Is hiring company liable for your work visa cost?

In most countries, the hiring company is responsible for sponsoring your work visa. This means they must provide the necessary documentation, submit the application to the immigration authorities, and, in many cases, cover the visa processing fees required for legal employment.

Legitimate employers may sometimes ask you to pay for certain relocation costs, such as flights or document translation, but it is uncommon for reputable companies to require you to pay the main government visa application fees yourself, especially before you start working.

If a company insists that you pay large amounts upfront for your work visa or asks you to transfer money to a personal account, this is often a warning sign of a potential scam. Real employers typically handle the official visa process directly with immigration authorities and deduct only agreed upon costs, if any, after you are employed.

To protect yourself, confirm whether the company is a registered business in its country, check if they have a history of hiring foreign workers, and verify their sponsorship status with the relevant immigration department. If they refuse to provide proof of legitimacy or pressure you for payment, it is safer to treat the offer with caution.