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The new UK points system was introduced on 1 December 2020 and includes a number of significant changes to the points-based system. The Skilled Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 visa scheme and allows entry to the UK on a long-term basis to fill a skilled job vacancy in a wide range of skilled occupations, including IT, accountancy, teaching, and healthcare. The occupation needs to be on the Skilled Worker Eligible Occupations list, which has been expanded to include lower skilled occupations.
If the occupation is on the Skilled Worker Shortage Occupation List, it is easier to gain enough points under the points system. Before they apply, Skilled Worker visa applicants must have a job offer and a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer with a valid Skilled Worker sponsor license.
It should be easier to gain enough points under the points system if the occupation is on the shortage occupation list.
Jobs found on this list include IT people, engineers, nurses, and many other occupations. The full Skilled Workers Shortage Occupation List can be found here.
Check which jobs are on the shortage occupations list in each area of the UK. The annual salaries for these jobs are based on a 39-hour working week. They must be prorated for other working patterns, based on the weekly working hours stated by your employer.
| Occupation code | Job types included on the shortage occupations list | Areas of the UK where there is a shortage | Annual salary (80% of going rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1181 | Health services and public health managers and directors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| 1242 | Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors-all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £21,360 (£10.53 per hour). |
| 2111 | Chemical scientists have the only jobs in the nuclear industry. | Scotland only | 80% of the going rate: £21,360 (£10.53 per hour). |
| 2112 | Biological scientists and biachemists-all jobs in | Biological scientists and biochemists-all jobs in | 80% of the going rate: £23,760 (£11.72 per hour). |
| 2113 | Physical scientists have only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry: engineer, geologist, hydrogeologist, geophysicist. | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £29,200 (£14.40 per hour). |
| 2113 | Physical scientists have 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. | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £29,200 (£14.40 per hour). |
| 2114 | Social and humanities scientists (only archaelogists) | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £20,720 (£10.22 per hour) |
| 2121 | Civil engineers - all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £28,000 (£13.81 per hour). |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineer - all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales,Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £26,720 (£13.18 per hour). |
| 2123 | Electrical engineer - all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £29,600 (£14.60 per hour). |
| 2124 | All jobs for electronics engineer | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £27,760 (£13.69 per hour). |
| 2126 | Design and development engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £27,280(£13.45 per hour) |
| 2127 | Production and process engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,480(£13.06 per hour) |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,160(£12.90 per hour) |
| 2135 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £29,280(£14.44 per hour) |
| 2136 | Programmers and software development professionals – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,640(£13.14 per hour) |
| 2137 | Web design and development professionals – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £21,360 (£10.53 per hour). |
| 2139 | Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialists | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £25,440(£12.54 per hour) |
| 2216 | Veterinarians – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £29,600 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2425 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticians | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £26,240(£12.94 per hour) |
| 2431 | Architects – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £28,000(£13.81 per hour) |
| 2461 | Quality control and planning engineers – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £24,400(£12.03 per hour) |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians - all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £14,560 (£7.18 per hour) |
| 3411 | Artists – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £16,800(£8.28 per hour) |
| 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). | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £23,840(£11.76 per hour) |
| 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. |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £21,360 (£10.53 per hour). |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £24,000(£11.83 per hour) |
| 3421 | Graphic designers-all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of going rate: £18,800 (£9.27 per hour) |
| 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 illegal work. | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £18,240 (£8.99 per hour). |
| 6145 | Care workers and home carers-private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants. | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | There is no going rate - the salary must be at least £20,480 (£10.10 per hour). |
| 6146 | Senior care workers-all jobs | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | 80% of the going rate: £13,520 (£6.67 per hour). |
Skilled worker visa applicants must provide a number of documents with their application. These include:
Skilled worker visa applicants must score at least 70 points on the Skilled Worker points test. Please see our Skilled Worker Points System page for full details.
In most cases, you can bring your partner or children with you during your stay, but you must show that you have sufficient funds to provide for them. They will be able to apply for a family visa. Please see our UK Family Visas page for more details. Alternatively, you can contact us on 9606023373 or at info@viavifa.com
Skilled worker visa applicants may be required to complete an approved UKVI version of the English language test if they are not nationals of an English-speaking country on the list or have not completed a degree level course taught in English (verified by NARIC). There are no English language requirements for Intra-Company Transfer visa applicants.
We, as a team of specialists, have a good number of years of experience in international visa services and have helped thousands of people to study and work in the UK. We work in conjunction with OISC registered advisers who can submit your UK sponsor license application and visa application to UK Visas and Immigration at the Home Office.