The Government intends to double the Immigration Health Surcharge in the near future. This is a charge paid by non-EEA nationals (main applicants and dependents) who are applying to work, study or join their family in the UK for more than 6 months.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was introduced in April 2015 and is applied to most applications. The proceeds go directly to funding the NHS and gives migrants the same access to the NHS as UK citizens.
The standard rates are:
- £150 per year for a Tier 4 Student or Tier 5 Youth Mobility visa
- £200 per year for all other visa applications (for example, £1000 for a 5-year Tier 2 General visa)
A Department of Health press release confirmed the charge will be doubled from £150 to £300 (students and Tier 5 Youth Mobility visa holders) and £200 to £400 per year for most applicants.
No date has been announced as of yet, but our business immigration team will continue to bring you updates.