UK National Shortage Occupations List

UK National Shortage Occupation List

Below is a list of shortage occupations that the UK uses to assess work permit applications for the UK Work Permit scheme and the upcoming Tier 2 system which replaces the UK Work Permit scheme sometime in the third quarter of 2008.

If the job is in a shortage occupation you can apply for a work permit without advertising the vacancy. The following UK skills shortage occupation list (updated June, 2008) is the current list of occupations in shortage in the UK:

Engineering occupations

Transportation and Highways Engineers

The following occupations require the work permit applicant to have a transport-related degree, or a degree and at least 2 years relevant experience from a civil background in the following specialties:

• Traffic Engineer or Transport Planner
• Highways Design Engineer or Highways Planning Engineer

Ground Engineering

These Ground Engineering occupations are related solely to the construction sector and not to oil/gas extraction

• 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

Electricity Generation Engineers

The following Electricity Generation Engineering occupations related solely to the electricity generating industry:

• Mechanical Engineer
• Senior Project Mechanical Engineer
• Project Mechanical Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Senior Project Electrical Engineer
• Project Electrical Engineer
• Senior Project Civil Engineer
• Project Civil Engineer
• System Health Engineer (Nuclear)
• Design Engineer (Nuclear)
• Work Cycle Planner (Nuclear)
• Shift or Team Leader
• Production Controller
• Plant Process Engineer
• Network Planners
• Network Design Engineers
• Senior Project Control and Instrumentation Engineer
• Project Control and Instrumentation Engineer
• Senior Project Control Engineer
• Central Control Room Supervisor
• Assistant Engineer (Shift Operations)
• Performance Engineer
• System Infrastructure Engineer
• Assistant Chemist
• Reactor Physicist
• Assistant Reactor Physicist
• Assistant Physicist

Other Engineering:

• Quantity Surveyors
• CAA Licensed Aircraft Engineer
• Overhead Electricity Linesworker
• High Integrity Pipe Welder

Healthcare shortage occupations

Doctors:

• Salaried GPs

Dentists:

• Consultants and Specialists in Paediatric Dentistry
• Consultants in Orthodontics

Consultant posts in the following specialist areas:

• Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine
• Cardiology
• Chemical Pathology
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Clinical Neurophysiology
• Clinical Oncology
• Forensic Psychiatry
• General Adult Psychiatry
• Genito-urinary Medicine
• Geriatric Medicine
• Haematology
• Immunology
• Medical Microbiology & Virology
• Neurology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Occupational Medicine
• Old Age Psychiatry
• Oral & Maxillo-facial Surgery
• Paediatrics
• Plastic Surgery
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Renal Medicine

General:

• Audiologist
• Audiological Scientist
• Clinical Psychologist
• Pharmacists (including pre-registration pharmacist)
• Pharmacy Technician Higher Level (Band 5 and above)
• Speech & Language Therapist (engaged at Band 7 or Band 8 of Agenda for Change or their Independent sector equicalents
• State Registered Scientists in Cytogenetics
• Qualified HPC Registered Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiographers, including Ultrasonographers
• Ultrasonographers
• Social Worker

Nurses:

Registered Nurse employed or engaged at Band 7 or Band 8 of Agenda for Change or their Independent sector equivalents in the following specialties:

• Operating Theatre Nurse
• Critical Care (nurses working in wards with a Level 2 or Level 3 classification)

Other shortage occupations

• Teachers – All posts in England and Scotland covering compulsory schooling
• Veterinary Surgeon