Priority Change of Circumstances Service Fee Increases to £350

The Home Office has announced an increase in the fee for the Worker and Temporary Worker Priority Change of Circumstances Service, raising the charge from £200 to £350 per request. The change was confirmed in the latest version of the guidance published on 11 November 2025, reflecting the government’s updated fee structure for immigration sponsorship services.

This update affects all A-rated licensed sponsors who use the priority service to expedite certain post-licence requests under the Worker and Temporary Worker categories.

What is the Worker and Temporary Worker Priority Change of Circumstances Service?

The priority change of circumstances service enables eligible sponsors to have specific change requests processed faster than standard timescales. The service is designed to help licensed sponsors maintain compliance and operational efficiency when managing their sponsor licence via the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).

Eligible requests under the service include:

• Requests for additional Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) (undefined CoS only)
• Annual CoS allocation applications
• Adding or changing a Level 1 user
• Replacing or amending the Authorising Officer (AO)
• Replacing or amending the Key Contact (KC)
• Adding a representative
• Amending organisation details (for example, when moving to new premises)

It is important to note that the service does not guarantee approval of any request — it only prioritises consideration.

New Fee: £350 per Request

As of 11 November 2025, the Home Office has increased the priority service fee from £200 to £350 per request. This rise applies to all eligible Worker and Temporary Worker sponsors submitting a priority change of circumstances request.

The payment process remains the same:

• Sponsors submit the relevant change request via the SMS.
• They then email postlicencepriorityservice@homeoffice.gov.uk with a completed priority request form.
• If accepted, they receive a Worldpay payment link and have 72 hours to make payment.

Failure to pay within 72 hours will cause the request to expire, and sponsors must reapply.

Processing Times

The Home Office will consider eligible requests within 5 working days after payment is received. The five-day period begins on the next working day following payment. If a submission sheet is required (for example, when changing the Authorising Officer), the processing time starts from the date UKVI receives the sheet.

However, complex cases or those requiring additional checks may take longer, and the Home Office may contact the Authorising Officer for more information. Sponsors are reminded to regularly check their email inbox and junk folder to avoid delays.

Eligibility Criteria

To use the service, sponsors must:

• Hold an A-rated and fully active licence under the Worker or Temporary Worker category
• Have submitted the relevant SMS request before emailing the priority service team
• Not already have a request in progress or allocated to a caseworker
• Not be a premium sponsor or applying for a Student sponsor licence change
• Ensure the request is for undefined CoS only, as defined CoS are not eligible

Only 100 priority requests are accepted each day, and applications made outside operating hours (7am–5pm, Monday to Friday) are not considered.

Refunds and Rejections

The £350 fee is non-refundable if the request:

• Is deemed ineligible
• Is submitted after the daily limit has been reached
• Is made outside operating hours
• Is rejected due to incomplete documentation or failure to respond to information requests

Refunds are only issued if a delay occurs due to Home Office technical errors or exceptional administrative issues.

What This Means for Sponsors

This increase represents a significant 75% rise in the priority service fee, reflecting the Home Office’s ongoing review of immigration service costs.
While the rise adds to the financial burden on licensed sponsors, the faster 5-day turnaround may still offer value to organisations needing urgent updates — particularly those managing compliance-sensitive or time-critical sponsorships.

Employers and HR professionals should ensure they budget for the new £350 fee and continue to monitor Home Office updates for any further changes to sponsorship costs or processes.