The UK is experiencing shortages of skilled workers across many parts of the economy. The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) is used by the UK Government to relax work visa requirements for certain professions, making it easier for employers to recruit overseas workers for these roles.
Applicants with a job offer from a licensed UK employer in one of the occupations on the SOL, and who meet all other relevant visa requirements, can apply for a Skilled Worker visa, or a Health and Care Worker visa.
Roles on the SOL are subject to lower salary thresholds of 80% of the going rate, and the UK visa application fees are also lower.
In this guide, we detail which roles are on the Shortage Occupation List and what the list means if you are applying for a points-based sponsored work visa in the UK.
Skilled worker visa shortage occupation list
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: £30,720 (£15.15 per hour) |
| 1242 | Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £21,360 (£10.53 per hour) |
| 2111 | Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry | Scotland only | 80% of going rate: £21,360(£10.53 per hour) |
| 2112 | Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £23,760(£11.72 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: £29,200(£14.40 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: £29,200(£14.40 per hour) |
| 2114 | Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £20,720(£10.22 per hour) |
| 2121 | Civil engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £28,000(£13.81 per hour) |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,720(£13.18 per hour) |
| 2123 | Electrical engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £29,600(£14.60 per hour) |
| 2124 | Electronics engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,760(£13.69 per hour) |
| 2126 | Design and development engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,280(£13.45 per hour) |
| 2127 | Production and process engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,480(£13.06 per hour) |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,160(£12.90 per hour) |
| 2135 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £29,280(£14.44 per hour) |
| 2136 | Programmers and software development professionals – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,640(£13.14 per hour) |
| 2137 | Web design and development professionals – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £20,800(£10.26 per hour) |
| 2139 | Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialists | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £25,440(£12.54 per hour) |
| 2216 | Veterinarians – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,000(£12.82 per hour) |
| 2425 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticians | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,240(£12.94 per hour) |
| 2431 | Architects – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £28,000(£13.81 per hour) |
| 2461 | Quality control and planning engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £24,400(£12.03 per hour) |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £14,560 (£7.18 per hour) |
| 3411 | Artists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £16,800(£8.28 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: £23,840(£11.76 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: £22,000 (£10.85 per hour) |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £24,000(£11.83 per hour) |
| 3421 | Graphic designers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £18,800(£9.27 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: £18,240(£8.99 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 £20,480 per year or £10.10 per hour |
| 6146 | Senior care workers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £13,520 (£6.67 per hour) |
Skilled worker visa shortage occupation list for healthcare & education roles
Roles in healthcare and education are subject to a separate list, as follows:
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 |
Skilled Worker visa requirements
To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, candidates must earn 70 points on the UK visa points test. The table below states how points are assigned for the Skilled Worker visa category.
Characteristics |
Mandatory/Tradeable |
Points |
|---|---|---|
| Offer of job by approved sponsor | Mandatory | 20 |
| Job at appropriate skill level | Mandatory | 20 |
| Speaks English at required level | Mandatory | 10 |
| Salary of £20,480 to £23,039 or at least 80% of the going rate for the profession (whichever is higher) | Tradeable | 0 |
| Salary of £23,040 to £25,599 or at least 90% of the going rate for the profession (whichever is higher) | Tradeable | 10 |
| Salary of £25,600 or above or at least the going rate for the profession (whichever is higher) | Tradeable | 20 |
| Job in a shortage occupation as designated by the Migration Advisory Committee | Tradeable | 20 |
| Applicant is a new entrant to the labour market (as designated by the MAC) | Tradeable | 20 |
| Education qualification: PhD in a subject relevant to the job | Tradeable | 10 |
| Education qualification: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job | Tradeable | 20 |
Job offer
Applicants must have a job offer from an employer with a valid sponsor licence. Roles that are not on the Shortage Occupation List may still be eligible for the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visas if they are on the Home Office’s eligible occupations list.
The ONS has an online tool which can be used to verify the occupation code for the role being recruited.
Certificate of Sponsorship
The employer has to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to the visa applicant in order to sponsor them.
Going rate & salary threshold
For roles that are currently on the Shortage Occupation List, individuals become eligible for the Skilled Worker visa if their salary is at least 80% of the occupation’s going rate. Levels are based on annual salaries for a 39-hour working week. The role must be for at least 30 hours per week. Pro rata calculations based on weekly working hours should be used for other working patterns.
The “new entrant” income rate applies to those on student visas in the UK who are transferring to a Skilled Worker visa, as well as those under 26 years old. The minimum annual pay, based on a 39-hour work week (in most situations) excluding breaks, must be at least £20,480 or 30% less than the going rate for a skilled worker visa, whichever is greater.
English language
Applicants must meet one of the following:
- Hold a degree equivalent to or higher to a UK Bachelor’s degree, which was taught or researched in English (UK NARIC evaluation required if not taught in a majority English speaking country).
- Have passed an English language test certified by UKVI with a minimum score of B1 on the Council of Europe’s standard European framework for language and learning.
- Have successfully satisfied the English Language requirement during a previous grant of leave in the UK.
- Be a citizen of an English-speaking majority nation, as follows:
English speaking majority nations |
||||||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Australia | The Bahamas | Barbados | Belize | Canada | Dominica |
| Grenada | Guyana | Jamaica | New Zealand | St Kitts and Nevis | St Lucia | St Vincent and the Grenadines |
Financial requirement
Applicants who already have UK entrance clearance, permission to enter, or permission to remain under a Skilled Worker visa are exempt from the financial requirement.
The majority of Skilled Worker sponsors support the potential employee in meeting the financial requirement by guaranteeing they will fund the applicant’s maintenance and housing for the first month of working in the United Kingdom. The guarantee should be stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship. This option is only available to sponsors with an A rating.
If the employer does not provide a guarantee for the financial requirement, the applicant has to evidence they have personal funds of at least £1,270 and have had these funds continuously for 28 days ending no more than 31 days prior to the date of the application. Proof can be provided using bank statements or other relevant documents.
Shortage Occupation List FAQs
What is a shortage occupation list?
The shortage occupation list is made up of those roles deemed by the UK Government to have shortages in labour within the UK economy. Roles on the list benefit from more relaxed visa eligibility criteria and lower Home Office application fees for employers trying to recruit for these roles from the overseas labour market.
What jobs are in shortage in the UK?
The UK's Shortage Occupation List states which jobs in the UK are currently experiencing a shortage of workers.
How do I apply for a shortage occupation list UK?
To apply for a 'shortage occupation list' role, you must apply for a Skilled Worker visa, which requires you to have a job offer from a licensed UK employer and meet the visa points requirement.
Legal disclaimer
The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.
