Editorial review: Written and fact-checked by the Sponsorlist editorial team at Amsky Labs Ltd. Last reviewed 16 September 2026. Immigration rules and fees can change; always confirm the position that applies to you on GOV.UK or with a regulated adviser.
A UK Skilled Worker visa is not simply a work permit that an applicant obtains alone. It is a three-part arrangement: an eligible worker, an eligible job and an employer authorised by the Home Office to sponsor that job. All three must fit the Immigration Rules at the time of application. A company appearing on the sponsor register is therefore an important first check, but it is not a promise that every vacancy at that company can be sponsored.
This guide explains the 2026 process from the employer’s perspective. It covers the sponsor licence, occupation and salary checks, the Certificate of Sponsorship, employer charges, the worker’s application and the compliance duties that continue after the person starts work. It is designed to help employers plan a lawful hire and to help candidates ask better questions before accepting an offer.
Skilled Worker sponsorship at a glance
| Stage | Employer action | Worker action | Main evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Licence | Hold the correct, active Worker sponsor licence | Check the organisation on the official register | Sponsor licence and A-rating |
| 2. Role | Identify the correct occupation code and genuine duties | Confirm experience and qualifications fit the role | Job description, organisation chart and recruitment records |
| 3. Pay | Meet the applicable general threshold and going rate | Understand which salary option is being relied on | Contract, working hours and salary calculation |
| 4. CoS | Assign a valid Certificate of Sponsorship | Use the reference in the visa application | CoS reference and sponsor notes |
| 5. Visa | Keep the job available and answer UKVI queries | Apply, prove identity and meet personal requirements | Online application and supporting documents |
| 6. Employment | Complete right-to-work checks and ongoing reporting | Work within visa conditions and report relevant changes | Personnel and sponsor-management records |
Step 1: the employer needs the right sponsor licence
An employer must normally be approved under the Worker routes before it can sponsor a Skilled Worker. A sponsor licence is attached to the legal organisation, not merely to a trading name or a recruiter. That distinction matters when a candidate receives an offer from a brand, subsidiary, franchise or agency whose name differs from the entity listed on the register.
For a new licence application, the employer must show that it is a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK, nominate suitable people to manage sponsorship, submit the required documents and explain why it expects to sponsor workers. The Home Office can request more information or carry out a compliance visit. Approval is not automatic, and an employer should not promise a start date that depends on a licence it does not yet hold.
As of this review, the published sponsor-licence application fee is £611 for a small sponsor or charity and £1,682 for a medium or large sponsor. The Home Office—not the company itself—decides which fee category applies under the published criteria. A licence generally remains valid unless it is surrendered or revoked, but the sponsor must maintain compliance and pay separately for Certificates of Sponsorship and, where applicable, the Immigration Skills Charge.
What an A-rating means
New compliant sponsors are normally A-rated. This permits them to assign Certificates of Sponsorship within the routes and allocation available to them. A B-rating signals that the Home Office has identified compliance problems and imposed an action plan. A B-rated sponsor cannot normally sponsor new workers until it returns to an A-rating, although it may still have duties towards people it already sponsors. Candidates should check the current register rather than rely on an old screenshot or badge on a company website.
Step 2: confirm that the job is eligible and genuine
The employer must select the occupation code that best reflects the job’s actual duties. It cannot choose a more convenient code merely because that code has a lower going rate. Job titles are not decisive: two “business analyst” vacancies can fall under different codes depending on what the person will really do. The Home Office can compare the code with the job description, salary, required experience, the sponsor’s business activities and the work performed after arrival.
The role must meet the skill requirements of the Skilled Worker route and must not have been created mainly to enable a visa application. The vacancy must be real, at an appropriate level and offered by the sponsor or within a permitted working arrangement. A sponsor should retain a clear job description, reporting line, location, hours, pay breakdown and evidence showing why the role exists.
Recruitment and third-party work
The old Resident Labour Market Test no longer applies to most Skilled Worker recruitment. That does not remove the genuine-vacancy requirement or the sponsor’s duty to keep appropriate recruitment evidence. Arrangements where a worker is supplied to another business can be particularly sensitive. Sponsorship cannot be used simply to provide routine labour to a third party while that third party controls the worker’s duties. Employers should check the sponsor guidance before using outsourcing, consultancy or agency structures.
Step 3: apply the correct 2026 salary rule
For a standard Skilled Worker application in 2026, the applicant must usually be paid at least £41,700 a year or the full going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. The going rate is tied to the occupation code and often assumes a specified working week. The sponsor must therefore check annual salary, hourly rate, contractual hours and the percentage of the going rate—not just the headline salary.
Some applicants can qualify under a different salary option. Examples include qualifying new entrants, applicants with a relevant PhD, roles on the Immigration Salary List and certain health or education occupations paid according to national scales. These are rule-based alternatives, not discounts that an employer can apply informally.
| Salary route | Typical 2026 general threshold | Additional test |
|---|---|---|
| Standard option | £41,700 | Usually 100% of the occupation going rate |
| Relevant PhD option | £37,500 | Usually 90% of the going rate and the PhD must be relevant |
| Relevant STEM PhD option | £33,400 | Usually 80% of the going rate and the STEM PhD must be relevant |
| Immigration Salary List option | £33,400 | Usually 80% of the going rate and the job must be on the current list |
| New entrant option | £33,400 | Usually 70% of the going rate, with time and eligibility limits |
| Specified health or education jobs | Route-specific | Relevant national pay scale or occupation rule applies |
The table is a planning aid, not a substitute for the rules. Transitional arrangements can apply to some people continuously sponsored before earlier rule changes, and individual occupations can have special provisions. Employers should use the current Home Office sponsor guidance and the eligible-occupation tables for the intended application date.
What counts as salary?
Only guaranteed basic gross pay and other amounts permitted by the Immigration Rules should be used. One-off bonuses, overtime that is not guaranteed, benefits in kind and allowances may not count. If the worker will work more or fewer hours than the going-rate table assumes, the sponsor may need to pro-rate the going rate. Salary sacrifice arrangements can also affect the immigration calculation. The figure entered on the CoS must accurately describe the contractual package.
Step 4: assign the Certificate of Sponsorship
A Certificate of Sponsorship, or CoS, is an electronic record rather than a paper certificate. The sponsor assigns it through the Sponsor Management System and gives the worker the unique reference number. A defined CoS is normally required for a Skilled Worker applying from outside the UK; an undefined CoS is normally used for eligible in-country applications. The sponsor must choose the correct type and have the necessary allocation or approval.
The current published fee to assign a Worker Certificate of Sponsorship is £525. It must be paid by the sponsor. The CoS records the job title, occupation code, salary, hours, work location, start and end dates, and whether the sponsor certifies maintenance. Errors can cause delay or refusal, so the sponsor should reconcile the CoS with the signed contract before assignment.
Employer costs in 2026
| Employer item | Small sponsor or charity | Medium or large sponsor | When payable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor licence application | £611 | £1,682 | When applying for a licence |
| Certificate of Sponsorship | £525 | £525 | For each Worker CoS assigned |
| Immigration Skills Charge, first 12 months | £480 | £1,320 | Usually when the CoS is assigned |
| Immigration Skills Charge, each additional 6 months | £240 | £660 | For the sponsored period, where applicable |
Some workers and roles are exempt from the Immigration Skills Charge, so the employer should test the exemption rules rather than assume the charge always applies. Sponsor-paid legal, recruitment, relocation and priority-service costs can add materially to the total but are commercial choices rather than standard Home Office charges.
The sponsor must not pass prohibited sponsor costs to the worker. In particular, attempting to recover the Immigration Skills Charge can lead to enforcement action. Employers should distinguish clearly between their own statutory sponsorship costs and the worker’s visa application fee or Immigration Health Surcharge. If the employer chooses to pay the worker’s personal fees, the contract should explain whether that assistance is a benefit and whether any lawful repayment terms apply.
Step 5: the worker makes the visa application
After receiving the CoS reference, the worker applies online. They must prove their identity and show that they meet the route requirements, including English language, funds where required, and any occupation-specific document rules. Depending on nationality and circumstances, the application may also require a tuberculosis certificate, criminal-record certificate or ATAS certificate.
Current Skilled Worker application fees depend on whether the application is made inside or outside the UK, the intended visa length and whether the job is on a lower-fee list. For standard applications after 8 April 2026, the published fees include £819 from outside the UK for up to three years, £1,618 from outside for more than three years, £943 from inside for up to three years and £1,865 from inside for more than three years. The Immigration Health Surcharge is usually £1,035 for each year covered. Applicants should check the live fee page because charges can change.
Unless the sponsor certifies maintenance, the worker usually needs to show at least £1,270 held for the required period. Dependants have separate fees, health surcharges and maintenance requirements. A candidate should receive the decision before starting sponsored work unless their existing immigration permission lawfully allows the work.
Step 6: complete right-to-work and sponsorship duties
Sponsorship does not replace the statutory right-to-work check. Before employment begins, the employer must use the correct online or document-based process, verify that the person can perform the offered work and keep evidence of the check. Follow-up checks are needed where the right to work is time-limited.
The sponsor must also maintain records and report specified changes through the Sponsor Management System. Reportable events can include non-attendance, an unexplained absence pattern, an early end to employment, significant changes to job duties, salary reductions, a new work location or changes to the organisation. Exact deadlines and exceptions appear in the sponsor guidance.
Practical compliance checklist
- Keep passport, immigration-status and right-to-work evidence securely.
- Record the worker’s current UK address, telephone number and email address.
- Track attendance and know when an absence becomes reportable.
- Make sure payroll matches the salary and hours stated on the CoS.
- Review changes to duties, location or working pattern before implementing them.
- Restrict Sponsor Management System access to trained key personnel.
- Retain recruitment, role and salary evidence so it can be explained during an audit.
Common reasons sponsorship plans fail
The company is licensed but the vacancy is not eligible. Licence status is only one condition. The particular role still needs the correct skill level, occupation code, salary and genuine-vacancy evidence.
The wrong legal entity is making the offer. A group company cannot automatically use another group member’s licence. The named sponsor on the CoS must have an appropriate relationship with the job and worker.
The salary clears £41,700 but misses the going rate. The applicable minimum is generally the higher requirement. A candidate may need more than the general threshold for a higher-paid occupation.
A “new entrant” assumption is not checked. New-entrant status has detailed eligibility and duration limits. An applicant does not qualify merely because they are new to the employer or industry.
The CoS and contract conflict. Differences in duties, hours, work location or salary can trigger questions and should be corrected before submission.
Questions a candidate should ask before accepting
- Which legal entity will employ and sponsor me?
- Is that exact entity currently A-rated for the Skilled Worker route?
- Which occupation code and salary option will be used?
- What are the guaranteed basic salary and weekly contractual hours?
- Who pays the CoS, Immigration Skills Charge, visa fee and health surcharge?
- Is the offer conditional on sponsorship approval, and when will the CoS be assigned?
- Will the employer certify maintenance on the CoS?
Final planning point
A well-run sponsorship case begins with the job, not the visa form. The employer should establish the genuine role, correct code, lawful salary and employing entity before assigning a CoS. The candidate should independently verify the sponsor, read the contract and understand which rule is being used. That discipline reduces the risk of paying fees for an application built on an ineligible vacancy.
Use Sponsorlist’s visa sponsorship checker to find the organisation in our searchable copy of the register, then confirm the latest source entry on the official GOV.UK register. For official rules and current fees, consult the Skilled Worker visa guide and employer sponsorship guidance.