Understanding the UK's Shortage Occupation List (SOL) is crucial for employers and HR professionals involved in international recruitment. Missteps in hiring sponsored workers can lead to serious consequences, including Home Office enforcement actions like licence suspensions and the curtailing of employee visas.

Recent developments in the Shortage Occupation List:

The Home Office updated the SOL in August 2023, with roles included on the list based on recommendations from the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). These recommendations aim to align with the needs of UK businesses and the selective criteria of the UK Points Based System for sponsored visa applications.

In October 2023, the MAC released a comprehensive report on the SOL. Key recommendations included adding occupations to the list and removing the going rate discount for SOL roles. The report also suggested renaming the SOL to the “Immigration Salary Discount List” (ISDL) for a more precise depiction of its function.

Following this, in December 2023, the Government announced a new 'Immigration Salary List' as part of its five-point immigration plan, replacing the SOL in Spring 2024. The new list will maintain the general threshold discount but will eliminate the 20% going rate salary discount for shortage occupations. Additionally, the MAC has been tasked with reviewing the roles on the SOL to potentially reduce the number of occupations on the new Immigration Salary List.

Understanding the Shortage Occupation List:

The SOL, detailed in Appendix Skilled Occupations of the UK Immigration Rules, includes roles deemed to be in short supply within the UK resident labour market. These roles are subject to more relaxed eligibility criteria for sponsored work visa applications.

Under the new points-based immigration system, non-UK resident workers generally must apply for a Skilled Worker visa, replacing the Tier 2 (General) visa. Employers sponsoring skilled non-UK resident workers must meet strict requirements related to the role, with workers needing to attain 70 points covering skills, language, and salary.

Advantages of the Shortage Occupation List:

Roles on the SOL offer several benefits, such as lower visa application fees and permission for SOL workers to undertake a second job. There is also a salary ‘discount’ when SOL workers apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

The 2024 Shortage Occupation List:

The SOL comprises two tables, each specifying the Standard Occupational Classification Code (SOC) for eligible roles. Table 1 details shortage occupations where applicants for entry clearance or permission to stay may be paid 80% of the going rate for the occupation code.

Occupation codeTypes of jobs featured on the shortage occupations listRegions in the UK experiencing a shortageAnnual salary (80% of going rate)1181Health services and public health managers and directors – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £33,040 (£16.94 per hour)1242Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £22,640 (£11.61 per hour)2111Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industryScotland only80% of going rate: £22,800 (£11.69 per hour)2112Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £24,480 (£12.55 per hour)2113Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry:engineering geologisthydrogeologistgeophysicistEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,080 (£13.37 per hour)2113Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the oil and gas industry:geophysicistgeoscientistgeologistgeochemisttechnical services manager in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industrysenior resource geologist and staff geologist in the mining sectorEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,080 (£13.37 per hour)2114Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologistsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £20,480 (£10.50 per hour)2121Civil engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,760 (£14.24 per hour)2122Mechanical engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,400 (£13.54 per hour)2123Electrical engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £31,440 (£16.12 per hour)2124Electronics engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,120 (£13.91 per hour)2126Design and development engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,280 (£13.99 per hour)2127Production and process engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £25,600 (£13.13 per hour)2129Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,720 (£13.70 per hour)2135IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £30,080 (£15.43 per hour)2136Programmers and software development professionals – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,200 (£13.95 per hour)2137Web design and development professionals – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £21,440 (£10.99 per hour)2139Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialistsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £25,680 (£13.17 per hour)2216Veterinarians – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,960 (£13.83 per hour)2425Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticiansEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,880 (£13.78 per hour)2431Architects – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,320 (£13.50 per hour)2461Quality control and planning engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £25,280 (£12.96 per hour)3111Laboratory technicians – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £15,120 (£7.75 per hour)3411Artists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £16,400 (£8.41 per hour)3414Dancers 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 Ireland80% of going rate: £16,960 (£8.70 per hour)3415Musicians – 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 Ireland80% of going rate: £24,960 (£12.80 per hour)3416Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £23,360 (£11.98 per hour)3421Graphic designers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £18,400 (£9.44 per hour)5119Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified – only jobs in the fishing industryEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £17,600 (£9.03 per hour)5215Welding 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 Ireland80% of going rate: £18,480 (£9.48 per hour)5312Bricklayers and masons – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £18,640 (£9.56 per hour)5313Roofers, roof tilers and slaters – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £16,160 (£8.29 per hour)5315Carpenters and joiners – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £18,000 (£9.23 per hour)5319Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £17,760 (£9.11 per hour)5321Plasterers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £19,200 (£9.85 per hour)6145Care workers and home carers – private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicantsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern IrelandNo going rate – the salary must be at least £20,960 per year or £10.75 per hour6146Senior care workers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £14,880 (£7.63 per hour)9119Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified – only deckhands on large fishing vessel (9 metres and above). The job must require 3 or more years’ full-time experience. This experience must not have been gained through illegal working.England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £14,400 (£7.38 per hour

Table 2: Shortage occupations within specific health and education codes, with going rates determined by national pay scales.

Occupation codeTypes of jobs featured on the shortage occupations listRegions in the UK experiencing a shortage2211Medical practitioners – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2212Psychologists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2213Pharmacists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2217Medical radiographers – all jobs (including radiotherapy practitioners / technologists)England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2219Health professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2221Physiotherapists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2222Occupational therapists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2223Speech and language therapists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2231Nurses – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2314Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and modern foreign languagesEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland2314Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in GaelicScotland only2315Primary and nursery education teaching professionals – only Gaelic medium teachersScotland only2442Social workers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland3213Paramedics – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland6141Nursing auxiliaries and assistants – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland

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