UK Skills Shortage Occupations List changes, November 2006

13 November 2006

The Skills Shortage Occupations listing for the British Work Permit scheme has been revised. Also, some advance notice announcements regarding changes that are about to come into effect have been released.

Advance notices of changes to the shortage occupation list

• With immediate effect (08 November 2006), Overhead Electricity Linesworkers have been added to the shortage occupation list.

• With effect from 18 December 2006, actuaries will be removed from the shortage occupation list.

• With effect from 18 December 2006, the following engineering occupations will be removed from the shortage occupation list:

Railway Engineers:

• Railways Planner or Engineer

• Railways Modeller

• Railway Track Design or Permanent Way Engineer

• Communications Engineer

• Power Supply Engineer or Electrification Engineer

Structural/Bridge Engineers:

• Structural Engineer

• Infrastructure Engineer or Buildings Engineer

• Bridge Engineer or Highways Structural Engineer

Transportation and Highways Engineers:

• Transport Modeller or Transport Economist

• Traffic Signal Engineer

• Highways Maintenance Engineer

• Overhead Electricity Linesworkers, added 08 November 2006

As a result of this change work permit applications for Overhead Electricity Linesworkers will no longer need to be subject to a full resident labour test.

This change to the shortage occupation list has been the result of consultation with the Department for Trade & Industry and Energy & Utility Skills, which is the Sector Skills Council for the electricity industry.

• Actuaries, removed effective 18 December 2006

• Engineering Occupations, removed effective 18 December 2006

All work permit applications received on or after 18 December 2006 for the above detailed occupations will:

• be subject to a full resident labour test
• employers will be required to submit evidence that posts have been advertised
• full details of those who applied and were interviewed, and
• why resident nationals were not considered suitable
• only when the resident labour test has been satisfied will consideration be given to issuing a work permit.

Extension and change of employment applications received on or after this date will need to be considered under the normal Tier 2 criteria for these categories - i.e. - If there has been a significant change in duties and/or pay and conditions, a full resident labour test will be required.

This change to the shortage occupation list has been the result of consultation with industry stakeholders, which showed there is no longer evidence to support the continued inclusion of actuaries on the shortage occupation list.