The UK government has announced its intention to increase fees for various immigration and nationality-related products and services. These changes, part of a broader review, will impose higher costs on employers who rely on the UK’s immigration system for their workforce, on certain nationality applicants and on visitors coming to the UK under the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme.
Proposed immigration fee increases
Under the newly-published Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025, and the accompanying explanatory memorandum, the proposed increases include:
- Certificate of Sponsorship (Worker routes): Fee rising to £525
- Certificate of Sponsorship (Temporary Workers routes and some sub-routes): Fee increasing to £55
- Naturalisation as a British Citizen: Fee increasing to £1,605
- Naturalisation as a British Overseas Territories Citizen: Fee increase to £1,070
- Renunciation of British citizenship: Fee increase to £482
- Amendments to citizenship certificates: Fee increase to £428
- Administrative review: Fee rise to £482
- Right of abode documentation: Fee increase to £589
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): Fee increasing to £16
Next steps
The proposed fee changes are currently under Parliamentary review and require approval by both Houses before they can be implemented. If approved, the new fees be brought in under amended provisions of the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018 soon as Parliamentary schedules allow.
Implications for Employers
While these changes are subject to Parliamentary approval, given the government’s aim of addressing funding challenges in the migration and border system, it is more than likely that these changes will be accepted and implemented without delay.
Employers are advised to review their recruitment financial planning in preparation for any future fee increase. In practical terms, this will mean accounting for these higher fees in their budgets, particularly for Certificates of Sponsorship (to apply also under the new ‘Sponsor a Worker’ SaW system once in force), which are central to hiring skilled workers from overseas. These cost increases could challenge recruitment plans, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources.
Need assistance?
Contact our UK immigration specialists for advice on the changes and how they may impact your organisation.
Author
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
