Visa, work permit & immigration support in the United Kingdom

Sponsor licence: ~8 weeks. Main route: Skilled Worker visa. Authority: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Last reviewed: May 2026

Major UK immigration rule changes effective July 2025 and January 2026

22 July 2025: Skill level threshold raised from RQF Level 3 back to RQF Level 6 — approximately 180 roles removed from standard Skilled Worker eligibility.
22 July 2025: General salary threshold increased to £41,700 per year for new applicants (up from £38,700)
22 July 2025: Care workers can no longer be sponsored from outside the UK
22 July 2025: Temporary Shortage List introduced for some RQF 3–5 roles — will be phased out by 31 December 2026
8 January 2026: English language requirement raised to CEFR Level B2 for all first-time Skilled Worker applicants.

Hiring a non-UK national to work in the United Kingdom requires the employer to hold a valid sponsor licence issued by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the worker, and pay the Immigration Skills Charge. The worker then applies for the visa themselves. The entire employer-side process — from licence to CoS assignment — must be in place before the worker can submit their visa application. Since July 2025 and January 2026, both the minimum salary threshold and the English language requirement have been raised, removing a significant number of roles and candidates from previous eligibility.

Quick answer

Employer must hold a UK sponsor licence (£611 small / £1,682 large; ~8 weeks to process). Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship through the Sponsorship Management System. Pay the Immigration Skills Charge (£480/year small; £1,320/year large). Role must be at RQF Level 6+ or on the Immigration Salary List / Temporary Shortage List. Minimum salary: £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher. Worker applies for visa within 3 months of CoS. Must prove English at CEFR Level B2 (from 8 January 2026). Visa valid up to 5 years.

Right to work in the UK — who needs sponsorship

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals — no longer automatically entitled to work

Since 1 July 2021, EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals cannot prove their right to work using a passport or national identity card alone. Employers must check right to work online using a share code and date of birth, or by checking original qualifying documents.

An EU/EEA/Swiss national has the right to work in the UK if they hold: settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme; a Frontier Worker Permit; a biometric residence permit or card; or any other valid UK visa. Without one of these, they require a Skilled Worker visa like any other non-UK national.

Irish citizens are the sole exception — they retain the automatic right to work in the UK under the Common Travel Area agreement and do not require any additional immigration documentation.

UK work visa routes for employer-sponsored hires

Skilled Worker visa: primary route

The main route for non-UK nationals taking skilled employment with a licensed UK sponsor. Role must be at RQF Level 6+ (or on ISL/TSL). Minimum salary: £41,700 or going rate. English required at CEFR B2 from January 2026. Valid up to 5 years, renewable. Leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years.

Global Business Mobility — Senior or Specialist Worker

For employees of multinational groups transferring to a UK branch or subsidiary. Minimum salary: £52,500 or the going rate. Must have been employed by the overseas group for at least 12 months (with exceptions for high earners). Maximum 5-year stay. Does not lead to settlement.

Health and Care Worker visa — regulated sectors

For doctors, nurses, and eligible health and adult social care professionals. Minimum salary: £25,000 or going rate per NHS Agenda for Change pay scales. Exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. Care workers (code 6135) can no longer be sponsored from outside the UK from 22 July 2025.

Scale-up Worker visa

For workers joining a qualifying high-growth UK business. Minimum salary: £36,300 or the going rate. After 6 months, the worker is not required to stay with the same employer. The employer must demonstrate qualifying scale-up status. Role must be at RQF Level 6+.

Current salary thresholds — Skilled Worker visa (as of July 2025)

The salary offered must meet whichever is higher of the general threshold and the going rate for the specific occupation code. Going rates are set at the median level of ONS earnings data for each role and are updated periodically.

Category / Requirement	Detail	Notes
Issuing Authority	Employment Service Agency (AVRSM)	The primary body for approving work permits (av.gov.mk)
Validity Period	1 Year	Standard permits are issued for one year and are renewable
Processing Time	30–45 Days	Typical lead time from application to permit issuance
Labour Market Test	30-Day Advertisement	Mandatory requirement to check for local candidates
Annual Quota	5% Limit	Restricted by national quotas; typically 5% of total headcount
Entry Visa	Type D Visa	Must be obtained from a consulate after work permit approval
Residence Permit	TRP (Temporary Residence)	Required after arrival for stays exceeding 90 days

The salary must reflect actual annual earnings based on a maximum of 48 hours per week — any overtime beyond 48 hours is disregarded for threshold purposes. For part-time roles, the actual salary (not the full-time equivalent) must still meet the going rate threshold pro-rated for contracted hours.

Getting a UK sponsor licence: what employers need to know

Without a sponsor licence, no employer can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship or sponsor a worker on any worker visa route. The licence is issued by UKVI and is valid indefinitely, subject to ongoing compliance. It is an employer’s most important immigration asset — and the most consequential to lose.

Sponsor licence fees and processing (effective 8 April 2026)

Sponsor size	Application fee	Processing time
Small business or charity Confirmed gov.uk April 2026	£611	~8 weeks standard; ~10 working days priority (£750 priority fee)
Medium or large organisation Confirmed gov.uk April 2026	£1,682	~8 weeks standard; ~10 working days priority (£750 priority fee)

Skilled Worker visa application fees (effective 8 April 2026): £819 for CoS of 3 years or less (outside UK); £1,618 for CoS of more than 3 years (outside UK). In-country applications: £943 (up to 3 years) and £1,865 (over 3 years). Health and Care visa rates are lower — see gov.uk for current figures.

A small sponsor is generally one where at least 2 of the following apply: fewer than 50 employees; annual turnover below £10.2 million; balance sheet total below £5.1 million. Charities that are registered in England, Scotland, or Wales also qualify as small sponsors.

The Immigration Skills Charge: what it costs and who pays

The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) is a mandatory employer-side fee paid when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship for a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker. It is paid in full at the time of CoS assignment, the employer cannot pass this cost to the sponsored worker. Doing so is a violation of sponsor duties and may result in licence revocation.

Sponsor Type	Cost per Year	Maximum (5-Year) / Details
Small or charitable sponsor	£634 per year	Maximum: £3,170. Increased 32% from 16 December 2025.
Medium or large sponsor	£1,742 per year	Maximum: £8,710. Increased 32% from 16 December 2025.

If the worker’s visa application is refused, a full ISC refund is issued. If the worker is sponsoring for less than a year, the charge is still calculated for a full year minimum if the visa period is 6 months or more. The ISC increased by 32% under the Immigration Skills Charge (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective 16 December 2025. In addition to the ISC, sponsors pay a £525 Certificate of Sponsorship fee per Skilled Worker CoS assigned. Certain occupation codes are exempt from the ISC including higher education teaching professionals (2311), research and development managers (2150), and clergy (2444), the full exempt list is published on gov.uk.

The employer applies for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence on gov.uk. The application requires the employer to demonstrate genuine trading activity, appropriate HR and record-keeping systems, and the suitability of key personnel. UKVI may conduct a compliance visit before granting the licence. Processing takes approximately 8 weeks standard or around 10 working days on the priority service (additional fee applies). The licence fee is £611 for small/charitable sponsors or £1,682 for medium/large. ~8 weeks standard processing — plan well ahead of any intended hire date.

Confirm role and salary eligibility

The employer confirms the role is eligible: it must be at RQF Level 6 or above (unless on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List), and the salary must meet at least £41,700 or the going rate for the specific SOC occupation code — whichever is higher. For new entrants, the discounted rate of £33,400 applies where the worker qualifies. Check the ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) requirement if the role involves sensitive research areas — some workers need ATAS clearance before a CoS can be assigned. Temporary Shortage List roles will be phased out by 31 December 2026 — check current eligibility.

Assign Certificate of Sponsorship through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS)

The employer assigns a CoS to the worker through the SMS — a secure UKVI online system. Each CoS carries a unique reference number and costs£525per assignment. The Immigration Skills Charge must also be paid in full at this stage —£634/year(small/charitable) or£1,742/year(large), following the 32% increase effective 16 December 2025. The employer cannot pass the ISC, CoS fee, or any sponsor licence fees to the worker — doing so is a licence compliance breach. The worker must use the CoS to apply for their visa within 3 months of assignment and no more than 3 months before their job start date. Sponsor cannot charge ISC or licence fees to the worker — licence may be revoked if found.

Worker applies for Skilled Worker visa online

The worker applies online using their CoS reference number, pays the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, proves their identity (in person at a visa application centre or via the UK Immigration: ID Check app), and provides supporting documents. From 8 January 2026, all first-time Skilled Worker applicants must demonstrate English at CEFR Level B2 — through an approved test, a degree taught in English, or nationality of a majority English-speaking country. English at CEFR B2 required for all first-time applicants from 8 January 2026.

Employer conducts right to work check before employment begins

Once the visa is approved, the employer must conduct and retain a right to work check before the worker starts. For overseas applicants, the standard visa processing time is typically 3 weeks. Priority (5 working days) and super priority (next working day) services are available for additional fees. The employer must also maintain ongoing sponsor compliance duties throughout the worker’s employment — monitoring, reporting, and record-keeping obligations apply for the duration of the sponsorship. Right to work check mandatory before day one of employment.

Documents required for a UK Skilled Worker visa application

Employer assigns (required for CoS)

Required Item	Notes
Valid sponsor licence	Issued by UKVI; employer must be in good standing with no compliance concerns
Certificate of Sponsorship assigned via SMS	Electronic record specifying role, occupation code, salary, and employer details
Immigration Skills Charge payment	Paid in full at CoS assignment; cannot be passed to the worker
ATAS certificate (where required)	Needed before CoS assignment for certain academic or sensitive research roles

Worker provides — submitted with visa application

Required Document	Notes
Certificate of Sponsorship reference number	Provided by the employer; worker must apply within 3 months of assignment
Valid passport	Must be valid for the intended duration of stay
Proof of English language proficiency at CEFR B2 Required from 8 Jan 2026	Approved test result, degree taught in English, or nationality of majority English-speaking country
Job title, occupation code, and annual salary confirmation	Must match CoS exactly
Employer name and sponsor licence number	As stated on the CoS
Immigration Health Surcharge payment	Paid by the worker as part of the online visa application
Tuberculosis test result (where required)	Required for applicants from certain countries — check gov.uk list

Sponsor licence compliance: what employers risk getting wrong

Most common causes of sponsor licence suspension or revocation:

Failing to conduct a right to work check before the worker’s first day of employment
Failing to report a sponsored worker’s absence or non-attendance within the required timeframe
Passing ISC costs or sponsor licence/CoS fees to the sponsored worker — expressly prohibited
Sponsoring a worker for a role that does not match the occupation code on the CoS
Paying below the salary threshold stated on the CoS after the worker starts
Failing to notify UKVI within 10 working days when a sponsored worker leaves employment
Not retaining required copies of the worker’s passport, visa, and right to work documentation
Assigning a CoS to a worker whose application is submitted more than 3 months before the job start date

UK Skilled Worker visa at a glance. 2026

Feature	2026 Update
Governing authority	UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) — Home Office
Skill level requirement	RQF Level 6+ (graduate degree equivalent) from 22 July 2025 — or Immigration Salary List / Temporary Shortage List for exceptions
General salary threshold	£41,700/year or going rate for occupation code — whichever is higher (from 22 July 2025)
New entrant discounted rate	£33,400/year
Senior or Specialist Worker	£52,500/year minimum
English language requirement	CEFR Level B2 for all first-time applicants from 8 January 2026
Sponsor licence fee	£611 (small/charitable) or £1,682 (medium/large) — processing ~8 weeks
Immigration Skills Charge	£634/year (small/charitable) or £1,742/year (large) — 32% increase effective 16 December 2025; paid by sponsor at CoS assignment; cannot be passed to worker
Certificate of Sponsorship fee	£525 per Skilled Worker CoS assigned (in addition to ISC)
CoS validity window	Worker must apply within 3 months of CoS assignment; no more than 3 months before job start date
Visa duration	Up to 5 years; renewable; ILR eligible after 5 years
Care workers — new entrants	No longer eligible for sponsorship from outside the UK from 22 July 2025
Temporary Shortage List phase-out	31 December 2026 — roles on this list will cease to be eligible for new sponsorship

Acumen International: Your Employer of Record in the UK

Only UK-based organisations can hold a UK sponsor licence. A foreign company without a UK legal entity cannot apply for a licence, cannot use the Sponsorship Management System to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship, and cannot pay the Immigration Skills Charge in the capacity of a sponsoring employer. The entire visa process — from CoS assignment to compliance monitoring — requires a licensed UK employer to occupy every stage.

When Acumen International acts as your Employer of Record in the UK, we are the licensed UK employer. We assign the Certificate of Sponsorship through our Sponsorship Management System access, pay the Immigration Skills Charge, and assume the full compliance obligations that UKVI places on sponsors — monitoring, reporting, and record-keeping throughout the worker’s sponsorship period. We also ensure the salary meets the applicable threshold and that the occupation code correctly reflects the role.

Your business directs the worker’s output under a separate commercial arrangement. The sponsor licence compliance obligations, the CoS, and all employer-of-record liability under UK employment and immigration law sit with us. Any compliance failure that would normally put a sponsor licence at risk falls on our entity, not yours — which is why the EOR route is operationally lower-risk than companies obtaining their own licence for a single or small number of UK hires.

Official government resources

Skilled Worker visa — overview

The primary gov.uk page covering worker eligibility, salary requirements, English language rules, and visa application process.

2. Sponsor a Skilled Worker — employer guidance

The current official sponsor guidance document, last updated 6 March 2026. Covers CoS assignment, salary options, ATAS, compliance duties, and all transitional provisions.

3. Apply for a sponsor licence

Employer guidance on applying for a sponsor licence, managing the licence, and understanding compliance obligations including the Immigration Skills Charge.

4. Appendix Skilled Occupations — eligible occupation codes

The definitive list of occupation codes eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship, their going rates, and any special conditions. Updated whenever the Immigration Rules change.

5. Right to work checks — employer guidance (gov.uk)

Guidance on how employers must check and document an employee’s right to work in the UK — including the share code process for EU/EEA/Swiss nationals.

Frequently asked questions

Can a role at RQF Level 3–5 still be sponsored on the Skilled Worker route?

Only in limited circumstances. From 22 July 2025, the standard Skilled Worker route requires roles at RQF Level 6 or above. Roles at RQF Levels 3–5 can only be sponsored if they appear on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, and only for workers who were already in the route on a CoS assigned before 22 July 2025 (under transitional arrangements). The Temporary Shortage List will be phased out entirely by 31 December 2026 — meaning roles currently eligible via that list will cease to qualify for new sponsorship from 2027. Employers relying on RQF 3–5 roles should review their talent pipelines before this deadline.

Not necessarily, two checks must be completed first. The employer must confirm the role is on the eligible occupations list at the required skill level and meets the current salary threshold for the specific occupation code. If the role was added to the Appendix Skilled Occupations list after the licence was first granted, or if the occupation code changed, the sponsor may need to update their licence before a CoS can be assigned for that role. The employer must also check whether the specific worker requires an ATAS certificate before the CoS can be requested — ATAS clearance must be obtained before assignment, not after.

The employer must notify UKVI within 10 working days of a sponsored worker leaving employment — whether through resignation, dismissal, or the end of a fixed-term contract. Failure to report within this window is a compliance breach that UKVI can act on. The sponsor should also cancel or withdraw the worker’s CoS if the worker has not yet used it to apply for their visa. If the worker has already arrived in the UK, their Skilled Worker visa does not automatically expire when employment ends — but they lose their sponsorship basis and are generally expected to leave the UK or switch to another eligible immigration route within 60 days of their employment ending.

Can a Skilled Worker take a second job while on their visa?

Yes, under specific conditions. A Skilled Worker visa holder can take supplementary employment in addition to their sponsored role, provided: the second job is in the same occupation code as their sponsored role or is in one of the occupation codes listed as permitting supplementary work; they do not work more than 20 hours per week in the supplementary role (unless it is a second job as a doctor or dentist in training); and they continue to meet all the conditions of their sponsored role. The supplementary job does not require a separate CoS or employer sponsorship. Any work beyond these conditions would require a new visa application.

Does the employer have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for sponsored workers?

No, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is paid by the worker as part of their visa application, not by the sponsoring employer. It is calculated per person per year of the visa and must be paid upfront for the full visa duration. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt from the IHS. The employer is responsible for the Immigration Skills Charge (different charge, paid at CoS assignment), these two charges are sometimes confused. Employers cannot reimburse the ISC to the worker or pass the ISC to the worker; there is no such restriction on the IHS, which is the worker’s own cost.

If the worker’s salary decreases during their sponsorship period, does the employer need to take any action?

It depends on the reason and the extent of the reduction. UKVI rules allow certain salary reductions without a new visa application, for example, reductions during statutory leave (maternity, paternity, sick leave) where the worker’s statutory entitlement is being applied, or during an agreed unpaid leave period. However, a salary reduction that takes the worker below the threshold stated on their CoS — other than in these permitted circumstances — requires the employer to assign a new CoS and the worker to make a new visa application before the reduced salary takes effect. Sponsors must monitor salary against CoS thresholds throughout the sponsorship, not only at the point of initial hire.

No. UKVI requires all sponsor licence applicants to be UK-based organisations — meaning the employing entity must be legally registered and operating in the United Kingdom. A foreign company without a UK subsidiary, branch, or other UK legal presence cannot apply for a sponsor licence and cannot appear as the employer on a Certificate of Sponsorship. An Employer of Record with an existing UK entity and sponsor licence resolves this — the EOR acts as the sponsoring employer, assigns the CoS, and carries the compliance obligations while the foreign company continues to direct the worker’s business activity.

Hiring non-UK nationals in the United Kingdom?

Acumen International holds a UK sponsor licence and provides a compliant Employer of Record (EOR) route to employing workers in the UK, managing CoS assignment, Immigration Skills Charge payment, salary threshold compliance, right to work checks, and ongoing UKVI sponsor duties on your behalf.

Talk to Our Expert

Important: Acumen International operates as a Global Employer of Record and supports businesses employing workers in the United Kingdom through its licensed sponsor entity. Our involvement covers CoS assignment, Immigration Skills Charge, right to work compliance, and employment administration under UK law. We do not provide standalone immigration legal advice. For case-specific immigration legal questions, particularly regarding complex eligibility, refusals, or sponsor licence compliance audits, employers should consult a regulated UK immigration adviser or solicitor.

UK Skilled Worker Visa & Sponsor Licence Guide for Employers. 2026