Fees
Compliance Audit Fees

Compliance Audit Fees

Explore our sponsor compliance audit and advisory services, from one-off compliance reviews and mock Home Office audits to ongoing sponsor licence support. Clear professional fees, with no hidden costs.
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Before you read the fees

What You Are Paying For

Sponsor licence compliance is an ongoing legal responsibility. The Home Office can conduct compliance visits, and failures in record-keeping, right to work checks or Sponsor Management System (SMS) reporting can put your licence and sponsored workers at risk.

An internal review can be valuable, but it may not identify the issues a Home Office compliance officer would uncover. An independent assessment by specialists with direct Home Office experience provides a different perspective, helping you identify and address potential weaknesses before they become serious problems.

Why fees vary.

Why UK Immigration Compliance Audit Fees Vary

Our compliance audit fees depend primarily on the number of sponsored workers and whether you commission a standalone audit or combine it with a 12-month sponsor licence compliance retainer.

Both options provide a thorough assessment of your sponsorship compliance. Clients who commit to ongoing support benefit from preferential audit pricing.
Standalone One-off Compliance Audit
From £4,000 +VAT
Full compliance audit and RAG report
No ongoing arrangement
Findings and practical recommendations discussed in a follow-up meeting
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Most Popular
Compliance Audit + 12-Month Support
£1,900–£2,300 +VAT
Full compliance audit and RAG report
Reduced audit fee with a 12-month support agreement
Ongoing compliance support from £750 + VAT/month, charged separately
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Optional: Worker Interviews
£500 +VAT
Includes interviews with up to three sponsored workers to assess their understanding of their roles, employment arrangements and sponsorship conditions.

Available as an optional addition to either compliance audit package.
Market context.

Why Immigration Compliance Audit Fees Vary

Compliance audit fees vary considerably between providers. Larger firms often charge a premium for their established brand and overheads, while lower-cost providers may offer more standardised reviews with limited specialist oversight.

At Immtell, your compliance audit is led by someone who has conducted and managed Home Office compliance inspections.

Ewen McKenzie, our Head of Sponsor Compliance and former Home Office Regional Compliance Manager, brings direct experience of how the Home Office assesses sponsor compliance. Our audits go beyond standard checklists, identifying potential weaknesses and providing practical recommendations to help protect your sponsor licence.

£5,000–£15,000+ + VAT

Big firms / traditional law firms
Established brands with premium pricing
Higher overheads reflected in fees
Work may be delegated to junior staff
Multiple layers of internal review
Direct Home Office compliance experience may vary

£1,000–£2,500 +VAT

Online platforms / checklist audits
Standardised, checklist-based assessments
Limited examination of underlying compliance risks
Less experienced specialist oversight
May not reflect how Home Office officers conduct visits
Limited practical guidance on addressing findings

From £1,900 +VAT

Reduced audit fee with a 12-month compliance support agreement. Standalone audits from £4,000 + VAT.
Where Immtell fits
Led by Ewen McKenzie, former Home Office Regional Compliance Manager
Direct experience of Home Office sponsor compliance inspections
Audits structured around genuine Home Office inspection practices
Senior-led delivery, not delegated to junior caseworkers
Detailed findings, risk ratings and practical recommendations
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A thorough sponsor compliance audit requires more than checking documents against published Home Office guidance. It requires an understanding of how compliance officers investigate potential breaches, assess evidence and identify weaknesses in a sponsor's systems and processes.

At Immtell, our audits are led by Ewen McKenzie, who previously served as a Home Office Regional Compliance Manager. His direct experience of conducting and overseeing compliance inspections informs how we assess your business, identify potential risks and recommend practical improvements.

In our experience, some of the most serious compliance weaknesses are not immediately apparent from a standard checklist. Identifying those issues before a Home Office visit gives businesses the opportunity to address them before their sponsor licence is put at risk.
Who handles your instruction.

Who Handles Your Instruction

Our sponsor licence compliance work is led by Ewen McKenzie, Head of Sponsor Compliance, who spent 20 years with the Home Office, including 16 years specialising in sponsor compliance and management.

As a Home Office Regional Compliance Manager, Ewen led teams responsible for conducting sponsor licence compliance inspections. He also served as National Training Lead for sponsor compliance operations, training the officers responsible for carrying out those inspections.

This experience gives Ewen a detailed understanding of how the Home Office assesses employers, examines evidence and identifies compliance failures. He brings that knowledge directly to Immtell's audits, helping businesses identify potential weaknesses and take practical steps to address them.

Discover more
Ewen McKenzie, Head of Sponsor Compliance at Immtell
Fee breakdown.

Compliance Audit and Ongoing Support Fees

1
Compliance Audit + 12-Month Support
2
Standalone One-off Compliance Audit
Compliance Audit + 12-Month Support. From £1,900–£2,300 + VAT
A comprehensive sponsor compliance audit followed by 12 months of ongoing advisory support. The reduced audit fee is available to businesses entering a 12-month support agreement, with monthly fees charged separately.
INCLUDE:
A structured compliance audit led by Ewen McKenzie, our Head of Sponsor Compliance and former Home Office Regional Compliance Manager, based on Home Office inspection practices
Review of up to five sponsored worker files to assess whether required documentation is correctly maintained
Review of up to five additional employee files, including British citizens and non-sponsored workers, for right to work compliance
Interviews with the Authorising Officer, Level 1 User and HR personnel responsible for immigration compliance
Assessment of HR systems, SMS reporting practices and internal escalation procedures for changes affecting sponsored workers.
A RAG-rated Compliance Audit Report (Red / Amber / Green) identifying compliance gaps and associated risks
A written Sponsor Licence Compliance Improvement Plan with prioritised recommendations
Sponsor duties and right to work training for HR teams and Key Personnel, depending on the agreed scope of monthly support
A virtual follow-up meeting to discuss findings, review the RAG assessment, explain recommended improvements and answer questions from HR and Key Personnel
Ongoing compliance support from £750 + VAT per month for a 12-month term, with fees depending on the size of your business, number of sponsored workers and agreed scope of services
Two Desktop Salary Compliance Reviews per year, conducted by Ewen McKenzie, to identify potential discrepancies between Certificates of Sponsorship, payroll records, employment contracts and actual salary payments, with findings and recommendations to address compliance risks
Direct access to senior compliance specialists for guidance when issues arise, without ticketing systems or junior handovers
Guidance on SMS reporting obligations, Home Office notifications, and changes affecting sponsored workers
Support if a Home Office enquiry or notification of a compliance visit is received, within the agreed scope of support
Updates on regulatory changes affecting sponsor duties
Periodic reviews of compliance processes, where included in the agreed support package
NOT INCLUDE:
Sponsor licence application fees (covered separately under Sponsor Licence Application Fees)
Assigning Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) and preparing visa applications (priced separately)
Reviews of additional employee files beyond the agreed audit scope (available for an additional fee, confirmed in advance)
Standalone One-Off Compliance Audit. From £4,000 + VAT
For businesses seeking a comprehensive assessment of their sponsor licence compliance without committing to ongoing support. The audit is led by Ewen McKenzie, our Head of Sponsor Compliance and former Home Office Regional Compliance Manager, with findings and practical recommendations to help address identified risks.
INCLUDE:
A structured compliance audit covering sponsored worker records, right to work documentation, HR systems, SMS reporting practices and interviews with relevant Key Personnel, within the agreed scope
A RAG-rated Compliance Audit Report identifying compliance gaps and associated risks
A written Sponsor Licence Compliance Improvement Plan with prioritised recommendations
A virtual follow-up meeting to discuss the findings, explain recommended improvements and answer questions
NOT INCLUDE:
Ongoing sponsor licence compliance support following completion of the audit
Sponsor duties and right to work training (available separately)
Additional advice and support following the audit, available at £350 + VAT per hour
Reviews of additional employee files beyond the agreed audit scope (available for an additional fee, confirmed in advance
Ongoing Compliance Support — 12-Month Agreement, from £750 + VAT per month

Available alongside our reduced-fee compliance audit, this arrangement provides direct access to senior compliance specialists and ongoing support with sponsor licence obligations.

Monthly fees depend on the size of your business, number of sponsored workers and agreed scope of services. Depending on the package, support can include two annual Desktop Salary Compliance Reviews conducted by Ewen McKenzie, HR training and assistance with Home Office compliance enquiries.
Sponsored Worker Interviews (up to 3 workers) — £500 + VAT

‍Interviews with up to three sponsored workers to assess how sponsorship and HR procedures operate in practice, including recruitment, job duties, reporting lines, work locations and communication of employment changes.

Available as an optional addition to either compliance audit package.
Expanded Sponsored Worker File Review — Fee agreed in advance

For businesses with larger sponsored workforces or those requiring a more extensive review, we can examine additional sponsored worker files beyond the five included in the standard audit.

Fees depend on the number of additional files and are confirmed before work begins.
Payment terms.

When Fees Are Due

1
Audit fees

Audit fees are invoiced in two equal instalments: 50% upon instruction and the remaining 50% upon completion of the audit and delivery of the report.
2
Commencement of ongoing support

For businesses entering a 12-month compliance support agreement, ongoing support begins following completion of the initial audit, unless otherwise agreed.
3
Monthly support fees

Ongoing compliance support is invoiced monthly at the agreed rate for the duration of the 12-month agreement.
4
Additional services

‍Fees for optional services or work outside the agreed scope are confirmed and approved before any additional work begins.
Cost factors.

What Moves the Fee Up or Down

Drives costs up
A larger sponsored workforce
Businesses with larger sponsored workforces may require more extensive file reviews, increasing the time and resources needed to complete the audit.
Compliance records that have not been reviewed recently
Incomplete documentation, outdated procedures or gaps in record-keeping can require additional investigation and more detailed recommendations.
Complex SMS reporting history
Frequent changes affecting sponsored workers, particularly where SMS reporting may have been missed or completed incorrectly, can require more detailed assessment.
Urgency
Where a Home Office compliance visit has been announced or an enquiry received, shorter timescales may require additional resources and prioritisation.
Keeps costs down
Entering a 12-month support agreement
Our reduced audit fee of £1,900–£2,300 + VAT is available to businesses entering a 12-month compliance support agreement, compared with standalone audits starting at £4,000 + VAT.
Well-organised compliance records
Businesses with complete employee files, accurate right to work records and up-to-date SMS reporting generally require less time for document gathering and clarification.
Planning ahead
Commissioning an audit before a Home Office enquiry or compliance visit allows more time for a structured review, avoiding the additional costs that urgent instructions may involve.
Maintaining ongoing compliance support
Regular advice, two annual Desktop Salary Compliance Reviews and support with sponsor reporting obligations can help identify potential problems before they require more extensive corrective work.
Client scenarios.

How the Fees Come Together

Two examples showing how our audit fees and ongoing compliance support costs work together, so you can understand the total investment before making an enquiry.

Scenario 1

Established sponsor requiring a compliance audit and ongoing support

An established UK business with a sponsor licence, a growing sponsored workforce and no recent formal compliance audit. The business wants to identify potential compliance weaknesses and benefit from ongoing specialist support.
Immtell professional fees
Compliance Audit + 12-Month Support (initial audit)
£1,900–£2,300 + VAT
Immtell professional fees
12 months of ongoing compliance support
From £750–£1,500 +VAT per month
Home Office fees
No Home Office fees for this engagement
TOTAL PROFESSIONAL FEES
Initial audit plus 12 months of ongoing compliance support
From £10,900–£20,300 + VAT
ur 12-month compliance support arrangement offers more than a reduced initial audit fee. It provides ongoing access to experienced sponsor compliance specialists, including Ewen McKenzie, alongside two Desktop Salary Compliance Reviews each year.

For businesses that want to identify compliance risks, address potential weaknesses and maintain effective sponsorship systems, it offers the reassurance of ongoing specialist support at an agreed monthly fee.
Diverse team collaborating during a meeting with laptops and documents
Scenario 2

Established sponsor seeking a standalone compliance audit

An established sponsor that conducts regular internal compliance reviews but wants an external assessment led by a former Home Office Regional Compliance Manager. The business wants to identify any weaknesses its internal reviews may have missed, without committing to ongoing support.
Immtell professional fees
Standalone One-Off Compliance Audit
From £4,000 + VAT
Home Office fees
No Home Office fees for this engagement
Optional additional service
If the business would also like Ewen McKenzie to interview up to three sponsored workers to assess how sponsorship and HR procedures operate in practice, this can be added for £500 + VAT.
FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the compliance audit cheaper with a 12-month support agreement?

Can I run a compliance review myself rather than instructing Immtell?

What does the RAG report contain?

What happens if the Home Office contacts us during the ongoing support agreement?

Is training included in the ongoing monthly support agreement?

Do you charge by the hour?

Ready to Discuss Your Sponsor Compliance Needs?

Book a call with our experienced team to discuss your requirements and find the right compliance support for your business.
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Last reviewed: 26 October 2026

The professional fee ranges on this page are reviewed and updated whenever Immtell's service scope or pricing changes. Where Home Office fees apply, they are set by the government and updated separately. Always verify current government fees at GOV.UK before instructing.