The cheapest work visa in Transita's index is the EU Blue Card (Italy) at $54. The median across all 64 skilled-work routes in the 16 destinations we cover is $569. Fees are the government application fee only.
The lowest-fee work route in each country
| Country | Lowest-fee work route | Fee | Who it is for | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | EU Blue Card | $54 | Italy's route for highly qualified non-EU workers with a degree or equivalent experience and a binding job offer above the national salary threshold. | 2–3 months |
| Germany | Job Seeker Visa (Chancenkarte) | $100 | Germany's new Opportunity Card lets qualified professionals enter Germany to look for a job for up to 1 year. | 2–4 months |
| Switzerland | B Permit (Resident Foreign Nationals) for EU/EFTA | $106 | A residence permit for EU/EFTA nationals with an employment contract of at least one year or who are self-employed. | 1–2 months |
| Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa "B" (Business and Work) | $147 | The standard route to employment with a Thai company. | 0–1 months |
| Singapore | S Pass | $158 | For mid-level skilled technical staff and associate professionals, subject to quota and levy. | 0–1 months |
| Portugal | Tech Visa | $160 | Expedited 30-day processing for highly skilled hires at IAPMEI-certified technology employers. | 1–2 months |
| Canada | Global Talent Stream | $175 | An employer-driven stream of Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program with a 10-business-day LMIA service standard and accelerated work permit processing. | 1 month |
| United States | TN Visa (CUSMA/NAFTA) | $185 | Available exclusively to Canadian and Mexican nationals under CUSMA. | 0–1 months |
| Spain | Highly Qualified Professional | $200 | Fast-track work and residence permit for senior managers, specialists, and STEM hires at companies recognised as 'large companies' or in strategic sectors. | 1–2 months |
| Netherlands | Orientation Year (Zoekjaar) | $215 | 12-month job-seeker permit for graduates of accredited Dutch programmes or top-200 global universities (per Times/QS/Shanghai). | 1–2 months |
| France | Talent Passport (Qualified Employee) | $243 | A multi-year residence permit for qualified employees recruited by a French company, valid for the duration of the contract up to four years. | 1–3 months |
| United Arab Emirates | Standard Work Visa (Employer-Sponsored) | $300 | Employer-sponsored residence visa for private and public sector employees. | 1–2 months |
| United Kingdom | Health and Care Worker Visa | $350 | Lower-cost variant of the Skilled Worker visa for qualified health professionals coming to work for the NHS, an NHS supplier, or in adult social care. | 1–3 months |
| New Zealand | Accredited Employer Work Visa | $900 | Employer-sponsored work visa requiring the employer to be NZ-accredited. | 2–4 months |
| Ireland | Critical Skills Employment Permit | $1,100 | Fast-track route for shortage-list occupations. | 2–4 months |
| Australia | Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) | $1,140 | Post-study work rights for international graduates of Australian institutions. | 3–9 months |
Read the 'who it is for' column first
The mainstream route in each country, cheapest first
| Country | Main work route | Fee | Salary floor | Path to PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | EU Blue Card | $54 | EUR 36,278.51/yr (≈ $41,575/yr) | 5 years |
| Switzerland | B Permit (Resident Foreign Nationals) for Third-State Nationals | $106 | No published floor | 10 years |
| Germany | EU Blue Card | $120 | EUR 50,700/yr (≈ $58,102/yr) | 2 years |
| Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa "B" (Business and Work) | $147 | No published floor | 3 years |
| Portugal | Tech Visa | $160 | EUR 1,342.83/mo (≈ $18,467/yr) | 5 years |
| Spain | Highly Qualified Professional | $200 | EUR 41,356.36/yr (≈ $47,394/yr) | 5 years |
| France | Talent Passport (Qualified Employee) | $243 | EUR 39,582/yr (≈ $45,361/yr) | 5 years |
| Singapore | Employment Pass | $254 | SGD 5,600/mo (≈ $52,564/yr) | 2 years |
| United Arab Emirates | Standard Work Visa (Employer-Sponsored) | $300 | No published floor | No direct PR path |
| Netherlands | Highly Skilled Migrant | $380 | EUR 5,942/mo (≈ $81,714/yr) | 5 years |
| New Zealand | Accredited Employer Work Visa | $900 | No published floor | 3 years |
| Ireland | Critical Skills Employment Permit | $1,100 | EUR 40,904/yr (≈ $46,876/yr) | 2 years |
| Canada | Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker | $1,570 | No published floor | Permanent on approval |
| United States | H-1B Specialty Occupation | $2,460 | No published floor | 5 years |
| Australia | Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) | $2,770 | No published floor | 3 years |
| United Kingdom | Skilled Worker Visa | $3,290 | GBP 41,700/yr (≈ $56,462/yr) | 5 years |
Fee versus total cost
The application fee is the smallest part of most moves. The visa cost index ranks every skilled-work route by fee, speed and cost per year to permanent residence, which is a better measure of value than the fee alone. Some routes can also carry a health surcharge or an employer-side charge that is not in the fee.
If cost of living matters as much as the visa fee, the affordable countries guide ranks destinations on cost, safety and visa ease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the cheapest work visa in 2026?
The lowest government fee in Transita's skilled-work index is $54 for the EU Blue Card (Italy). Check who it is for before planning around it: Italy's route for highly qualified non-EU workers with a degree or equivalent experience and a binding job offer above the national salary threshold.
What is the cheapest mainstream work visa?
Comparing each country's standard skilled-work route, Italy's EU Blue Card is the cheapest at $54, and the cheapest of all 64 skilled-work routes we track. The United Kingdom's Skilled Worker Visa is the most expensive at $3,290.
What is the median cost of a work visa?
Across the 64 skilled-work routes in Transita's index, the median government fee is $569. That covers the application fee only. Document translation, recognition of qualifications, travel and, on some routes, a health surcharge come on top.
Is the cheapest visa the best value?
Rarely on its own. A low fee on a route with a high salary floor, a lottery or no path to permanent residence can cost more in the end than a pricier route you qualify for outright. Compare fee, salary floor and time to PR together.
Do these fees include the employer's costs?
No. The figures are the applicant-side government fee we hold for each route. Employer-side charges, where a country has them, are separate, so check the official page linked on each route.
Find the cheapest route you actually qualify for
Transita filters every route by your nationality, occupation and profile before it ranks them, so the cheapest one shown is one you can use. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.
Build my workspaceofficial sources: Carta Blu UE · home-affairs.ec.europa.eu·§§20a, 20b AufenthG · auswaertiges-amt.de·§18g AufenthG · bamf.de·B Permit (EU/EFTA) · sem.admin.ch·B Permit (Third-State) · sem.admin.ch·Non-B · mfa.go.th·S Pass · mom.gov.sg·EP · mom.gov.sg·Tech Visa · iapmei.pt·GTS · canada.ca·FSWP · canada.ca·FSWP success-rate data · canada.ca·TN · uscis.gov·H-1B · uscis.gov·H-1B success-rate data · uscis.gov·HQP · inclusion.gob.es·Zoekjaar Highly Educated Persons · ind.nl·Kennismigrant · ind.nl·Passeport Talent - salarié qualifié · france-visas.gouv.fr·Work Residence Visa · u.ae·Health and Care Worker · gov.uk·Skilled Worker · gov.uk·Skilled Worker success-rate data · gov.uk·AEWV · immigration.govt.nz·CSEP · enterprise.gov.ie·485 · immi.homeaffairs.gov.au·TSS 482 · immi.homeaffairs.gov.au