World Immigration News

UK immigration fees and compliance: what employers need to know now

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Release Date: 2025-11-03
Media: Dentons
Summary: The UK is simultaneously increasing immigration-related costs and tightening compliance expectations. The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) will rise on 16 December 2025 to £1,320 per year for large sponsors and £480 for small sponsors, making sponsorship significantly more expensive over multi-year Skilled Worker grants. Because the ISC cannot be passed to the worker, employers must factor the higher costs into workforce planning and consider assigning Certificates of Sponsorship before the increase takes effect, where appropriate and compliant. Sponsor priority service fees have also risen, meaning faster processing now requires a higher premium, which may affect onboarding timelines and internal cost-allocation decisions.

At the same time, the government intends to expand Right-to-Work (RTW) verification beyond traditional employees to include contractors, platform workers and other non-PAYE arrangements. This shift would require stronger governance, clearer supplier obligations, and potentially broader adoption of digital identity tools. Employers should model the financial impact of ISC and fee changes, adjust offer and cost-recovery practices, define when to use paid expedition services, and strengthen RTW controls across all labour engagement models. Regular reviews are recommended to track further fee or policy changes.
Tags: United Kingdom

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