Spring Immigration Updates

Immigration Fees Set to Increase

On 18 March 2026, UKVI confirmed that immigration visa fees will increase from 08 April 2026. The majority of immigration categories are seeing increases, with Skilled Worker applications increasing as follows:

• Skilled Worker Entry Clearance (up to 3 years sponsorship) increasing by £50 from £769 to £819
• Skilled Worker Entry Clearance (more than 3 years sponsorship) increasing by £99 from £1519 to £1618
• Skilled Worker Permission to Remain (In-Country) (up to 3 years sponsorship), increasing by £58 from £885 to £943
• Skilled Worker Permission to Remain (In-County) (more than 3 years sponsorship) increasing by £114 from £1751 to £1865
• Sponsor licence application fee (small sponsor) will increase by £37 from £574 to £611
• Sponsor licence application fee (medium or large sponsor) will increase by £103 from £1579 to £1682

Other applications will also face increases – a summary of the increases can be accessed on the UKVI website: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 - GOV.UK.

There will be no increase to priority service fees, the fee to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship or the Immigration Health Surcharge fee.

Sponsor Guidance Updates

March 2026 has also seen updates to UKVI sponsor guidance, including Sponsor Guidance Parts 1, 2 and 3, along with Appendix D:

• Workers and Temporary Workers - guidance for sponsors part 1: apply for a licence - GOV.UK
• Sponsor a worker: sponsor guidance part 2 - GOV.UK
• Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors part 3: sponsor duties and compliance - GOV.UK
• Sponsor guidance appendix D: keeping records for sponsorship - GOV.UK

Some of the important updates sponsors should be aware of include:

• Part 1 sponsor guidance now confirms that all sponsors have a responsibility to comply with UK employment law, ensuring that sponsored workers understand their employment rights. Guidance confirms that the following rights should be made clear to employees:

“This includes, but is not limited to:

entitlement to National Minimum Wage;

compliance with the Working Time Regulations;

pension auto-enrolment and opt-outs;

entitlement to statutory leave and pay;

health and safety; trade union membership,

participation in union activities and the rights of trade union representatives (insofar as this role is otherwise compatible with this guidance and role a worker is being sponsored for);

your duties under the Equality Act;

how to raise grievances."

• Further to the above, Appendix D – which summarises the documents and information sponsors must retain throughout the sponsorship of their workers – now requires sponsors to retain evidence that their sponsored workers have been made aware of their employment rights in the UK. This could include copies of written information provided to workers, such as a contract of employment or handbook.
• In all sponsorship cases, UKVI must be satisfied that sponsors are able to offer work that meets the new definition of eligible role. This involves ensuring the role meets minimum salary and skill levels, with compliance checks possible if a business operates using a virtual business model. Sponsor guidance indicates an eligible role would not exist for small businesses that have only employed lower-skilled workers to date; the role isn’t necessary to your business, or the proposed salary is not commensurate with the business turnover.
• Sponsor guidance clarifies that holding a sponsor licence is voluntary, and that having a sponsor licence (and being a member of UKVI’s sponsorship scheme) “is subject to the strict terms contained within” guidance.
• A glossary has also been implemented, containing definitions of terms and phrases commonly used in sponsor guidance. This can be accessed here: Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors: glossary - GOV.UK.

The updates reflect the position that sponsor licence holders must be compliant, ensuring strict sponsorship requirements are met. This coincides with the increase in businesses that have had their sponsor licence revoked – UKVI is focusing on compliance, and it is extremely important that sponsor licence holders ensure compliance with sponsor licence duties.

Immigration Rule Changes

We have also seen a new Statement of Changes to Immigration Rules released, confirming several amendments. A key proposal within this Statement relates to pay periods in the Skilled Worker route. Sponsored Skilled Workers will need to be paid the required salary in each pay period, so UKVI can highlight underpayments immediately (as opposed to reviewing pay over a 12-month period). This coincides with UKVI’s strict approach to compliance and the increase in suspensions and revocations due to salary underpayments. This highlights the importance of ensuring compliance with sponsorship reporting requirements and ensuring that any permitted unpaid (or lower-paid) absences are reported to UKVI within 2 weeks. This change will come into force from 08 April 2026.

Changes to the level of work undertaken by asylum seekers will also be implemented, with some asylum seekers only able to undertake roles at degree-level or above. Employers must carefully review work conditions when undertaking a Right to Work check to ensure the conditions are not breached.