Tier 2 visa shortage occupation list 70 new additions

Comments by Sanwar Ali:

Under the new UK Tier 2 visa points system from next year there will be winners and losers.   Some occupations are to be added and others removed.  One change that will be welcome to many is that you will no longer need to do the Resident Labour Market Test.  The problem remains that the new points system cannot deal with the shortages after the Brexit transitional period ends.

Following a Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) review, completed on 29 September 2020, the UK Tier 2 visa Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be updated under the new points system to include 70 new job roles. The MAC was commissioned to review the current SOL back in March, with a specific focus on medium-level skilled occupations at RQF level 3 – 5.

The SOL features occupations that employers find challenging to fill, particularly among the UK workforce. The SOL was introduced to better address skills shortages through the employment of foreign nationals that have the necessary qualifications to fill skilled roles, when the skills needed cannot be found in the UK.

Jobs on the SOL are considered more favourable for securing a UK visa, while giving British employers access to a wider pool of candidates suitable for specific occupations. The skill-level of a particular occupation is measured on the length of time it would take to retrain a new entrant with the skills needed to perform the necessary duties of the job.

Call for evidence for Shortage Occupation List

On 13 May 2020, the MAC launched a call for evidence, lasting 6-weeks, which sought a response from employers, business bodies and government departments, concerning skills shortages in the UK. The short response time and the impact of the coronavirus meant that just 200 replies were received.

Meanwhile, 63 firms reportedly replied directly to the MAC Secretariat. This is in contrast to the 2019 SOL review, which generated 558 responses across a 9-week period. The 2020 review has seen over 300 fewer replies.

Despite the poor response rate, the MAC has recommended that 70 new job types be added to the SOL, some of which include:

• Bricklayers
• Butchers
• Senior care workers
• Welders

Healthcare roles closely watched

The UK health and social care sectors will have tracked the MAC’s review of the SOL very closely amid huge shortages exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. In response, the MAC has advised that the following health and social care roles be added to the SOL:

• Dental nurses
• Dispensing opticians
• Health associate professionals
• Healthcare practice managers
• Medical and dental technicians
• Nursery nurses and assistants
• Nursing auxiliaries and assistants
• Pharmaceutical technicians
• Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
• Senior care workers

SOL benefits

The inclusion of an occupation on the SOL has benefits for employee and employer alike. For foreign nationals, securing a UK visa is made easier if applying for UK entry to take up a job role on the SOL. Meanwhile, employers benefit from a 20% reduction on the Tier 2 visa salary threshold of £25,600. However, a minimum salary of £20,480 still has to be paid.

A job on the SOL is also subject to lower visa fees, exemption from the current cap on Tier 2 visas – which will be scrapped under the new UK immigration system on 1 January 2021, exemption from the settlement threshold and exemption from the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT).

The RLMT requires employers to advertise a vacancy to the domestic workforce prior to recruiting a migrant, which potentially adds to the delay of securing the skilled worker(s) they need. However, under the new immigration system – as with the Tier 2 visa cap, the RLMT will be scrapped.

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