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The shortage occupation list UK job categories with various vacancies available, but domestic applicants are unoccupied. The UK government permits employers to hire overseas workers by making the immigration process straightforward. Moreover, the list is updated regularly to ensure that the UK has a vast number of jobs to support the UK economy.
SOL jobs cover various sectors, including engineering, creative industries, IT, and healthcare. However, SOL reduces some visa restrictions for the assistance of international workers. The UK shortage occupation list is vital to address the job gap and support the UK economy.
Choosing the Right Shortage Occupation Code
Employers add the SOC to their website to ensure that applicants use this code to check the job requirements, title, duration, and other job descriptions to ensure they align with the chosen code. Understanding the importance of the occupation code is critical to avoiding application delays and rejections. Adding the wrong SOC can lead the home office to question the legitimacy of the job, potentially resulting in a license compliance issue that could suspend the sponsor license.
Occupation List 2023
According to 2023 July, the following job were added to the SOL:
| Occupation Code | Job Type |
| 9119 | Jobs in elementary occupation of agriculture and fishing |
| 5321 | All jobs in plasterers |
| 5319 | Jobs in building trades and construction |
| 5315 | Jobs in joiners and carpenters |
| 5312 | All sorts of jobs in mason and bricklayer |
| 5119 | Jobs obtainable in the fishing industry |
Occupation List 2024
There are a number of jobs here in SOL, according to the updated list 2024 in various sectors:
Shortage Occupation List UK Healthcare
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 6146 | Care workers (senior) |
| 1242 | Proprietors and day, domiciliary, and residential care managers |
| 1181 | Health directors and public managers and other health services. |
Shortage Occupation List UK Technology and Science
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 2461 | Planning and quality control engineers |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals |
| 2127 | Process and production engineers |
| 2126 | Development and design engineers |
| 2124 | Electronics engineers |
| 2123 | Electric engineers |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineers |
| 2121 | Civil engineers |
| 2114 | Humanities and social scientists are only limited to archaeologists |
| 2113 | In the gas and oil industry, physical scientists are delimited to Senior geologist in the mining sectorGeoscientistGeochemistIn the nuclear industry waster area, technical services managerGeophysicist |
| 2113 | Physical scientists that are related to construction ground engineering limited to:HydrogeologistGeophysicistEngineering geologist |
| 2112 | Biochemists and biological scientists |
| 2111 | Nuclear industry chemical scientists |
Shortage Occupation List UK Construction
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 5321 | All jobs in plasterers |
| 5319 | Jobs in building trades and construction |
| 5315 | Jobs in joiners and carpenters |
| 5312 | All sorts of jobs in mason and bricklayer |
Shortage Occupation List UK IT
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 2139 | Communication and IT professionals |
| 2137 | Professionals in development and web design |
| 2136 | Professionals in software development and programmers |
| 2135 | System designers, architects, and IT analysts in business |
Shortage Occupation List UK Fishing
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 5119 | Jobs obtainable in the fishing industry |
| 9119 | Jobs in elementary occupation of agriculture and fishing |
Shortage Occupation List UK Medicine, Professional Services, & Other Trades
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 5215 | Welding trades only pipe welders that would be higher for three years, and the worker must be experienced |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians |
| 2431 | Architects |
| 2425 | Statisticians, actuaries, and economists delimited to:Informaticians Bioinformaticians |
| 2216 | Veterinarians |
Shortage Occupation List UK Creative Industry
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 3421 | Graphic designers |
| 3416 | Directors, producers, and art officers |
| 3415 | Only orchestral musicians who will meet the requirements |
| 3414 | Choreographers and dancers |
| 3411 | Artists |
Shortage Occupation List UK Medicine
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 6141 | Nursing assistance and auxiliaries |
| 3231 | paramedics |
| 2232 | Nurses |
| 2219 | Health professionals |
| 2217 | Medical radiographers |
| 2213 | Pharmacists |
| 2212 | Physiologist |
| 2211 | Medical practitioners |
Shortage Occupation List UK Therapy
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 2223 | Language and speech therapist |
| 2222 | Occupational therapists |
| 2221 | Physiotherapists |
Shortage Occupation List UK Education
| Occupation code | Job Type |
| 2442 | Social workers |
| 2315 | Gaelic teachers for medium and professionals of teaching nursery and primary education |
| 2314 | In Gaelic secondary teaching professionals |
| 2314 | Secondary teaching professionals in maths, physics, foreign modern languages, science, and computer science. |
Inclusion Criteria
The following factors will be determined before adding a job in SOL:
- The occupation must be categorized as a skilled job requiring special training and qualifications.
- Also, the job must have evidence of a shortage not filled with domestic recruitment.
- Providing this job will benefit the UK economy.
Benefits Of SOL
The shortage of occupations benefits both employers and employees.
Benefits Employer
- Employers can effortlessly hire skilled workers on this visa to maintain business operations.
- Hiring on SOL minimizes the cost of local hiring efforts and extensive advertisement.
- Employers can employ talented workers from various backgrounds to leverage their businesses.
Benefits Employee
- Employees can easily navigate the immigration process through this route.
- SOL gives job security to the employee during the period they hire.
- Moreover, the employees can contribute to the UK society to enhance their development prospects.
Brexit Impact
Due to Brexit, the free workers’ movement between the EU and the UK has ended and been impacted. Most people from the EU left the UK after this to increase the SOL because the jobs occupied by EU nationals are now empty, and the UK needs new international workers in those roles. However, the government assures talented EU nationals that they can still perform their duties in some positions.
Conclusion
To conclude, the shortage of occupations in the UK in 2024 is the key to handling the labor shortage due to the shortage of domestic skilled workers. This list helps employers recruit talented and professional workers from overseas with a faster immigration process. Moreover, by providing job opportunities, the UK government secures its competitive economy and prevents economic barriers. Also, it is the best opportunity for information workers who aim to work in the UK and want to secure a visa and employment. The overall impact of SOL is positive, but in every visa route, there are some challenges that people need to solve with confidence and knowledge.
(FAQs)
What is the shortage occupation list in the UK?
The list identifies jobs for which skilled workers are unavailable in the UK. To fill this gap, employers used to hire international employees on skilled visas. According to market needs, the shortage occupation list is updated regularly with new job opportunities in various sectors such as IT, engineering, healthcare, professional services, education, etc.
How does the (SOL) benefit employers?
It simplifies hiring overseas employers for roles where domestic employees are unavailable. On SOL, employers face some restrictions and have to lower their costs while sponsoring visas for skilled overseas workers. In addition, this streamlined process helps employers to complete hiring for their company.
Do visa applications get affected by the shortage of occupation lists in the UK?
Yes, visa applications are positively affected by SOL. Visa officers give priority to SOL visa applications to process quickly compared to other applications. This benefits both employer and employee, while the employer will face some bureaucratic hurdles. Furthermore, this is the best way to fill job vacancies with talented and skilled workers.
Can international workers apply for SOL jobs?
Yes. The purpose of this list is to facilitate international skilled workers with certain eligibility conditions. Moreover, applying for a shortage occupation visa is quite easier than applying for other visa routes, as the application process is simple. There is nothing complex in this. On this route, skilled workers can quickly and easily live and work in the UK.