National health charges for Tier 2 (ICT) applicants
Applicants of the Tier 2 Intra-company Transfer (ICT) visa category will soon be subject to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
The IHS was introduced in April 2015 to cover the health costs of migrants living, working and studying in the UK, and is already payable for many UK immigration applications.
This immigration fee will apply to all applications made in the Tier 2 (ICT) category from October this year.
Applicants are charged £200 per valid visa year at the time of application, with any dependants being charged the same amount. Should their application for a Tier 2 (ICT) visa be rejected, the applicant will receive a full refund of all IHS costs paid.
For UK employers covering the immigration costs for their non-EEA employees, this will be yet another strain on their recruitment budget.
When combined with the minimum salary increases planned for this and other visa categories in October and next April, this extra immigration fee could push many UK employers towards re-thinking the recruitment of overseas nationals.
Contact Smith Stone Walters for advice on how best to manage your expat workforce ahead of October’s changes.
