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
The employer needs a sponsor licence, assigns a certificate of sponsorship and pays the Immigration Skills Charge; the employee applies for the Skilled Worker visa and pays the visa fee and health surcharge unless the employer agrees to cover them. The job must pay the higher of £41,700 or the going rate, with lower thresholds in some cases. Fees are set by the Home Office and change, so check GOV.UK on the day you budget.
For a UK company with a Nigerian arm, the best candidate for a London role is often already on the payroll in Lagos. Bringing them over on a Skilled Worker visa is a defined process with published costs. This page sets out the steps and the figures as published, and where to check them today.
Step 1: the sponsor licence
Your company must hold a sponsor licence. GOV.UK's eligibility page says you cannot get one if you have unspent convictions for immigration offences or certain other crimes such as fraud or money laundering, or if a licence was revoked in the last 12 months. UKVI may visit before deciding, and you must appoint people to the sponsorship management roles. The Home Office fee table (8 April 2026, updated September 2026) lists the Worker licence at £611 for small sponsors and £1,682 for medium and large sponsors.
Step 2: the job and salary
The job must be at an eligible occupation code. GOV.UK says the general minimum is the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation, with a lower threshold of £33,400 available in some cases (not health or education jobs).
Step 3: the certificate of sponsorship and the Skills Charge
You assign a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), listed at £525 for Skilled Worker. When you assign it you also pay the Immigration Skills Charge for the whole period: GOV.UK lists £480 for the first 12 months and £240 for each further 6 months for small or charitable sponsors, and £1,320 and £660 for medium or large sponsors. The employer must pay the charge; GOV.UK warns a licence may be revoked if the worker is asked to pay it. See the Immigration Skills Charge in detail.
Step 4: the employee's application
Applying from outside the UK, the visa fee is listed at £819 for up to 3 years and £1,618 for more than 3 years. The Immigration Health Surcharge is usually £1,035 per year, according to GOV.UK's Skilled Worker cost page. Partners and children pay the same visa fee each and their own surcharge.
Worked example of the total
Example only, using the published figures above, for a medium or large sponsor bringing one employee for 3 years from Nigeria, with no dependants:
| Item | Who pays | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor licence (one-off, if you do not hold one) | Employer | £1,682 |
| Certificate of sponsorship | Employer | £525 |
| Immigration Skills Charge: £1,320 + 4 × £660 | Employer | £3,960 |
| Visa fee, up to 3 years, outside UK | Employee (unless covered) | £819 |
| Health surcharge, 3 × £1,035 | Employee (unless covered) | £3,105 |
| Total | £10,091 |
The employer-only items come to £6,167 in this example. A small sponsor would pay £611 for the licence and £480 + 4 × £240 = £1,440 Skills Charge, so £2,576 including the CoS.
Steps in order
- Check eligibility and apply for the licence.
- Confirm the occupation code and salary meet the rules.
- Assign the CoS and pay the CoS fee and Skills Charge.
- The employee applies, pays the fee and surcharge and gives biometrics.
- On arrival, run right-to-work checks and meet your sponsor reporting duties.
Where Pryme fits
Relocating staff means paying in pounds and naira at once: the visa costs in the UK and final salary or notice pay in Nigeria. A Pryme Business Account holds both, and Swap shows the rate and fee before you approve. The Compliance agent can keep sponsor reporting dates on a calendar for a person to act on. For founders sponsoring themselves, see a sponsor licence for your own company.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to sponsor a Nigerian worker in the UK?
As published in October 2026: licence £611 or £1,682, CoS £525, Skills Charge from £480 a year, plus the employee's visa fee and health surcharge. Check GOV.UK for current figures.
Can the employee pay the Immigration Skills Charge?
No. GOV.UK says the employer pays, and a licence may be revoked if the worker is asked to pay it.
What salary must a Skilled Worker earn?
Generally the higher of £41,700 or the going rate for the job, with a lower £33,400 threshold in some cases.
Can the employer pay the visa fee and health surcharge?
Many employers choose to; it is a commercial decision. Check the tax treatment with your payroll adviser.
Sources
- GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers, eligibility · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 (updated 10 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, your job (updated 14 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, how much it costs (updated 14 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers, Immigration Skills Charge (page metadata 23 Oct 2026) · 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.