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UNITED KINGDOM: Immigration Health Surcharge and Visa Application Fee Increases
July 14, 2023
The UK Home Office have announced a large increase to both the Immigration Health Surcharge and visa application fees in order to support the pay rise increases proposed for UK doctors and the police force.
The government argue the Immigration Health Surcharge, which has been frozen at £624 per year for the previous 3 years, will be increased to £1,035 per year for the majority, whereas the reduced rate for students, children and youth mobility visa holders will be increased from £470 to £776 per year. The Home Office are justifying the substantial increase as a means to ‘help fund the pay rise to doctors’.
Alongside this increased fee we will see an increase to visa application fees. Work and visit visas will increase by 15%, whilst student visas, certificates of sponsorship, settlement, citizenship, entry clearance and leave to remain applications will increase by at least 20%. Again the justification for this is to help fund the pay rises promised to the police force. The cost of student and, priority service applications outside and inside the UK will be equalised.
No announcement was made on timing of the increases, however the plans set out mean a substantial increase on the cost for employers needing to rely on the non-settled workforce and also those moving or extending their legal status in the UK.
Newland Chase Insights
Newland Chase will continue to update employers when further announcements are made as to when these increases will take effect, however sponsors are encouraged now to take these increases into account when assessing the cost of their future recruitment needs.
