Ask explicitly who pays the licensing and credential-verification costs, the government charges, and any relocation. Nothing here is automatic, and the answer is worth having in writing.
Divide the bill before you accept
Government charges for this category are set out in the published fee schedule and should be confirmed there at the time, since they are revised periodically and depend on the route used. The larger and less predictable costs sit around licensure: application and examination fees, credential verification services required by some boards, and any bridging arrangements while an application is pending. Ask the employer directly which of these it pays and which it does not, and ask for the answer in the offer or in an email rather than in conversation.
Add the household's own costs, including document retrieval from institutions and professional review of the file, and compare the total against the compensation being offered. Hypothetical example: a landscape architect is considering a cross-border design role that requires registration in the destination jurisdiction. A first review should produce a cost sheet divided among government charges, board fees, credential retrieval, examinations, travel, and professional review, with an owner beside each item.
The licensing board’s fee schedule and written requirements settle the largest uncertain category; the offer letter settles any reimbursement. Request both before committing to an exam or move. What goes wrong is often not an underestimated filing fee but an unplanned evaluation, translation, or repeat examination that delays income.
A decision-ready budget includes the cost of waiting as well as the price of each application, and distinguishes refundable steps from expenses that are already spent.