Shortage Occupation List UK – Skilled Worker Visa [2025]

The Shortage Occupation List UK 2025 is now known as The Immigration Salary List (ISL). It is a list that highlights job roles that there are in demand across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is currently looking internationally to help fill vacancies in various roles such scientists, engineers, IT professionals and the construction trades.

The UK government announced in late 2023, there are to be changes to the list and requirements by summer 2024. The shortage occupations list UK is not to be confused with other lists such as the Skilled Worker Occupation List or Healthcare and Education Shortage Occupation List.

Depending on your occupation or Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), will decide which work visa is best for you. Most work visas can lead to permanent residence in the UK after five years and then on to citizenship.

UPDATE – The Immigration Salary List (ISL) replaced the Shortage Occupation List in April 2024.

What is Shortage Occupation List UK?

UK employers are currently looking overseas to hire skilled workers to help fill job vacancies across many sectors.

Companies in the UK experienced a shortage of workers in 2024 at an average of 7.4%. The UK has always been able to attract people from all over the world to live, work and study. Over 1.2 million skilled workers arrived in in the year ending June 2024 for long-term immigration visas alone, all of them helping to ease the labour shortage.

The UK Shortage Occupation List UK 2025 is designed to make it easier for employers to sponsor skilled workers in most demand, for certain job roles. Occupations are added or removed from the list annually. Although, the list was replaced in 2024 with the Immigration Salary List (ISL).

Occupations on the ISL list have advantages over other job roles. There is a smaller application fee, reduced salary threshold and in some cases the Immigration Health Surcharge is not required.

Once you find your job role on the list, take note of the SOC code as you will need this throughout the process of moving to the UK.

2025 Changes to the Shortage Occupation List UK

Minimum Salary Threshold Increase

On the 4th of April 2024, the minimum salary threshold for occupations was raised from £26,200 to £38,700. Current visa holders looking to extend or change sponsor are not affected.

Partners of the main applicant under the family visa have also seen the minimum income limit increased, from £18,600 to £29,000.

Immigration Health Surcharge Increase

On the 6th of February 2024, the Immigration Health Surcharge was increased from £624 to £1,035 per year.

Students and applicants aged under 18 also increased from £470 to £776 per year.

Applicants and their dependants under the Health and Care Worker visa are still exempt.

Immigration Salary List UK

The Immigration Salary List (ISL) replaced the Shortage Occupation List in April 2024.

What jobs are there a shortage of in the UK?

The skills shortage in the UK is across many industries, and employers are struggling to fill these vacancies from British people alone. The jobs most in demand in the UK were last updated in August 2023 from the table below. You can also read our recent article on the Top 13 Skilled Jobs Needed in the UK 2024.

Shortage Occupation List UK (SOL)

The most recent Immigration Salary List is below, it was published on October 2024.

All occupations on this list can be applied through the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa routes.

You qualify for the lower rate if you are applying for specific roles in the Health and Care Worker visa, or you got a Certificate of Sponsorship before April 2024.

SOC Code	Job Role	Country	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	£31,200 (£16.00 per hour)	£30,000 (£15.38 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	£35,300 (£18.10 per hour)	£30,400 (£15.59 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	£34,100 (£17.49 per hour)	£26,300 (£13.49 per hour)
5312	Stonemasons and related trades – all jobs	UK wide	£32,400  (£16.62 per hour)	£26,200 (£13.44 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)

Other Skilled Occupation Lists

If your occupation is not listed in the most recent ISL to be published, you may still qualify for job sponsorship on another list. Similar to SOL, your occupation must be eligible and you must earn a salary above the “Going Rate”.

Skilled Worker Occupation List

There are 225 occupations currently on this list, you can find the list here.

The largest of all the occupation lists in the UK, there is wide range of job roles across many industries.

Occupations on this list can be applied for through the Skilled Worker visa.

Health and Education Occupation List

Doctors, nurses, social workers and teaching professionals will find their code through the Healthcare and Education Occupations List. The Health and Care worker visa is currently the most popular way to immigrate to the UK, 50,591 applicants moved here year ending September 2024.

Code	Job Role	Country
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

Unskilled Shortage Occupation List UK

There are no job sponsorship opportunities if your occupation is not listed in any of the three lists discussed above.

Although, some UK work visas do not require a job offer or job sponsorship at all. Check out the UK Work Visas without Job Offer section below.

UK Work Visa Options

How to apply for UK Shortage Occupation List? Depending on your personal circumstances such as age, nationality, SOC code and education. Will decide which UK work visa is correct for you.

Eligibility varies depending on your circumstances and the type of visa, but there are some general rules. You will have to be on one of the occupations lists linked to that visa, for example to apply for the Scale-Up visa it must on the Scale-Up Occupation List.

To apply for a job in the National Health Service (NHS) or healthcare in general. You would apply through the Health and Care Worker visa as this would relate to your job role. You would find the SOC code for your role on the Healthcare and Education Occupations List.

• You must work for an employer that has been approved for a sponsor license.
• Salary must meet a minimum threshold for that job role.
• Pass an English language test.

UK Work Visas with Job Sponsorship

UK Work Visas without Job Offer

Can a job through Shortage Occupation List UK lead to citizenship?

Yes, depending on the visa type and your length of stay. You need to accumulate five years of working in the UK before you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

There are 3 main stages to being granted British citizenship.

• Live and Work in the UK for 5 years on a work visa
• Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
• Apply for Naturalisation/British citizenship

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