UK Tier 2 Visa Shortage Occupation List Announcement

There are likely to be changes to the shortage occupation list for Tier 2 Visas following recommendations by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in their latest report. This is following MAC's third partial review of the shortage occupation lists for the UK in general and for Scotland:

• MAC recommends that the pharmacists category on the UK shortage occupation list for tier 2 visas be expanded to include community pharmacists. This will benefit you if you work for a private employers rather than the Government funded National Health Service (NHS).


• If you wish to work in an orchestral musician job in the UK it could become more difficult in future. It is recommended by MAC that the only orchestral musician occupation that should be left on the UK shortage occupation list is leader or principal of an internationally recognised UK orchestra.


• The MAC does not recommend any further changes to the UK shortage occupation lists.


• MAC recommends that the Scotland shortage occupation list remains unchanged.

As required by the UK Government MAC undertakes a partial review of the partial review of the shortage occupation list every six months. A MAC review of the full shortage occupation list is expected in Autumn 2010.

UKBA in their recent announcement confirms that the original MAC recommended shortage occupation lists in September 2008 have now all been reviewed at least once.

The UK Government takes recommendations made by MAC very seriously. In the past UK Immigration has followed most if not all recommendations made by MAC. MAC was formed by the Government to provide advice on immigration related issues such as overseas skilled labour requirements, etc.