Immigration Rules Appendix Shortage Occupation List

Shortage Occupations for the Skilled Worker route

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 criteria Shortage occupation in
  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
1181 Health services and public health managers and directors - all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
1242 Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors - all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2111 Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry - Yes - -
2112 Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2113 Physical scientists - only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry:

• engineering geologist
• hydrogeologist
• geophysicist
Yes Yes Yes Yes
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
Yes Yes Yes Yes
2114 Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists Yes Yes Yes Yes
2121 Civil engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2122 Mechanical engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2123 Electrical engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2124 Electronics engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2126 Design and development engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2127 Production and process engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2129 Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2135 IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2136 Programmers and software development professionals – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2137 Web design and development professionals – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2139 Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialists Yes Yes Yes Yes
2216 Veterinarians – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2425 Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticians Yes Yes Yes Yes
2431 Architects – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2461 Quality control and planning engineers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
3111 Laboratory technicians - all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
3411 Artists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
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).
Yes Yes Yes Yes
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.
Yes Yes Yes Yes
3416 Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
3421 Graphic designers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
5119 Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified – only jobs in the fishing industry Yes Yes Yes Yes
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. Yes Yes Yes Yes
5312 Bricklayers and masons – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
5313 Roofers, roof tilers and slaters – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
5315 Carpenters and joiners – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
5319 Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
5321 Plasterers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
6146 Senior care workers - Jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity. Yes Yes Yes Yes
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. Yes Yes Yes Yes

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 criteria Shortage occupation in
  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
2211 Medical practitioners – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2212 Psychologists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2213 Pharmacists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2217 Medical radiographers – all jobs (including radiotherapy practitioners / technologists) Yes Yes Yes Yes
2219 Health professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2221 Physiotherapists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2222 Occupational therapists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2223 Speech and language therapists – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
2231 Nurses – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
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 Yes Yes Yes Yes
2314 Secondary education teaching professionals – only teachers in Gaelic - Yes - -
2315 Primary and nursery education teaching professionals – only Gaelic medium teachers - Yes - -
2442 Social workers – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
3213 Paramedics – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes
6141 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants – all jobs Yes Yes Yes Yes

Table 3: Shortage Occupations which are otherwise not eligible for the Skilled Worker route

Occupation code and any further criteria Related job titles Shortage occupation in
    England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
6145 Care workers and home carers - Jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity.

Note: private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants.
• Care assistant
• Care worker
• Carer
• Home care assistant
• Home carer
• Support worker (nursing home)
Yes Yes Yes Yes