The professions that appear on the Shortage of Occupation List are considered to have lack of workers currently in the UK, making their skills desirable to the UK. Consequently, it is easier for employers to recruit individuals for vacant positions on the list, than those not.
The following professions are on the current United Kingdom Shortage of Occupation list and employers need to select the most appropriate when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the worker:
• Biological scientists and biochemists (2112)
• Engineering Geologist (2113)
• Hydrogeologist (2113)
• Geophysicist (2113)
• Geophysicist (2113)
• Geoscientist (2113)
• Geologist (2113)
• Geochemist (2113)
• Technical Services Manager in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry (2113)
• Senior Resource Geologist and staff geologist in the mining sector (2113)
• Archaeologists (2114)
• Civil engineers (2121)
• Mechanical engineers (2122)
• Electrical engineers (2123)
• Electronics engineers (2124)
• Design and development engineers (2126)
• Production and process engineers (2127)
• Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified (2129)
• IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (2135)•
• Programmes and software development professionals (2136)
• Web design and development professionals (2137)
• Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified (2139)
• Medical practitioners (2211)
• Psychologists (2212)
• Veterinarians (2216)
• Medical Radiographers (2217)
• Occupational therapists (2222)
• Speech and language therapists (2223)
• Nurses (2231)
• Secondary education teaching professionals (2314)
• Bio-information (2425)
• Informatician (2425)
• Architects (2431)
• Quantity surveyors (2433)
• Social workers (2442)
• Quality control and planning engineers (2461)
• Paramedics (3213)
• Dancers and choreographers (3414)
• 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 endorsed as being internationally recognised by the Association of British Orchestras (3415)
• Arts officers, producers and directors (3416)
• Graphic designers (3421)
• High integrity pipe welder where the job requires three or more years’ related on-the-job experience (5215)
• Skilled chef where:
• the pay is at least £29,570 per year after deductions for accommodation, meals etc; and
• the job requires five or more years relevant experience in a role of at least equivalent status to the one they are entering; and
• the job is not in either a fast food or standard fare outlet; and
The job is in one of the following roles:
• executive chef – limited to one per establishment
• head chef – limited to one per establishment
• sous chef – limited to one for every four kitchen staff per establishment
• specialist chef – limited to one per speciality per establishment
Please note that the Scotland Shortage Occupation List may differ.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) regularly reviews the list, and upon the presentation of evidence, certain professions may be added/removed from the list. The list above is accurate at the time this article was published.
If you would like to recruit a worker from overseas and needs assistance, our expert Immigration Lawyers can help you. To speak to a member of our immigration team please contact us via telephone on 02079036888 or email via contact@davenportsolicitors.
The material contained on this website contains general information only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as such. While every care has been taken in the preparation of the information on this site, readers are advised to seek specific legal advice in relation to any decision or course of action.
