Shortage Occupation List

Shortage Occupations for the Skilled Worker route

Immigration Rules Appendix Shortage Occupation List

 

Table 1: Shortage occupations where applicants for entry clearance or permission to stay may be paid 80% of the going rate for the occupation code

Occupation code and any further criteriaShortage occupation in
EnglandScotlandWalesNorthern Ireland
1181 Health services and public health managers and directors – all jobsYesYesYesYes
1242 Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2111 Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industryYes
2112 Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2113 Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry:

• engineering geologist
• hydrogeologist
• geophysicist

YesYesYesYes
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

YesYesYesYes
2114 Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologistsYesYesYesYes
2121 Civil engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2122 Mechanical engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2123 Electrical engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2124 Electronics engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2126 Design and development engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2127 Production and process engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2129 Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2135 IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2136 Programmers and software development professionals – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2137 Web design and development professionals – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2139 Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialistsYesYesYesYes
2216 Veterinarians – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2425 Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticiansYesYesYesYes
2431 Architects – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2461 Quality control and planning engineers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
3111 Laboratory technicians – all jobsYesYesYesYes
3411 Artists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
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).

YesYesYesYes
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 endorsed as being internationally recognised by the Association of British Orchestras.

YesYesYesYes
3416 Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobsYesYesYesYes
3421 Graphic designers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
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 working illegally.YesYesYesYes
6146 Senior care workers – all jobsYesYesYesYes

Table 2: Shortage occupations in eligible health and education occupation codes where going rates are based on national pay scales

Occupation code and any further criteriaShortage occupation in
EnglandScotlandWalesNorthern Ireland
2211 Medical practitioners – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2212 Psychologists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2213 Pharmacists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2217 Medical radiographers – all jobs (including radiotherapy practitioners / technologists)YesYesYesYes
2219 Health professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2221 Physiotherapists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2222 Occupational therapists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2223 Speech and language therapists – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2231 Nurses – all jobsYesYesYesYes
2314 Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and modern foreign languagesYesYesYesYes
2314 Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in GaelicYes
2315 Primary and nursery education teaching professionals – only Gaelic medium teachersYes
2442 Social workers – all jobsYesYesYesYes
3213 Paramedics – all jobsYesYesYesYes
6141 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants – all jobsYesYesYesYes