CoS and visa fees increases from 9 April 2025

The Home Office normally makes updates and/or changes to immigration rules and fees in April each year. The following changes came into effect on 9 April 2025.

Small updates to some Skilled Worker thresholds

There have been some updates to salary thresholds for applicants who hold a Skilled Worker visa issued before the changes in April 2024, but these should not affect roles within the University as the changes were to job codes not used here and/or University salaries are already above these thresholds.

CoS fees increases

With effect from 9 April 2025 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fees have been increased by 120%, as listed below. Thankfully the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) has not been increased.

We have updated our application forms to reflect these new higher fees, and to add some more detail about considering CoS and visa dates and how this affects NHS fees. You should always download and use the current versions of our forms and guidance from our ‘forms and guidance’ page. If you have any difficulties with our forms please contact tim.currie@admin.ox.ac.uk

CoS and ISC fees cannot be recouped from applicants

CoS and ISC fees are paid by the Staff Immigration Team when CoS are being issued and charged back to the relevant department/ faculty/ college. Home Office guidance has been updated to highlight that CoS and ISC fees, and any associated administrative costs, must not be recouped from visa applicants. This has always been the case, but the Home Office is now taking this issue even more seriously than before. If these costs were charged to, or otherwise recouped from, visa applicants the Home Office would revoke the University’s sponsor licences.

Visa fees increases

With effect from 9 April 2025 the visa fees which applicants pay have also been increased by between £50 and £150. Thankfully the Immigration Health Surcharge (NHS fees), which were last increased in February 2024, have not been increased further. The fee changes for visa routes commonly seen within the University are listed below.

The University’s Reimbursement policy (updated January 2025) states that Departments and Facultys will reimburse Skilled Worker and Global Talent visa fees and NHS fees for the main applicant (not their family) where they are a new employee, or they are taking up a new role. The visa loan scheme can be used to help spread the cost of visa and NHS fees for dependant partners and children, and for visa extensions, but it is not available for ‘college only’ appointments as it is administered through the University payroll. We have updated the guidance on the relevant 'costs' pages on our website, and the visa loan application form, to reflect these fees increases.

Rules change may affect visa loan amounts for Skilled Worker visa holders/ applicants

From 09 April 2025 any salary deductions for visa loan repayments must be subtracted from the salary figure used to ensure those sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route meet the relevant salary threshold. In some cases this may mean that the visa loan amount requested may have to be reduced, or the length of the loan increased, to ensure the visa loan repayments do not result in the salary dropping below the relevant threshold. This new rule should only apply to those whose Skilled Worker CoS was issued on or after 9 April 2025.

The Staff Immigration Team will consider and advise on this point when reviewing visa loan applications, and we have added a note to the visa loan application form to highlight this change.