UK Skills Shortage Occupations

The UK as a whole is a big place. And in some areas of work, there are big shortages which makes seeking employment for many, a chooser's market. The government compiles an approved list of recognised skills shortage occupations and can be heard on a recorded message.

There is especially a skills shortage in certain areas of Engineering, Healthcare, Education and other occupations. Examples of jobs listed as shortage occupations include railway engineers, transportation and highway engineers, nurses of all types, medical consultants in a number of fields, GPs, physiotherapists and teachers of any subject compulsory in UK schooling.

If you have high level qualifications and a job offer from a UK company in a shortage occupation then it can help, make it straightforward to apply for a work permit with a Home Office decision usually within a week of application.

You will find that the following industry sectors are experiencing a shortage in qualified personnel. If you are one of these professionals or maybe there is a need to employ these professionals, please make full use of the relevant areas of this site, assess your position and simply order our services directly online or contact us and we will organise the process for you.

The following occupations as those where there is a known nationwide shortage of resident workers to undertake these roles. These occupations qualify under the Tier I shortage category. Tier 1 category means that Employers do not need to advertise for their position. Applications should only be made under this category where the person has the necessary qualifications/experience to do the job.

NOTE: As of 05 July, the Home Office announced advanced notice that the listing for "all nurses" will be revised with specific categories.

As of 03 July, 2006, the Home Office announced 'general nurses' will be removed from the Skills Shortage Occupations.

Previously, NHS announced a report regarding UK educated nurses not having enough jobs available at the entry level.

If it is the case that the job is in a shortage occupation you may apply for a work permit without advertising the vacancy. The following UK Skills Shortage Occupation list (updated April, 2006) is the current list of occupations in shortage in the UK:

Engineering jobs

Railway engineers
Engineers who have a degree and at least 2 years relevant experience from a civil, structures or electrical background in the following specialisms:

Railways Planner or Engineer
Railways Modeller
Railway Track Design or Permanent Way Engineer
Communications Engineer
Power Supply Engineer or Electrification Engineer

Engineers who have a degree and at least 2 years relevant experience from a structures background in the following specialisms:

Structural/bridge engineers

Structural Engineer
Infrastructure Engineer or Buildings Engineer
Bridge Engineer or Highways Structural Engineer

Engineers who have a degree and at least 2 years relevant experience from a civil background in the following specialisms:

Transportation and highways engineers

Traffic Engineer or Transport Planner
Transport Modeller or Transport Planner
Traffic Signal Engineer
Highways Design Engineer or Highways Planning Engineer
Highways Maintenance Engineer

Ground Engineering

Geoenvironmental Engineer
Geotechnical Engineer
Geological Advisor
Geological Analyst
Geological Associate
Geological Engineer
Geologist / Hydrogeologist
Geology / Reservoir Engineer
Geomechanics Engineer
Geophysical Specialist
Geophysicist
Geoscientist
Geosupport Engineer
Engineering Geologist
Ground Engineer
Contaminated Land Specialist

Healthcare shortage occupations

Doctors:

Salaried GPs

Dentists:

Salaried General Dental Practitioners
Salaried Assistant Dentists
Salaried Vocational Dental Practitioner
Consultants in Dental Specialities

Consultant posts in the following specialist areas:

Accident & Emergency
Additional Dental Specialities
Anaesthetics
Cardiology
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Chemical Pathology
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Clinical Neurophysiology
Clinical Oncology
Clinical Radiology
Dermatology
Endocrinology & Diabetes Mellitus
Endodentics
Forensic Psychiatry
Gastroenterology
General Adult Psychiatry
General Internal Medicine
General Surgery
Genito-urinary Medicine
Geriatric Medicine
Haematology
Histopathology
Immunology
Infectious Diseases
Intensive Care Medicine
Medical Microbiology & Virology
Medical Oncology
Neurology
Neurosurgery
Nuclear Medicine
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Occupational Health
Old Age Psychiatry
Opthalmology
Oral & Maxillo-facial Surgery
Orthodontics
Otolaryngology
Paediatric Cardiology
Paediatrics
Palliative Medicine
Plastic Surgery
Psychotherapy
Public Health Medicine
Rehabilitation Medicine
Renal Medicine
Respiratory Medicine
Rheumatology
Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery
Urology

General:

Audiologist
Audiological Scientist
Clinical Psychologist
Dietician
Occupational Therapist
Pharmacists
Pharmacy Technician
Pre-Registration Cytogeneticists
Senior Physiotherapist
Speech & Language Therapist
Social Worker
State Registered Scientists in Cytogenetics
Biomedical Scientist / Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer (MLSO)
Qualified HPC Registered Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiographers, including Ultrasonographers

Nurses:

All Registered Nurses & Midwives

NOTE: Effective 14 August, 2006, this category will be revised and replaced with the following:

Nurses employed or engaged in the NHS at band 7 or 8 of Agenda for Change or
those employed or engaged in one or more of the following specialties:
Audiology
Sleep/respiratory physiology
Neurophysiology
Cardiac physiology
Operating theatre nursing
Clinical radiology
Pathology
Critical care

Other shortage occupations

Actuaries
CAA Licensed Aircraft Engineers
Teachers – All posts in England covering compulsory schooling
Veterinary Surgeon