What is an Immigration Skills Charge?

Under the current Immigration Skills Charge Regulations 2017, a UK employer wishing to recruit a non-EU migrant might need to pay an Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) for each Tier 2 (General or Intra-company Transfer) employee whom they intend to sponsor.

What is the Immigration Skills Charge?

The ISC was introduced on 6 April 2017. The charge is paid by a licensed sponsor through their sponsor management system (SMS) when they assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to a skilled non-EU employee each time.

How much do you need to pay?

The amount to be paid depends on the size and type of organisation, as well as the length of employment stated in the CoS. For example, for small or charitable sponsors, the fee is £364 per year, whilst for large companies, the fee is £1,000 for any stated period of employment up to 12 months. Please note that the ISC is only payable for the main applicant rather than his/her family members (dependants).  In addition, this amount is non-refundable unless paid in error or the skilled worker fails to take up his/her post.

Please note that if the worker will be recruited in the UK for longer than 6 months but less than a year, a full year ISC is payable. For instance, in the case of a non-EU migrant working in the UK for 7 months, the sponsoring company will need to pay the full ISC in the amount of either £364 or £1,000 per annum.

Who is exempt from paying the ISC?

In some circumstances, the sponsors are not required to pay ISC when sponsoring skilled workers including:

  • A migrant under PhD SOC codes 2111, 2112, 2113, 2114, 2119, 2150 and 2311;
  • An applicant under the graduate trainee Tier 2 (ICT) route;
  • When a sponsor assigns a further CoS, which does not effectively extend the migrant’s original period of ISC liable leave;
  • A migrant switching from Tier 4 General visa to a Tier 2 General visa;
  • Migrants who initially switched from Tier 4 G and are now extending their Tier 2 G leave to remain in the same role and with the same sponsor;
  • Those who were granted Tier 2 leave using a CoS assigned prior to 6 April 2017;
  • A migrant who is seeking an entry clearance to the UK for less than 6 months.

 

Please note that sponsoring companies must not pass the Immigration Skills Charge onto the sponsored workers.

Contact Our Immigration Team

For expert advice regarding any aspect of the Tier 2 work visa application, please contact our immigration team on 0203 384 3075.

 

 

The content of this article is for general use and information only. Since each case should be prepared on its own merit and in light of the constant amendments to the Immigration Rules, it is important to note that the information provided must not be relied upon unless Migra & Co has either given written consent or has been officially engaged in relation to a specific immigration matter. As a result, Migra & Co will take no responsibility for any damage, cost or loss resulting from relying on the information contained in this article, blog and website.