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HomeEntering and staying in the UKImmigration adviser services

Immigration Rules

From:Home OfficePublished:25 February 2016Updated:31 October 2019, see all updates

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Immigration Rules Appendix K: shortage occupation list

Immigration Rules Appendix K: shortage occupation list

Shortage Occupation List.

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1. Where these Rules refer to jobs which appear on the Shortage Occupation List, this means only those specific jobs within each Standard Occupational Classification code stated in Tables 1 and 2 below and, where stated, where the further specified criteria are met.2. Jobs which appear on the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List are set out in Table 1.3. Jobs which appear on the Scotland Only Shortage Occupation List are set out in Table 2.4. DELETED5. For the purposes of this Appendix, where the job is one to which a requirement for specified experience applies, the sponsor must:(a) retain references from the individual’s past employer(s) detailing the required experience, as set out in the tables below, and provide these to the Home Office on request; and(b) retain relevant evidence enabling it to demonstrate:(i) why the job requires someone with the required experience;(ii) why the job could not be carried out to the required standard by someone with less experience; and(iii) how it would expect a settled worker to gain this experience before being appointed to the post; and(c) pay the “experienced worker” salary rate, if both “new entrant” and “experienced worker” rates are specified for the appropriate Standard Occupational Classification code in Appendix J.6. Jobs which previously appeared on the United Kingdom and Scotland Only Shortage Occupation Lists are set out in Tables 3 and 4. These jobs do not appear on the current lists and are set out for the purpose of informing indefinite leave to remain applications only. (The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Codes are those which the jobs appeared under at the time they were removed from the lists; the SOC codes may have changed since due to the reclassification from the SOC 2000 system to the SOC 2010 system.)

Table 1 - United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and descriptionJob titles included on the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List and further criteria2112 Biological scientists and biochemistsAll jobs in this occupation code     2113 Physical ScientistsOnly 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     2121 Civil engineersAll jobs in this occupation code     2122 Mechanical engineersAll jobs in this occupation code     2123 Electrical engineersAll jobs in this occupation code     2124 Electronics EngineersAll jobs in this occupation code     2126 Design and development engineersAll jobs in this occupation code     2127 Production and process engineersAll jobs in this occupation code     2129 Engineering professionals not elsewhere classifiedAll jobs in this occupation code     2135 IT business analysts, architects and systems designersAll jobs in this occupation code     2136 Programmers and software development professionalsAll jobs in this occupation code     2137 Web design and development professionalsAll jobs in this occupation code     2139 Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classifiedOnly the following job in this occupation code:

• Cyber security specialist .     2211 Medical practitionersAll jobs in this occupation code     2212 PsychologistsAll jobs in this occupation code     2216 VeterinariansAll jobs in this occupation code     2217 Medical RadiographersAll jobs in this occupation code     2222 Occupational therapistsAll jobs in this occupation code     2223 Speech and language therapistsAll jobs in this occupation code     2231 NursesAll jobs in this occupation code     2314 Secondary education teaching professionalsOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• secondary 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 statisticiansOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• bio-informatician
• informatician     2431 ArchitectsAll jobs in this occupation code     2433 Quantity surveyorsAll jobs in this occupation code     2442 Social workersAll jobs in this occupation code     2461 Quality control and planning engineersAll jobs in this occupation code     3213 ParamedicsAll jobs in this occupation code     3411 ArtistAll jobs in this occupation code     3414 Dancers and choreographersOnly 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 be endorsed as being internationally recognised by a United Kingdom industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland and/or Wales)
• Skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised United Kingdom contemporary dance companies. The company must be endorsed as being internationally recognised by a United Kingdom industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland and/or Wales)     3415 MusiciansOnly 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. The orchestra must be endorsed as being internationally recognised by the Association of British Orchestras.     3416 Arts officers, producers and directorsAll jobs in this occupation code     3421 Graphic designersAll jobs in this occupation code     5215 Welding tradesOnly the following job in this occupation code:

• high integrity pipe welder where the job requires three or more years’ related on-the-job experience     5434 ChefsOnly 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 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     

Table 2 – Scotland only Shortage Occupation List

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and descriptionJob titles included on the Scotland only Shortage Occupation List and further criteriaAllAll job titles and occupations on the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List 2111 Chemical scientistsOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• Chemical scientists within the nuclear industry 2127 Production and process engineersOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• Chemical engineers within the nuclear industry 2314 Secondary education teaching professionalsOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• Gaelic Teachers 2315 Primary and nursery education teaching professionalsOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• Gaelic-medium teachers 

Table 3 - Jobs which have previously appeared on the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List since 6 April 2011

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and descriptionJob titles previously included on the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation List and further criteriaDate on which job titles were removed from the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation ListDate of application for indefinite leave to remain where job titles cease to provide exemption from the salary requirement in paragraph 245HF(d)(vi)1123 Production managers and directors in mining and energyOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

The following jobs in the decommissioning and waste management areas of the nuclear industry:

• managing director
• programme director
• site director

The following jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution industry:

• project manager
• site manager1 October 20191 October 20252133 IT specialist managersOnly the following job in this occupation code:

IT product manager employed by a qualifying company, where the job requires a person with a minimum of five years’ relevant experience and demonstrable experience of having led a team.1 October 20191 October 20252142 Environmental ProfessionalsOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:
the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry:

• contaminated land specialist
• geoenvironmental specialist
• landfill engineer1 October 20191 October 20252219 Health professionals not elsewhere classifiedOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• neurophysiology healthcare scientist
• neurophysiology practitioner
• nuclear medicine scientist
• orthotist
• prosthetist1 October 20191 October 20252314 Secondary education teaching professionals• secondary education teacher in the subject of chemistry6 April 20176 April 20233113 Engineering techniciansOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

The following jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution industry:

• commissioning engineer
• substation electrical engineer1 October 20191 October 20253541 Buyers and purchasing officersOnly the following job in this occupation code;

• manufacturing engineer (purchasing) in the aerospace industry1 October 20191 October 20255235 Aircraft maintenance and related tradesOnly the following jobs in this occupation code:

• licensed and military certifying engineer/inspector technician1 October 20191 October 20255249 Line repairers and cable jointersOnly the following job in this occupation code:

• overhead lines worker at Linesman Erector 2 (LE2) level and above, where the pay is at least £32,000 per year1 October 20191 October 20255249 Line repairers and cable jointersOnly the following job in this occupation code:

• overhead lines worker, working on high voltage lines that carry at least 275,000 volts (except at Lines worker Erector 2 (LE2) level and above and where the pay is at least £32,000 per year - This job remained on the Shortage Occupation List until 1 October 20196 April 20156 April 2021

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