AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
A sponsored care worker from Nigeria pays their own Health and Care Worker visa fee (£324 for up to three years, £628 for longer, per the Home Office fees table from 8 October 2026), travel, first-month living costs and any maintenance funds the employer does not certify. The employer pays the £525 certificate of sponsorship and the Immigration Skills Charge, and GOV.UK warns a sponsor's licence may be revoked if it asks the worker to pay costs linked to its application.
Care work has been one of the most common routes from Nigeria to the UK, and also one of the most abused. Many applicants have been told they must pay large "sponsorship fees" to an agent or employer. Knowing which costs are legitimately yours, and which the law places on the employer, is the best protection you have. This guide splits the two and builds a labelled example budget.
Costs the worker pays
| Cost | Official figure (as at Oct 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Care Worker visa, 3 years or less, from outside UK | £324 | Home Office fees table, 8 Oct 2026 |
| Health and Care Worker visa, over 3 years | £628 | Home Office fees table, 8 Oct 2026 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, if charged | £1,035 per year | GOV.UK IHS page |
| Maintenance funds, unless the sponsor certifies them | £1,270 held for 28 days | GOV.UK Skilled Worker costs page |
| Optional faster decision | £500 priority, £1,000 super priority | Home Office fees table |
On the surcharge: Health and Care Worker applicants are widely reported to be exempt from the IHS. The GOV.UK IHS pages we used set the rates but do not list exemptions, so check GOV.UK's guidance on who must pay, and look at the amount your online application actually calculates before you budget for it.
On maintenance: GOV.UK says you do not need to show the £1,270 if your employer certifies that it will cover your costs during your first month, up to £1,270, in the "sponsor certifies maintenance" section of your certificate of sponsorship. Ask your employer, in writing, whether it has done this.
You will also usually pay for flights, your first month's housing and food, and documents such as a tuberculosis test certificate or English test if they apply to your case. Check the current fee with the clinic or test provider; we have not listed figures for these because they change and vary by provider.
Costs the employer must pay
- Certificate of sponsorship: £525 for a Skilled Worker CoS, per the Home Office fees table effective 8 October 2026.
- Immigration Skills Charge: GOV.UK sets it at £480 for the first 12 months and £240 for each further 6 months for small or charitable sponsors, and £1,320 then £660 for medium or large sponsors. It says: "You must pay the immigration skills charge yourself."
- The sponsor licence itself and the employer's own legal costs.
GOV.UK's employer guidance adds: "Your licence may be revoked if you ask the sponsored worker to pay the fee or any costs linked to your application." If an agent or employer asks you to pay for your CoS or the skills charge, write down who asked, when and how much, and do not pay.
What the skills charge alone would be
For a three-year CoS, the charge covers the first 12 months plus four further 6-month periods. For a medium or large sponsor that is £1,320 + (4 × £660) = £3,960. For a small or charitable sponsor it is £480 + (4 × £240) = £1,440. These are the employer's costs, which is why demands for several thousand pounds "for sponsorship" are a warning sign.
Worked example budget
Example only. Ngozi has a three-year Health and Care Worker CoS outside London. Her employer has not certified maintenance. Flight and rent figures are invented placeholders for illustration; use your own quotes.
| Line | Pounds |
|---|---|
| Visa fee (3 years or less) | £324 |
| IHS (assuming the exemption applies; check your application) | £0 |
| Maintenance funds to hold for 28 days (not spent, but must be available) | £1,270 |
| Flight, example quote | £650 |
| First month's room and deposit, example | £900 |
| Total cash needed before travel | £3,144 |
If the surcharge were charged at £1,035 a year for three years, add £3,105, taking the total to £6,249. If the employer certifies maintenance, the £1,270 does not have to be shown, although you will still need money to live on until your first pay day.
To turn this into naira, multiply each line by the rate your bank or account shows on the day. Do not use an agent's rate without comparing it.
What to check first
- Your CoS number and the employer's name on the GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors.
- Whether the CoS states that the sponsor certifies maintenance.
- Whether your online application charges the IHS.
- That nobody has asked you to pay for the CoS or the skills charge.
- Your first payslip date, so you can budget for the gap.
Where Pryme fits
Once you are paid in pounds, a Pryme account holds GBP and NGN side by side, so you can send money home and choose when to Swap, with the rate shown first. For the funds rules, see Health and Care Worker visa funds and the japa savings plan.
Questions people ask
How much does a UK care worker visa cost from Nigeria?
The Home Office fees table from 8 October 2026 lists £324 for a Health and Care Worker visa of three years or less and £628 for over three years, applying from outside the UK.
Should I pay for my certificate of sponsorship?
No. The £525 CoS and the Immigration Skills Charge are employer costs. GOV.UK warns a sponsor's licence may be revoked if it asks the worker to pay costs linked to its application.
Do care workers pay IHS?
Health and Care Worker applicants are widely reported to be exempt. Check GOV.UK's guidance on who must pay and see what your online application charges.
How much money do I need in my account for a UK care visa?
GOV.UK sets maintenance at £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your employer certifies maintenance on your CoS.
Sources
- Home Office immigration and nationality fees: 8 October 2026 (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- UK visa sponsorship for employers: immigration skills charge (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: how much you pay (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.