IMMIGRATION PRICE INCREASES

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Proposed Fee Increases:

At the start of 2025, the Home Office revealed intentions to raise fees for several immigration related services, including:

Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS): The fee for a CoS is expected to rise from £239 to £525.
Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs): ETAs will be introduced for visitors to the UK who currently do not require a visa for short visits or lack existing UK immigration status (refer to our previous article) – the fee for these will increase from £10 to £16.
Naturalisation Applications: It is anticipated that the fees for naturalisation applications will increase to £1,605.

According to UKVI, the anticipated fee hikes for ETAs, certificates of sponsorship, and nationality services are projected to generate an additional £269 million annually. This suggests that the rationale behind these increases may be linked to cost recovery, administrative costs, or revenue generation, rather than merely keeping up with the rising costs of services.

Parliamentary Approval:

The proposed fee increases must receive parliamentary approval and undergo debate. If sanctioned, the new fees will be implemented through amendments to the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018, as soon as parliamentary scheduling permits.

9th April 2025:

The Home Office has now confirmed these changes will take effect, pending parliamentary approval, on 9th April 2025.

Employers are therefore advised to reassess their financial plans for the year and consider any upcoming renewals for current sponsored employees, as well as for those arriving in the UK from abroad, given that the cost of a CoS is set to more than double.

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