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The UK National Shortage Occupational List

The list below constitutes the United Kingdom Shortage Occupation list relating to entry under Tier 2 of the new five-tier system. Tier 2 replaced the United Kingdom Work Permit scheme on 27 November 2008.


If the job is on the shortage occupation list then an employer can offer the job to an overseas person without having first fulfilled the Resident Labour Market Test by advertising the vacancy in the United Kingdom. The list is current at 27 November 2008 but is subject to change at any time. The next scheduled review will be in March 2009.


Jobs are listed under each of the major SOC 2000 codes. (SOC stands for Standard Occupational Classification). The 4-digit code relates to a group of job titles. Specific job titles within this group, which are included on the shortage occupation list, are shown below. Please note that job titles and descriptions in red apply only to Scotland


Managers and Senior Officials (SOC major group 1000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
1122 Managers in Construction Project Manager for property development and construction The individual must lead on a project or combination of projects that would amount to a large financial responsibility of at least several million GBP

Professional Occupations (SOC major group 2000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
2112 Biological Scientists & Biochemists audio logical scientist, biomedical scientist (band 6 and above), state registered scientist in cytogenetic  
2113 Physicists, Geologists, Meteorologists geologist, geological engineer, hydro geologist, geophysical specialist, geological advisor, geological analyst, geological associate, geophysicist, geoscientist, geosupport engineer, contaminated land engineer, geoenvironmental engineer, reservoir panel engineer, rock mechanics engineer, soil mechanics engineer, geomechanics engineer, landfill engineer, contaminated land specialist, geoenvironmentalist  
2121 Civil Engineers ALL JOB TITLES including: public health engineer, rail engineer, drainage engineer, structural engineer, water engineer, geotechnical engineer, geotechnical design engineer, geotechnical specialist, tunnelling engineer, marine engineer, mining engineer, mining geotechnical engineer, petroleum engineer  
2125 Chemical Engineers All JOB TITLES including: chemical engineer, petrophysicist  
2211, 2215 Medical Practitioners, Dental Practitioners consultants in the field of psychiatry, consultants with the following job titles: anaesthetics & intensive care, chemical pathology, chemical neurophysiology, clinical oncology, dermatology, genito-urinary medicine, haematology, immunology, neurology, occupational medicine, oral & maxillo-facial surgery, orthodontics, paediatrics, paediatric dentistry, plastic surgery, renal medicine  
2212 Psychologists clinical psychologist  
2213 Pharmacists & Pharmacologists pharmacist  
2216 Veterinarians veterinary surgeon The individual must be registered as a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to work in the United Kingdom
2314 Secondary Education Teaching Professionals secondary education teachers of maths or science  
2433 Quantity Surveyors ALL JOB TITLES  
2442 Social Workers ALL JOB TITLES  

Associate Professional & Technical Occupations (SOC major group 3000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
3113 Engineering Technicians aircraft component manufacturing engineer  
3211 Nurses registered nurse employed or engaged at band 7 or 8 of the Agenda for Change scale or their independent sector equivalents, registered nurse at band 5 or above employed or engaged in the following specialities: operating theatre nurse, anaesthetic nurse, operating department practitioner, scrub nurse, theatre nurse, critical care nurse (working in critical units with a 2 or 3 classification),  nurses in care of the elderly units at bands 5 and above in SCOTLAND only  
3214 Medical Radiographers ultrasonographer, HPC registered radiographer  
3217 Pharmaceutical Dispensers pharmacy technician  
3218 Medical & Dental Technicians audiologist  
3222 Occupational Therapists occupational therapist engaged at band 7 or 8 of the Agenda for Change scale or their independent sector equivalents  
3223 Speech & Language Therapists speech & language therapist employed or engaged at band 7 or 8 of the Agenda for Change scale or their independent sector equivalents,  ALL JOB TITLES in SCOTLAND only  
3229 Therapists orthopist, dietician (band 7)  
3414 Dancers & Choreographers skilled ballet dancer A dancer must reach the standard required by internationally recognized THE United Kingdom ballet companies (e.g. Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, the Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet)
3513 Ship & Hovercraft Officers ALL JOB TITLES The individual must hold a Certificate of Equivalent Competency from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, indicating qualification to a level equivalent to Officer of the Watch certification or above.

Administrative & Secretarial Occupations (SOC major group 4000)

No shortage occupations currently in this category

Skilled Trades Occupations (SOC major group 5000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
5216 Pipe Fitters high integrity pipe welder The individual must have three or more years' documented evidence of related on-the-job experience
5243 Lines Repairers & Cable Jointers electricity transmission overhead lines worker  
5434 Chefs, Cooks skilled chef Skilled' requires that the individual is earning at least GBP 8.10 per hour after deductions for accommodation, meals, etc

Personal Service Occupations (SOC major group 6000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
6115 Care Assistants & Home Carers skilled senior case worker Skilled' requires that the individual is earning at least GBP 8.80 per hour after deductions for accommodation, meals, etc. OR there is a requirement for senior care workers to be qualified at National Qualifications Framework level 3 or above (currently only the case in Wales and Scotland)
6139 Animal Care Occupations skilled work rider There must be documentary evidence that the individual has three or more years' paid experience in this job, at a level equivalent to NVQ level 3. The individual must also be licensed by the British Horse Racing Authority

Sales & Customer Services Occupations (SOC major group 7000)

No shortage occupations currently in this category

Process, Plant & Machine Operatives (SOC major group 8000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
8111 Food, Drink & Tobacco Process Operatives manual filleters of frozen fish in SCOTLAND only, machine trained operatives and quality controllers in the fish processing industry in SCOTLAND only Individual must have three or more years paid experience in this job

Elementary Occupations (SOC major group 9000)

SOC Code Related Occupation Title Job Titles included on the shortage occupation list Other Information
9119 Fishing & Agriculture Related Occupations skilled sheep shearer The individual must hold the British Wool Marketing Board bronze medal (or equivalent) or above and there must be documentary evidence that the individual has worked at this level for three years.