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From April 9, 2025, the UK government introduced another round of immigration fee increases affecting employers who hire or relocate international talent to the UK. These updates include higher visa processing fees and a significant rise in the cost of obtaining or renewing a sponsorship licence. For HR teams and global mobility managers, this means higher compliance costs and budgeting challenges in workforce planning.
Key April 2025 Fee Changes
The UK Home Office officially revised the immigration and nationality fees as part of its cost recovery and migration management strategy. Key changes for employers include:
- Sponsorship licence application fee for medium and large sponsors: Increased from £1,476 to £1,700.
- Sponsorship licence renewal: The same increased fee now applies during renewal.
- Skilled Worker visa fees (for visas of 3 years or less): Increased from £719 to £827 per applicant.
- Skilled Worker visa fees (for visas over 3 years): Increased from £1,420 to £1,628 per applicant.
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Now £250 per certificate, up from £239.
- Priority and super-priority visa services: Increased across most categories by 15–20%.
These changes apply to both in-country and out-of-country applications. Employers sponsoring multiple workers from outside the UK will see a noticeable spike in total immigration spend over the hiring cycle.
What This Means for Employers and HR Professionals
The fee increases come at a time when many organisations are already adjusting to tighter budgets and evolving international hiring strategies. For HR and global mobility leaders, this means:
- Reassessing cost per hire: Updated budgets should account for the cumulative impact of increased visa and sponsorship expenses per employee.
- Planning earlier for renewals: Renewal costs for sponsorship licences and work permits can now affect quarterly or annual talent allocation budgets.
- Improving compliance and reporting efficiency: With higher stakes and costs, employers should streamline visa management processes to avoid delays or costly errors.
How Jobbatical Helps Reduce Complexity
Managing visa and sponsorship compliance doesn’t have to add administrative burden. Jobbatical’s technology platform automates documentation, sponsorship tracking, and compliance processes for employers hiring globally. Through end-to-end digital workflows, HR teams can reduce manual work, maintain immigration accuracy, and provide faster relocation experiences for employees.
By centralising your company’s visa and mobility operations, you can balance compliance responsibilities with cost control — even amid ongoing policy and cost changes from the UK Home Office.
Stay Ahead of UK Immigration Changes
The April 2025 visa fee rise is part of a continuing trend of increased immigration costs. Staying informed and automating your compliance processes helps you minimise costs and maintain hiring agility.
Jobbatical enables your team to manage sponsorships, visa renewals, and international relocation in one place — ensuring compliance and a seamless experience for your global hires.
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