What is the Shortage Occupation List?
The Shortage Occupation List has been replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL) since April 2024, which allows a lower salary threshold for some Skilled Worker visa roles. For up-to-date information, please refer to our ISL guide. This article is for informational purposes and is no longer current.
The Shortage Occupation List outlines roles in the UK that are experiencing a shortage of qualified workers. Compiled by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), this list helps identify sectors in need of skilled professionals from overseas. Regular updates ensure that the list reflects current labour market conditions and addresses gaps in the workforce.
When a role is listed, employers face fewer barriers in hiring international talent. Notably, the minimum salary requirement for these positions is reduced—set at a minimum of £20,960 per year, or £10.75 per hour, alongside 80% of the usual industry rate for that occupation. This allows businesses to offer competitive opportunities while staying compliant with immigration standards.
Additionally, the visa application process becomes more affordable for those seeking positions on the Shortage Occupation List. Applicants benefit from reduced visa fees, making it a more attractive route for skilled workers seeking employment in the UK. The employer must also confirm that the position is on the Shortage Occupation List when issuing the Certificate of Sponsorship.
How does the Shortage Occupation List work?
Under the UK’s Points-Based Immigration System, the Shortage Occupation List is pivotal in determining visa eligibility for skilled workers. Applicants must gather a minimum of 70 points, derived from a blend of mandatory and tradeable criteria.
Mandatory criteria include:
- Securing a job offer from an approved sponsor for 20 points
- Having a job at the required skill level for another 20 points
- Meeting English language requirements for 10 points
The Shortage Occupation List enhances tradeable criteria, offering added flexibility. Jobs on this list grant applicants an additional 20 points, which can compensate for lower salary offers—allowing salaries up to 20% below the usual industry minimum.
Tradeable points can also be awarded for the following:
- Salary brackets:
- Minimum of £23,040: 10 points
- £25,600 or above: 20 points
- Possession of a Ph.D. relevant to the job: 10 points
- Possession of a Ph.D. in a STEM subject: 20 points
Importantly, roles on the Shortage Occupation List are exempt from the Resident Labour Market Test. This means employers do not need to advertise the job to local candidates before hiring a qualified foreign worker, simplifying the process of securing skilled professionals from overseas.
Comparison Between SOL and ISL
The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) served as a mechanism to identify roles with a shortage of skilled workers in the UK, offering incentives such as reduced visa fees and lower salary thresholds for certain occupations. In April 2024, the SOL was replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL). The ISL adopts a more targeted approach, prioritising occupations with critical shortages and providing a salary discount for those roles, albeit on a more limited list compared to its predecessor.
This transition followed significant engagement between the government and the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), along with other policy reviews. Notable events include the December 2023 five-point immigration plan and the January 2024 rapid review conducted by MAC, culminating in the introduction of the ISL in April 2024. The ISL now provides a more focused and responsive approach to addressing current labour shortages in key sectors.
UK Shortage Occupation List
The UK Shortage Occupation List for 2024 identifies jobs experiencing a critical shortage of qualified professionals, allowing employers to hire skilled workers from abroad more easily. The list is categorised by region, specifying whether the need exists in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. These roles are eligible for reduced salary thresholds, with some positions permitted to pay up to 20% below the usual market rate.
Key sectors featured in the Shortage Occupation List include Health and Care, Science and Engineering, Construction, IT, and Creative industries, among others:
Health and Care Roles
- Health services and public health managers
- Residential, day, and domiciliary care managers
- Senior care workers
- Medical practitioners, nurses, and paramedics
- Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists
Science and Engineering Roles
- Chemical scientists (specific roles in the nuclear industry)
- Biological scientists and biochemists
- Civil, mechanical, electrical, and electronics engineers
- Archaeologists
Construction Roles
- Bricklayers and masons
- Roofers, tilers, and slaters
- Carpenters, joiners, and plasterers
IT Roles
- IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers
- Programmers and software development professionals
- Cybersecurity specialists
Creative Sector Roles
- Skilled classical and contemporary dancers, subject to endorsement by UK arts bodies
- Skilled orchestral musicians meeting the standards of recognised orchestras
- Graphic designers, artists, arts officers, producers, and directors
Other Notable Roles
- Veterinarians
- Laboratory technicians
- Actuaries, economists, and statisticians (including bio-informaticians)
- Architects
- High-integrity pipe welders (requiring at least three years of relevant experience)
These positions are eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa with reduced requirements, making them accessible to qualified international workers. The Shortage Occupation List aims to fill gaps in key sectors, helping the UK labour market meet critical demand. To check specific salary requirements or regional variations for these roles, check out this page from gov.uk
| Occupation Code | Roles Included | Applicable Regions | Annual Salary (80% of Benchmark Rate) |
| 1181 | Health services and public health management roles | Across the UK | £33,040 (£16.94/hour) |
| 1242 | Management roles in residential, day, and domiciliary care | Across the UK | £22,640 (£11.61/hour) |
| 2111 | Nuclear industry chemical scientists | Scotland | £22,800 (£11.69/hour) |
| 2112 | Biological science professionals | Across the UK | £24,480 (£12.55/hour) |
| 2113 | Physical scientists in construction-ground engineering (engineering geologists, hydrogeologists, geophysicists) | Across the UK | £26,080 (£13.37/hour) |
| 2113 | Physical scientists in oil, gas, nuclear decommissioning, and mining sectors (e.g., geophysicists, geochemists) | Across the UK | £26,080 (£13.37/hour) |
| 2114 | Archaeologists within social and humanities sciences | Across the UK | £20,480 (£10.50/hour) |
| 2121 | Civil engineering roles | Across the UK | £27,760 (£14.24/hour) |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineering roles | Across the UK | £26,400 (£13.54/hour) |
| 2123 | Electrical engineering roles | Across the UK | £31,440 (£16.12/hour) |
| 2124 | Electronics engineering roles | Across the UK | £27,120 (£13.91/hour) |
| 2126 | Design and development engineers | Across the UK | £27,280 (£13.99/hour) |
| 2127 | Production and process engineering professionals | Across the UK | £25,600 (£13.13/hour) |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals not specified elsewhere | Across the UK | £26,720 (£13.70/hour) |
| 2135 | IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers | Across the UK | £30,080 (£15.43/hour) |
| 2136 | Software development and programming professionals | Across the UK | £27,200 (£13.95/hour) |
| 2137 | Web designers and developers | Across the UK | £21,440 (£10.99/hour) |
| 2139 | Cybersecurity specialists | Across the UK | £25,680 (£13.17/hour) |
| 2216 | Veterinarians | Across the UK | £26,960 (£13.83/hour) |
| 2425 | Bio-informaticians and informaticians within actuaries, economists, and statisticians | Across the UK | £26,880 (£13.78/hour) |
| 2431 | Architecture professionals | Across the UK | £26,320 (£13.50/hour) |
| 2461 | Quality control and planning engineers | Across the UK | £25,280 (£12.96/hour) |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians | Across the UK | £15,120 (£7.75/hour) |
| 3411 | Artists | Across the UK | £16,400 (£8.41/hour) |
| 3414 | Skilled ballet and contemporary dancers (endorsed by UK industry bodies like the Arts Councils) | Across the UK | £16,960 (£8.70/hour) |
| 3415 | Orchestral musicians (key roles in recognised UK orchestras) | Across the UK | £24,960 (£12.80/hour) |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers, directors | Across the UK | £23,360 (£11.98/hour) |
| 3421 | Graphic designers | Across the UK | £18,400 (£9.44/hour) |
| 5119 | Fishing trades specifically within fishing sector | Across the UK | £17,600 (£9.03/hour) |
| 5215 | High-integrity pipe welders (3+ years’ relevant experience) | Across the UK | £18,480 (£9.48/hour) |
| 5312 | Bricklaying and masonry professionals | Across the UK | £18,640 (£9.56/hour) |
| 5313 | Roofing professionals | Across the UK | £16,160 (£8.29/hour) |
| 5315 | Carpentry and joinery professionals | Across the UK | £18,000 (£9.23/hour) |
| 5319 | Construction and building trades not specified elsewhere | Across the UK | £17,760 (£9.11/hour) |
| 5321 | Plasterers | Across the UK | £19,200 (£9.85/hour) |
| 6145 | Private care workers (excludes sponsorship by private individuals) | Across the UK | Minimum £20,960/year (£10.75/hour) |
| 6146 | Senior care workers | Across the UK | £14,880 (£7.63/hour) |
| 9119 | Deckhands on large fishing vessels (with 3+ years’ full-time experience) | Across the UK | £14,400 (£7.38/hour) |
| Occupation Code | Job Types Included on Shortage List | Areas of the UK with Shortages |
| 2211 | Medical practitioners (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2212 | Psychologists (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2213 | Pharmacists (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2217 | Medical radiographers (including radiotherapy practitioners/technologists) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2219 | Other health professionals not elsewhere classified | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2221 | Physiotherapists (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2222 | Occupational therapists (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2223 | Speech and language therapists (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2231 | Nurses (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2314 | Secondary education teachers (maths, physics, science with a physics component, computer science, and modern foreign languages) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 2314 | Secondary education teachers (Gaelic language) | Scotland only |
| 2315 | Primary and nursery education teachers (Gaelic medium) | Scotland only |
| 2442 | Social workers (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 3213 | Paramedics (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 6141 | Nursing auxiliaries and assistants (all roles) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
How do I apply for a job on the Shortage Occupation List?
If you are applying for a job that is on the SOL, you must first file for a UK Skilled Worker
Visa. To do this, you must first meet the requirements which are as follows:
- You must have a valid passport
- You must receive a job offer from a UK employer who has a sponsorship licence
- The job offer must be a ‘genuine vacancy’ at an appropriate skill level
- You must receive a Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer detailing the job offered, issued within three months prior to your visa application
- The position must offer a minimum salary based on the going rate for that occupation
- You must be fluent in English (if not from an English-speaking country, you must meet Level B1 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
- You must have enough money to support yourself whilst in the UK (at least £1,270 which you must maintain for 28 days in a row prior to your entry into the UK)
- You must have a clear Tuberculosis (TB) test result letter
- You must provide a criminal record certificate (if applicable)
Once you have gathered all of your documents together, you can apply online for a work visa. If you have dependents such as spouses or children who you would like to join you in the UK, they must file separately.
When applying, you will need to verify your identity either through biometric data collected at a visa application centre or by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check app, which scans and uploads your identity documents to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. You will be informed of the specific method required for ID confirmation during your application process. You can apply for the visa up to three months before your job starts, and if applying from outside the UK, decisions are typically made within three weeks. Those who are already in the UK and applying may have to wait up to 8 weeks for a decision.
.
