As of 4 April 2024, the UK Shortage Occupation List (SOL) has been replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL).
The ISL significantly reduces the number of eligible occupations, and introduces new guidelines, salary thresholds, and occupations eligible for reduced salary requirements.
Skilled Worker visa Shortage Occupation List Introduction
If the job is on the shortage occupation list, it makes it easier for employers with a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence to meet the points requirement to sponsor skilled workers from overseas under the Skilled Worker visa, and former Tier 2 visa schemes. Since 1 December 2020, when the new UK points based system was introduced, the Tier 2 General visa category in effect became part of the Skilled worker visa scheme. The shortage occupation list below is current as of 15 May 2023.
No longer necessary to show a shortage to employ someone in any occupation
Even for occupations not on the shortage occupation list, it is no longer necessary to show a shortage to sponsor overseas workers. as previously required under the Resident Labour Market Test. Lower salary rates of 80% of the going rate can be paid for occupations that come under the shortage occupation list, and UK visa fees are lower. The hourly rate is based on a 37.5 hour working week, excluding breaks. There is a separate shortage occupation list for health and education workers.
The Intra-Company visa category remains unpopular compared to the Skilled Worker visa category. As there is no requirement to advertise for any of the Skilled Worker visa occupations there is not much point in many cases in applying under this scheme.
Employers wishing to employ someone on a Skilled Worker visa need to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to employ someone on a Skilled Worker visa. Since the end of the Brexit transition period at the end of 2020, newly arriving EU nationals will need to come under the Skilled Worker visa scheme.
If you wish to employ someone under the Skilled Worker visa scheme in one of these shortage occupations the role must be for at least 30 hours per week and must pay the appropriate minimum salary and gain enough points under the Skilled Worker visa points system.
Advantages of the Shortage Occupation List for Employers
Employers hiring for roles on the SOL enjoy several benefits, including:
- Lower visa application fees: The fees for Skilled Worker visa applications are lower for roles on the SOL.
- Permission to work a second job: Workers sponsored for a role on the SOL can work a second job. Other skilled workers can also work an additional 20 hours a week. However, the terms for someone on the shortage occupation list are more favourable.
- Salary 'discount' for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR): SOL workers applying for ILR may benefit from a salary discount so making it easier to gain indefinite leave to remain.
- Tradeable points for lower salary thresholds: SOL occupations can in many cases gain 20 points towards the points requirement under the Skilled Worke visa.
Skilled Worker Shortage Occupation List
Please note that unless it specifically states that "all jobs" in an occupation code are included, only the job roles below each job code are included in the Shortage Occupation List. This is for non health care and non education related occupations. Below this list is another list for healthcare and education shortage occupations.
| Occupation code | Job types included on the shortage occupations list | Areas of the UK where there is a shortage | Annual salary (80% of going rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1181 | Health services and public health managers and directors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £33,040 (£16.94 per hou |
| 1242 | Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £22,640 (£11.61 per hour) |
| 2111 | Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry | Scotland only | 80% of going rate: £22,800 (£11.69 per hour) |
| 2112 | Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £24,480 (£12.55 per hour) |
| 2113 | Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry: engineering geologist hydrogeologist geophysicist | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,080 (£13.37 per hour) |
| 2113 | Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the oil and gas industry: geophysicist geoscientist geologist geochemist technical services manager in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry senior resource geologist and staff geologist in the mining sector | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,080 (£13.37 per hour) |
| 2114 | Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £20,480 (£10.50 per hour) |
| 2121 | Civil engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,760 (£14.24 per hour) |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,400 (£13.54 per hour) |
| 2123 | Electrical engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £31,440 (£16.12 per hour) |
| 2124 | Electronics engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,120 (£13.91 per hour) |
| 2126 | Design and development engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,280 (£13.99 per hour) |
| 2127 | Production and process engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £25,600 (£13.13 per hour) |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,720 (£13.70 per hour) |
| 2135 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £30,080 (£15.43 per hour) |
| 2136 | Programmers and software development professionals – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,200 (£13.95 per hour) |
| 2137 | Web design and development professionals – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £21,440 (£10.99 per hour) |
| 2139 | Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialists | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £25,680 (£13.17 per hour) |
| 2216 | Veterinarians – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,960 (£13.83 per hour) |
| 2425 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticians | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,880 (£13.78 per hour) |
| 2431 | Architects – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,320 (£13.50 per hour) |
| 2461 | Quality control and planning engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £25,280 (£12.96 per hour) |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £15,120 (£7.75 per hour) |
| 3411 | Artists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £16,400 (£8.41 per hour) |
| 3414 | Dancers and choreographers – only skilled classical ballet dancers or skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK ballet or contemporary dance companies. The company must be endorsed as being internationally recognised by a UK industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland or Wales). | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £16,960 (£8.70 per hour) |
| 3415 | Musicians – only skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals or numbered string positions, and who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK orchestras. The orchestra must a full member of the Association of British Orchestras. | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £24,960 (£12.80 per hour) |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £23,360 (£11.98 per hour) |
| 3421 | Graphic designers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £18,400 (£9.44 per hour) |
| 5215 | Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders, where the job requires 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through illegal working. | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £18,480 (£9.48 per hour) |
| 6145 | Care workers and home carers - private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | No going rate – the salary must be at least £20,960 per year or £10.75 per hour |
6146 | Senior care workers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £14,880 (£7.63 per hour) |
Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcareand education | |||
Occupation code | Job types included on the shortage occupations list | Areas of the UK where there is a shortage | |
| 2211 | Medical practitioners – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2212 | Psychologists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2213 | Pharmacists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2217 | Medical radiographers – all jobs (including radiotherapy practitioners / technologists) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2219 | Health professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2221 | Physiotherapists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2222 | Occupational therapists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2223 | Speech and language therapists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2231 | Nurses – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2314 | Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and modern foreign languages | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 2314 | Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in Gaelic | Scotland only | |
| 2315 | Primary and nursery education teaching professionals – only Gaelic medium teachers | Scotland only | |
| 2442 | Social workers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 3213 | Paramedics – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | |
| 6141 | Nursing auxiliaries and assistants – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the benefits of coming under the shortage occupation list?
The main benefits of being on the shortage occupation list is that the salary can be eighty percent of the going rate and the Government visa fee is lower. However, there may be a minimum salary in many cases of £20,960 for "new entrants" or £26,200 for "experienced workers". You need to look carefully at the Skilled Worker visa points system to see what the salary requirements are in practice. Previously, before December 2020, you had to advertise non-shortage occupation list occupations to show a shortage. This is no longer the case. However, advertising the vacancy may still be preferable.
Should you try and come under the shortage occupation list?
Probably overall it is better to try and come under the shortage occupation list if you can. The visa fee costs are lower. Make sure that the job is similar to the job in the list. If the Home Office does a check it is likely to cause serious problems if the job is very different.
