponsor licence fee (£1,682 medium/large, £611 small/charitable), the Immigration Skills Charge (£1,320/yr large, £480/yr small), Skilled Worker visa fees (£885 in-country / £769 out-of-country for visas of 3 years or less), and the IHS (£1,035/yr per adult).
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record not a physical document that every licensed UK employer must assign to a worker before they can apply for a Skilled Worker or other sponsored visa. Each CoS carries a unique reference number that the worker enters on their visa application, linking them to your sponsorship and confirming the role, salary, and start date you're offering.
CoS application fee is a per-worker fee employer pay every time they sponsor someone, including for extensions or role changes. For any employer forecasting immigration spend, the CoS fee is one of the most predictable and repeatable line items in the hiring cycle.
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Fees
Each sponsored worker requires a CoS, with costs varying by visa category and unchanged in 2026:
Note: The CoS fee is payable for each worker sponsored, and multiple CoS may be needed for visa extensions or role changes.
HR Action: Forecast CoS costs based on anticipated hiring needs. For example, sponsoring 10 skilled workers in 2026 would cost £5,250 in CoS fees alone for either small or large companies.
For a complete breakdown of how certificates work, when they're assigned, and your compliance duties after assignment, read our full UK Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) guide.
Certificate of Sponsorship cost in the UK
Employers sponsoring overseas workers in the UK must pay a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee when assigning a certificate. The cost of a Certificate of Sponsorship depends on the type of sponsor licence and the immigration route being used.
Employer must pay the certificate of sponsorship fee themselves if they are sponsoring a role including
- Skilled Worker
- Global Business Mobility
- Minister of Religion
- International Sportsperson
- Scale-up Worker
- Seasonal Worker
Has the CoS fee changed in April 2026?
No. The Certificate of Sponsorship fee remains £525 for Skilled Worker roles following the April 2025 increase. It is unchanged by the April 8, 2026 fee round.
For every UK work visa, settlement and premium-service fee in one place, see our full UK immigration fees guide.
When does a CoS need to be assigned?
A CoS is required every time you formally sponsor a worker under a licensed route — not just for brand-new hires. These are the common scenarios where a fresh £525 CoS is triggered:
- New overseas hire: You recruit someone from outside the UK into a Skilled Worker role. One CoS is assigned before they apply for their visa.
- Switching from another visa: A worker already in the UK (e.g. on a Graduate or Student visa) switches into the Skilled Worker route with you. A new CoS is needed even though they never leave the country.
- Visa extension with the same employer: When a sponsored worker's visa nears expiry and they stay in the same role, you must assign a new CoS to support the extension the original CoS cannot be reused.
- Change of role or significant promotion: A move to a different SOC occupation code, or a material change in duties, requires a new CoS to keep the sponsorship record accurate.
- Change of employer (TUPE or new sponsor): If a sponsored worker moves to a new sponsoring entity, the new employer assigns its own CoS under its own licence.
Read Defined vs Undefined CoS UK: Which Type Does Your Hire Need? to confirm which CoS applies to your scenario.
What does it cost to sponsor multiple workers?
Because the CoS fee is a flat £525 per Skilled Worker certificate, total CoS spend scales linearly and is easy to forecast. The table below shows CoS-only cost at different hiring volumes:
Note: These figures cover the CoS fee only. They exclude the sponsor licence fee, Immigration Skills Charge, visa fees, and the Immigration Health Surcharge all covered below.
What is the total cost of sponsoring one Skilled Worker?
The CoS fee is only one line item. To sponsor a single worker, an employer typically faces the following costs (based on 2026 rates, medium/large sponsor, 3-year visa):
How Jobbatical Helps You Ease Application Process and Reduce Costs?
Jobbatical helps employers automate visa tracking, documentation, and compliance processes through a single platform, reducing manual administration and improving the employee relocation experience. To keep your global mobility programme cost-effective:
- Budget beyond application fees: Include legal, compliance, relocation, and delay-related costs when forecasting.
- Stay ahead of policy changes: Monitor updates to salary thresholds, Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) fees, and visa requirements.
- Invest in compliance tools: Proactive tracking and reporting are far less expensive than licence breaches or penalties.
- Measure long-term ROI: Sponsorship costs should be weighed against the value of filling critical skills gaps quickly.
- Reduce costly errors: Automated workflows and compliance checks help minimise application mistakes, delays, and rework.
Disclaimer: Immigration rules change quite frequently; please verify with official sources or contact us for the latest info before making any decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions About CoS Fees
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