The UK Shortage Occupation List is a list of jobs that the UK government identifies as having a shortage of workers. This means there are not enough people in the UK to fill these roles, so employers are allowed to hire workers from outside the UK more easily. Jobs on this list can be in various fields, such as Healthcare, Engineering, and Information Technology.
Being on the Shortage Occupation List means that employers can sponsor foreign workers for visas to immigrate to UK - without proving that no suitable UK worker could be found for the job. This makes the hiring process quicker and simpler.
IMPORTANT: Following a government announcement, the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) has been replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL) since April 2024.
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If your job is on the Shortage Occupation List, the minimum salary is 80% of the route’s usual minimum rate to qualify for the UK Skilled Worker Visa or UK Health and Care Worker Visa. The annual salaries of the jobs mentioned on the list below are based on a 37.5-hour working week.
Before you check if your job is eligible on the Shortage Occupation List, you will need to find out its 4-digit occupation code. If you are not familiar with your code, you can search for your job in the CASCOT occupation coding tool.
If you qualify for the ‘standard rate’, because you got your certificate of sponsorship on or after 4th April 2024, you must consider the standard rate column. If you qualify for the ‘lower rate’, you must consider the lower rate column. You can be eligible for the lower rate if either:
Take note that every job type is not included. If you can’t find the exact job type, you can try searching for similar jobs. You just need to make sure that the job description matches your job type.
| Occupation code | Job types included in the SOL/ISL | Areas of the UK which qualify | Standard rate | Lower rate |
| 1212 | Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing and related services - only “fishing boat masters” | Scotland only | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,200 (£12.92 per hour) |
| 2111 | Chemical scientists - only jobs in the nuclear industry | Scotland only | £35,200 (£18.05 per hour) | £29,600 (£15.18 per hour) |
| 2112 | Biological scientists - all jobs | UK wide | £38,000 (£19.49 per hour) | £28,100 (£14.41 per hour) |
| 2115 | Social and humanities scientists - only archaeologists | UK wide | £36,400 (£18.67 per hour) | £25,200 (£12.92 per hour) |
| 2142 | Graphic and multimedia designers - all jobs | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,100 (£12.87 per hour) |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians - only jobs requiring 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
| 3212 | Pharmaceutical technicians - all jobs | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,400 (£12.00 per hour) |
| 3411 | Artists - all jobs | UK wide | £32,800 (£16.82 per hour) | £25,900 (£13.28 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). | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 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 be a full member of the Association of British Orchestras. | UK wide | £32,900 (£16.87 per hour) | £27,300 (£14.00 per hour) |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers and directors - all jobs. | UK wide | £37,500 (£19.23 per hour) | £31,300 (£16.05 per hour) |
| 5119 | Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified - only jobs in the fishing industry. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
| 5213 | 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 working illegally. | UK wide | £31,700 (£16.26 per hour) | £26,400 (£13.54 per hour) |
| 5235 | Boat and ship builders and repairers - all jobs. | Scotland only | £32,400 (£16.62 per hour) | £26,300 (£13.49 per hour) |
| 5312 | Stonemasons and related trades - all jobs. | UK wide | £31,000 (£15.90 per hour) | £25,800 (£13.23 per hour) |
| 5313 | Bricklayers - all jobs. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,600 (£13.13 per hour) |
| 5314 | Roofers, roof tilers and slaters - all jobs. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
| 5316 | Carpenters and joiners - all jobs. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,200 (£12.92 per hour) |
| 5319 | Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified - only retrofitters. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,500 (£13.08 per hour) |
| 6135 | Care workers and home carers - all jobs, except jobs with a working location in England, are only eligible in this SOC 2020 occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity. Private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
| 6136 | Senior care workers - all jobs, except jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this SOC 2020 occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
| 6129 | Animal care services occupations not elsewhere classified - only racing grooms, stallion handlers, stud grooms, stud hands, stud handlers and work riders | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
| 9119 | Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified - only deckhands on large fishing vessels (9 metres and above) where the job requires the worker to have at least 3 years full-time experience in using their skills. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally. | UK wide | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
On 4th December 2023, the Home Secretary announced several changes to the immigration system related to the Skilled Worker (SW) route. The government announcements (to be implemented from April 2024) include:
Skilled Worker (SW) route (except Health and Care Worker (H&CW) Visa)
Health and Care Worker (H&CW) Visa
Summary of change in immigration rules related to the SOL/ISL
| Non-H&CW occupations | H&CW occupations not on a pay scale (including care workers and senior care workers) | Pay scale occupations | ||
| General threshold (minimum salary threshold if not on SOL/ISL) | Current policy | £26,200 | £26,200 | £20,960 |
| From April 2024 | £38,700 | £29,000 | £23,200 | |
| Minimum general threshold if on SOL/ISL | Current policy | £20,960 | £20,960 | £20,960 |
| From April 2024 | £30,960 | £23,200 | £23,200 | |
| Occupation-specific threshold | Current policy | 25th percentile | 25th percentile | National pay scales |
| From April 2024 | 50th percentile | 25th percentile | National pay scales |
The SOL/ISL list and other updates are reviewed regularly to ensure they meet the current needs of the UK job market. Review the GOV.UK website or get in touch with the best UK Immigration Consultants in India at Nationwide Visas for the latest information.
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