- BY CJ McKinney
One in ten jobs eligible for work visa priority in proposed new Shortage Occupation List
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An influential government advisory group has recommended a major expansion of the list of jobs that get priority for work visas.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), a crack team of economists that advises the government on immigration, published its recommendation for a new Shortage Occupation List yesterday. Assuming it is accepted by the Home Office, the new list would cover 9% of UK jobs compared to 1% now.
A job being on the Shortage Occupation List makes it easier for employers to hire a non-EU worker under the Tier 2 (General) work visa system. As the review explains:
- First, there is no need to pass the resident labour market test, i.e. to demonstrate that an attempt has been made to recruit domestically. Not having to undertake this is a saving for the employer in terms of vacancy advertising and recruitment time.
- Second, roles on the SOL are prioritised if the Tier 2 (General) limit of 20,700 is reached. Jobs on the SOL are automatically granted 320 points, a higher level of points than could possibly be achieved by occupations not on the SOL. In practice, this means that jobs on the SOL cannot be turned down when the cap binds.
- Third, there is no requirement to meet the £35,800 salary threshold required for settlement after five years. This requirement is waived if the job title has been on the SOL at any point in those five years.
- And finally, applicants (and their families) face lower visa application fees if their occupation is on the SOL.
However, expanding the list does not mean that more work visas are available overall, as it not affect the 20,700 annual limit. It just means that there are more jobs that can get priority when the quota is reached. Only exempting jobs from the cap — as with doctors and nurses — allows more workers to come in.
Expansion does help asylum seekers, who can only get permission to work in jobs that are on the Shortage Occupation List.
New to the list are archaeologists, architects, biochemists, occupational therapists, psychologists, speech therapists, vets and web designers. Many other categories of shortage job have been broadened — for example, all kinds of medical doctors are now included, rather than just certain specialisations. The result is a much simpler list than the current version.
The changes would also remove the outdated restriction where chefs were only a shortage occupation if working in a restaurant that didn’t offer a takeway service — belatedly bringing the system into the Deliveroo age.
The table below shows the proposed changes from the current list, with the additions marked up in red text and jobs removed crossed out. The Home Office is very likely to accept the new list in full.
| Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and description | Job titles included on the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List and further criteria |
|---|---|
| 2112 Biological scientists and biochemists | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2113 Physical Scientists | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: The following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry: engineering geologist hydrogeologist geophysicist 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 |
| 2114 Social and Humanities’ Scientists | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: Archaeologists |
| 2121 Civil engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2122 Mechanical engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2123 Electrical engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2124 Electronics Engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2126 Design and development engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2127 Production and process engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2129 Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2135 IT business analysts, architects and systems designers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2136 Programmers and software development professionals | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2137 Web design and development professionals | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2139 Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified | Only the following job in this occupation code: Cyber security specialist |
| 2211 Medical practitioners | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2212 Psychologists | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2216 Veterinarians | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2217 Medical Radiographers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2222 Occupational therapists | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2223 Speech and language therapists | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2231 Nurses | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2314 Secondary education teaching professionals | [S]econdary education teachers in the subjects of maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and Mandarin |
| 2425 Actuaries, economists and statisticians | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: bio-informatician and informatician |
| 2431 Architects | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 2442 Social workers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 2461 Quality control and planning engineers | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 3213 Paramedics | All jobs in this occupation code |
| 3411 Artists | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 3414 Dancers and choreographers | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: Skilled classical ballet dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised United Kingdom ballet companies The company must Skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised United Kingdom contemporary dance companies The company must |
| 3415 Musicians | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals or numbered string positions, and who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK orchestras. |
| 3416 Arts officers, producers and directors | All jobs in this occupation code
|
| 3421 Graphic designers | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: The following jobs in visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for the film, television or video games sectors: compositing artist matte painter modeller rigger stereo artist texture artist |
| 5215 Welding trades | Only the following job in this occupation code: high integrity pipe welders where the job requires three or more years’ related on-the-job experience |
| 5434 Chefs | Only the following job in this occupation code: Skilled chef where: the pay is at least £29,570 per year after deductions for accommodation, meals etc; 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 |
There is also a Scotland-only list, which at the moment only contains certain doctors and radiographers. These two professions are now fully covered by the UK-wide list, but some new Scotland-specific roles have been added.
Proposed Scotland-only Shortage Occupation List | |
| Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and description | Job titles included on the Scotland-only Shortage Occupation List and further criteria |
| 2314 Secondary education teaching professionals | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: Gaelic Teachers |
| 2315 Primary and nursery education teaching professionals | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: Gaelic-medium teachers |
| 2111 Chemical scientists | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: Chemical scientists within the nuclear industry |
| 2127 Production and process engineers | Only the following jobs in this occupation code: Chemical engineers within the nuclear industry |
The committee also recommended putting in place separate lists for Wales and Northern Ireland as well, although “most of the shortages we identified seem UK-wide”.
After Brexit, the list will likely need to be overhauled against as a new immigration system comes in requiring EU citizens to have work visas too. Yesterday’s review was only about adjustments to the current system, in the context of record low UK unemployment.
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