Data report
2026 Skilled-Visa Cost & Speed Index
Every skilled-worker visa in our database — 46 pathways across 10 countries — ranked by official application fee and how long a decision takes. Figures are government fees verified against official sources, last updated 2026-05-11.
Key findings
The full ranking — cheapest first
46 skilled-worker pathways, sorted by official application fee. Tap any visa for the full guide and eligibility.
| # | Visa | Country | Application fee | Processing | Path to PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job Seeker VisaVisto de Procura de Trabalho | 🇵🇹 Portugal | $95 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 2 | Job Seeker Visa (Chancenkarte)§20 AufenthG | 🇩🇪 Germany | $100 | 2–4 months | No |
| 3 | Skilled Worker Visa (Qualified)§18a AufenthG | 🇩🇪 Germany | $100 | 2–5 months | Yes · ~4 yrs |
| 4 | Research Visa (§18d AufenthG)§18d | 🇩🇪 Germany | $110 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 5 | EU Blue Card§18g AufenthG | 🇩🇪 Germany | $120 | 2–4 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 6 | Tech VisaTech Visa | 🇵🇹 Portugal | $160 | 1–2 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 7 | TN Visa (CUSMA/NAFTA)TN | 🇺🇸 United States | $185 | 0–1 months | No |
| 8 | Highly Qualified ProfessionalHQP | 🇪🇸 Spain | $200 | 1–2 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 9 | Orientation Year (Zoekjaar)Zoekjaar Highly Educated Persons | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $215 | 1–2 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 10 | J-1 Research ScholarJ-1 | 🇺🇸 United States | $255 | 1–4 months | No |
| 11 | E-3 VisaE-3 | 🇺🇸 United States | $315 | 1–3 months | No |
| 12 | Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee ProgramSINP | 🇨🇦 Canada (Saskatchewan) | $350 | 4–8 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 13 | Health and Care Worker VisaHealth and Care Worker | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $350 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 14 | Highly Skilled MigrantKennismigrant | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $380 | 1–2 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 15 | EU Blue Card (Netherlands)EU Blue Card NL | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $380 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 16 | Researcher under Directive (EU)Onderzoeker | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $380 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 17 | H-1B1 Specialty OccupationH-1B1 | 🇺🇸 United States | $460 | 1–3 months | No |
| 18 | Accredited Employer Work VisaAEWV | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | $460 | 2–4 months | Yes · ~3 yrs |
| 19 | Alberta Advantage Immigration ProgramAAIP | 🇨🇦 Canada (Alberta) | $500 | 6–12 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 20 | Global Talent VisaGlobal Talent | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $760 | 2–8 months | Yes · ~3 yrs |
| 21 | High Potential Individual VisaHPI | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $820 | 1–3 months | No |
| 22 | Québec Skilled Worker ProgramQSWP | 🇨🇦 Canada (Québec) | $822 | 12–24 months | Yes · ~3 yrs |
| 23 | Critical Skills Employment PermitCSEP | 🇮🇪 Ireland | $1,100 | 2–4 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 24 | General Employment PermitGEP | 🇮🇪 Ireland | $1,100 | 2–5 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 25 | Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)485 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $1,140 | 3–9 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 26 | BC PNP Tech PilotBC PNP Tech | 🇨🇦 Canada (British Columbia) | $1,150 | 2–5 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 27 | Graduate Visa (Post-Study Work)Graduate | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $1,170 | 1–2 months | No |
| 28 | Atlantic Immigration ProgramAIP | 🇨🇦 Canada | $1,170 | 6–12 months | Yes |
| 29 | O-1A Extraordinary AbilityO-1A | 🇺🇸 United States | $1,385 | 2–6 months | Yes · ~3 yrs |
| 30 | L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Manager)L-1A | 🇺🇸 United States | $1,385 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 31 | L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialized Knowledge)L-1B | 🇺🇸 United States | $1,385 | 1–6 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 32 | Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program — Tech DrawOINP Tech | 🇨🇦 Canada (Ontario) | $1,500 | 3–6 months | Yes · ~2 yrs |
| 33 | Express Entry — Federal Skilled WorkerFSWP | 🇨🇦 Canada | $1,570 | 6–12 months | Yes |
| 34 | Express Entry — Canadian Experience ClassCEC | 🇨🇦 Canada | $1,570 | 3–6 months | Yes |
| 35 | Express Entry — Federal Skilled TradesFST | 🇨🇦 Canada | $1,570 | 6–12 months | Yes |
| 36 | H-1B Specialty OccupationH-1B | 🇺🇸 United States | $2,460 | 3–6 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 37 | Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482)TSS 482 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $2,770 | 2–5 months | Yes · ~3 yrs |
| 38 | EB-3 Skilled Worker (Green Card)EB-3 | 🇺🇸 United States | $2,805 | 18–60 months | Yes |
| 39 | Skilled Independent (subclass 189)SC 189 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $3,035 | 6–18 months | Yes |
| 40 | Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)SC 190 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $3,035 | 9–18 months | Yes |
| 41 | EB-2 National Interest WaiverEB-2 NIW | 🇺🇸 United States | $3,225 | 12–36 months | Yes |
| 42 | Skilled Worker VisaSkilled Worker | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $3,290 | 1–3 months | Yes · ~5 yrs |
| 43 | EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Green Card)EB-1A | 🇺🇸 United States | $3,835 | 8–24 months | Yes |
| 44 | Straight to ResidenceSTR | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | $4,300 | 1–3 months | Yes |
| 45 | Skilled Migrant CategorySMC | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | $4,300 | 6–12 months | Yes |
| 46 | Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491)491 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $4,640 | 6–18 months | Yes · ~3 yrs |
Methodology
Scope is every visa classified as a skilled-worker route in Transita's database (46 pathways across 10 countries). Application fee is the official government visa/application fee for a single primary applicant, converted to USD. It deliberately excludes legal fees, document translation, skills assessment, proof-of-funds, and relocation — so the real out-of-pocket cost is usually higher than the headline fee shown here. Processingis the government-quoted decision window. Every figure is verified against the official immigration source on each visa's page, last updated 2026-05-11.
Citing this data
You're welcome to quote or republish this index with attribution. Please credit Transita and link to transita.app/data/visa-cost-index. The page is regenerated from verified per-visa records, so the link always reflects the current figures.
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