What are the benefits of Shortage Occupation List UK?

Sanjay Yadav
[Published 17 Sep, 2024 | 10:57 AM]
About Author - 5 min read
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The UK Shortage Occupation List consists of roles that are in scarce availability in the UK. It implies that employers are witnessing a scarcity of right workers in the local labor market. The occupations that are included in the SOL are offered certain benefits in terms of Immigration Policies. The aim is to make it easier for employers to hire workers via the Skilled Worker pathway.

The Government of the UK regularly commissions the MAC - Migration Advisory Committee to identify and advise occupations to be included in SOL. Finally, the decision of choosing the occupations on SOL is taken by the Government.

Overseas nationals seeking to immigrate to UK can benefit from the SOL if their occupation is included in it. It is available in the Shortage Occupation List - Appendix of the Immigration Rules UK. Some of the occupations included in the list are Programmers, Engineers, Care Workers, etc.

HR Professionals, Employers, and all those involved in overseas recruitment must crucially understand the policies and application of the SOL in the UK. Errors and issues in hiring of sponsored workers may lead to enforcement from the Home Office including curtailed Visas for employees and license suspensions.

Overseas nationals have to apply for a UK Work Visa to work in the UK. The chief pathway for this is the UK Skilled Worker Visa. There are other Visa pathways as well for skilled overseas workers.

Let us try to understand how the SOL benefits applicants of the UK Skilled Worker Visa and their sponsoring employers.

Benefits of Shortage Occupation List (SOL)

A Lesser Salary Ceiling

Applicants can generally be offered 80% of the going rate in the UK for the occupation. It is possible to ‘trade’ points for a salary that is 20% less than the threshold for the minimum salary.

Most of the applicants have to earn a minimum of £20,480yearly/£10.10 hourly or 80% of the profession’s going rate, whichever is more.

Pay a lower visa application fee to the Home Office

The Visa application for roles not included on SOL is £625 for a maximum of 3 years or £1,235 for a Visa exceeding 3 years.

The Visa application for roles included on SOL is £479 for a maximum of 3 years or £943 for a Visa exceeding 3 years.

Extra fees will have to be paid for dependents and IHS - Immigration Health Surcharge.

Immigration Skills Charge

A few occupations included on SOL are also exempted from the annual fee to be paid by the sponsor known as the Immigration Skills Charge. There are some roles that are not included in the SOL but are still exempted from the payment of the Immigration Skills Charge. Further, in certain circumstances, some applicants can be exempted from ISC, such as for instance someone transitioning to a Skilled Worker Visa from a Student Visa.

One of the major advantages of SOL was that employers were not required to conduct a RLMT - Resident Labor Market Test. This was however eliminated from 2021 for all Skilled Worker occupations and not only for those on SOL.

Conclusion

The SOL was a major component of the Skilled Worker Visa system of the UK. It highlighted particular occupations that had an authentic scarcity of skilled workers and made it easy for employers in the UK to sponsor workers overseas to cater to these job vacancies. Occupations on SOL were regarded as in high demand and eased employers’ obtaining the UK Visa for overseas workers.

Note:

The Government of the UK implemented a crucial change in April 2024 and launched the ISL – Immigration Salary List that replaced the SOL. It implied a transition from a sole focus on precise occupations to an emphasis on salary ceilings as a chief factor for Visa eligibility.

The ISL still aims at sectors that have shortages of labor but it has an extensive focus and seeks to allure highly skilled overseas workers to the UK.

To know more about ISL and how it has replaced the SOL, contact the Best UK Immigration Consultants in India Nationwide Visas. Our Overseas Careers Experts will advise you on its implications on the recruitment process, eligibility for a UK Visa, and any concerns regarding hiring overseas skilled workers.

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