Shortage Occupation List for Tier 2

The Shortage Occupation List is a strict list of jobs for migrant workers.Following its review of the recommended shortage occupation list, the Government has accepted the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) recommendations submitted on 21 October 2009.

The list of shortage occupations below comes into effect on 14 December 2009. Until this time, employers should use the existing shortage occupation list which came into force in June 2009.

The occupations that make up this list are determined by the MAC and are selected on the basis that they will meet the needs of UK businesses and better reflect the new highly selective Points Based System immigration process.

What is the shortage occupation list?

If a job is on the shortage occupation list, it means there are not enough resident workers to fill the available jobs in that particular sector. Consequently for jobs on the shortage occupation list employers are not required to demonstrate that they have applied the resident labour market test in order to issue a tier 2 certificate of sponsorship.

How can employers have their say about jobs on the shortage occupation list?

On behalf of our clients we collate and present evidence to the MAC to support the inclusion of specific jobs on the national shortage occupation list where there is a need expressed by employers. As such e encourage employers to contribute to the review to ensure their needs are met. If you have any comments or would like to know more about presenting evidence to the MAC please contact us.



Production, works and maintenance managers
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • project manager in the electricity transmission and distribution industry

Civil engineers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • the following jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution and the electricity generation industries:
    • site manager
    • station manager
    • shift/group leader

Biological scientists and biochemists
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • cardiac physiologist
  • clinical neurophysiologist
  • clinical vascular scientist
  • respiratory physiologist
  • sleep physiologist

Physicists, geologists and meteorologists
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • engineering geologist
  • hydro geologist
  • geophysicist
  • geoscientist
  • geophysical specialist
  • engineering geophysicist
  • engineering geomorphologist
  • nuclear medicine scientist
  • radiotherapy physicist
  • staff working in diagnostic radiology (including magnetic resonance imaging)

Civil engineers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • geotechnical engineer
  • geotechnical design engineer
  • geotechnical specialist
  • reservoir panel engineer
  • rock mechanics engineer
  • soil mechanics engineer
  • geomechanics engineer
  • tunnelling engineer
  • petroleum engineer
  • geoenvironmental engineer
  • contaminated land engineer
  • drilling engineer
  • completions engineer
  • fluids engineer
  • reservoir engineer
  • status resource engineer
  • offshore and subsea engineer
  • control and instrument engineer
  • process safety engineer
  • planning drilling engineer
  • subsurface engineer
  • project civil engineer in the electricity generation industry
  • contaminated land engineer

Mechanical engineers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • mechanical engineer in the electricity transmission and distribution industry
  • mechanical engineer in the electricity generation industry

Electrical engineers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • electrical engineer in the oil and gas industry
  • the following jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution industry:
    • power system engineer
    • control engineer
    • protection engineer
    • project control engineer
    • control and instrumentation engineer
    • assistant engineer
    • electrical engineer

Chemical engineers
ALL jobs in this occupation code

Design and development engineers
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • design engineer in the electricity transmission and distribution industry

Production and process engineers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • plant process engineer in the electricity transmission and distribution industry

Planning and quality control engineers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • the following jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution industry:
    • planning / development engineer
    • quality, health, safety and environment engineer

Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • the following jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution industry:
    • project engineer
    • proposals engineer

Medical practitioners
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • Consultants in the following specialities:
    • audiological medicine
    • genito-urinary medicine
    • haematology
    • medical microbiology and virology
    • neurology
    • nuclear medicine
    • obstetrics and gynaecology
    • occupational medicine
    • paediatric surgery

  • Consultants in the following specialities of psychiatry:
    • forensic psychiatry
    • general psychiatry
    • learning disabilities psychiatry
    • old age psychiatry

  • Non-consultant, non-training, medical staff posts in the following specialities:
    • anaesthetics
    • paediatrics and general medicine specialities delivering acute care services (intensive care medicine, general internal medicine (acute), emergency medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and trauma and orthopaedic surgery)
    • ST4 level trainees in paediatrics

Pharmacists / pharmacologists
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • pre-registration pharmacist working in the NHS or hospitals
  • registered pharmacist working in the NHS or hospitals

Dental practitioners
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • consultants in paediatric dentistry

Veterinarians
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • veterinary surgeon

Must be registered as a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to work in the UK.

Secondary education teaching professionals
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • secondary education teachers in the subjects of maths or pure sciences (physics, chemistry, biology and any combinations of these)

Special needs education teaching professionals
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • all teaching posts in special schools

Social workers
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • social worker in children’s and family services

Engineering Technicians
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • commissioning engineer

Science and engineering technicians not elsewhere classified
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • production controller in the electricity generation industry

Nurses
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • specialist nurse working in operating theatres
  • operating department practitioner
  • specialist nurse working in neonatal intensive care units

Medical radiographers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • HPC-registered diagnostic radiographer
  • HPC-registered therapeutic radiographer
  • sonographer

Medical and dental technicians
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • nuclear medicine technologist
  • radiotherapy technologist

Speech and language therapists
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • speech and language therapist at Agenda for Change bands 7+ or their independent sector equivalents

Therapists not elsewhere classified
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • HPC-registered orthoptist

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 (e.g. Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet and Scottish Ballet). The company must either:
    • have performed at or been invited to perform at venues of the calibre of the Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells or Barbican, either in the United Kingdom or overseas; or
    • attract dancers and/or choreographers and other artists from other countries; or
    • 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 (e.g. Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre and Rambert Dance Company). The company must either:
    • have performed at or been invited to perform at venues of the calibre of Sadler’s Wells, either in the United Kingdom or overseas; or
    • attract dancers and/or choreographers and other artists from all over the world; or
    • be endorsed as being internationally recognised by a United Kingdom industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland and/or Wales)

Musicians
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • skilled orchestral musicians who meet the standard required by internationally recognised companies (e.g. London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Photographers and audio visual equipment operators
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • the following roles within visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for film, television or video games:
    • animation supervisor
    • animator
    • computer graphics supervisor
    • technical director
    • VFX supervisor
    • modeller
    • rigging supervisor
    • rigger
    • matte painter
    • texture artist
    • compositing artist
    • producer
    • production manager
    • editor
    • R&D tool
    • R&D software
    • software engineer
    • system engineer

Agricultural and fishing trades not elsewhere classified
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • Skilled work rider where the job:
    • requires registration by the British Horseracing Authority (and the trainer has therefore submitted the SER1 registration form); and
    • requires three or more years’ relevant experience, with work responsibilities covering those acquired in an S/NVQ level 3 in Horse Care and Management or Racehorse Care and Management

Welding trades
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

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

Metal working production and maintenance fitters
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • licensed and military certifying engineer / inspector technician
  • airframe fitter

Line repairers and cable jointers
ONLY the following job in this occupation code:

  • overhead linesworker in the electricity transmission and distribution industry

Electrical/electronics engineers not elsewhere classified
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • site supervisor in the electricity transmission and distribution industry

Butchers, meat cutters
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • skilled meat boner where the pay is at least £9.00 per hour
  • skilled meat trimmer where the pay is at least £9.00 per hour

Chefs, cooks
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • skilled chef where:
    • the pay is at least £8.45 per hour after deductions for accommodation, meals etc; and
    • the job requires three or more years relevant experience

Care assistants and home carers
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • skilled senior care workers where:
    • the pay is at least £7.80 per hour after deductions for accommodation, meals etc; and
    • the job includes supervisory responsibilities (as defined in the code of practice); and
    • the job requires at least a relevant S/NVQ level 2 or equivalent qualification in care; and
    • the job requires two or more years relevant experience (this does not include experience gained during a work placement as part of a qualification)

  • skilled senior care workers in Scotland / Wales where:
    • the pay is at least £7.80 per hour after deductions for accommodation, meals etc; and
    • there is a regulatory requirement for the jobholder to hold at least a relevant S/NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification in care

Fishing and agriculture related occupations not elsewhere classified
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • skilled sheep shearer with a British Wool Marketing Board bronze medal (or equivalent) or above

Medical practitioners
ONLY the following jobs in this occupation code:

  • consultant radiologist