WHICH JOBS ARE ON THE UK'S NEW IMMIGRATION SALARY LIST?
On 4 April 2024, the Home Office introduced a raft of changes to the Immigration Rules in an attempt to cut net migration and encourage UK businesses to invest in the resident workforce rather than over-relying on overseas workers.
As part of the reforms, the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) has been removed and replaced with a new Immigration Salary List (ISL). The new list has been published by the Home Office.
The list contains 23 occupations spanning a range of sectors, including specialist roles in the construction, agriculture, healthcare and creative industries. Employers looking to sponsor overseas nationals in skilled jobs such as stallion handlers, dancers, orchestral musicians, bricklayers, care workers and laboratory technicians can bring in these workers on a lower salary.
If a job is on the list, the minimum salary that can be paid is 80% of the route’s usual minimum rate to qualify for a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa.
Entries on the Immigration Salary List are those where the government considers it sensible to offer a discounted salary threshold, rather than being a list of all occupations experiencing labour shortages.
The contents of the new list have been informed by a review carried out by the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The MAC is expected to carry out a full review of the list later in 2024.
The full list of occupations currently on the Immigration Salary List is as follows:
- 1212 Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing and related services – only “fishing boat masters” (Scotland only)
- 2111 Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry (Scotland only)
- 2112 Biological scientists – all jobs (UK wide)
- 2115 Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists (UK wide)
- 2142 Graphic and multimedia designers – all jobs (UK wide)
- 3111 Laboratory technicians – only jobs requiring 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience (UK wide)
- 3212 Pharmaceutical technicians – all jobs (UK wide)
- 3411 Artists – all jobs (UK wide)
- 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. (UK wide)
- 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. (UK wide)
- 3416 Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs (UK wide)
- 5119 Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified – only jobs in the fishing industry (UK wide)
- 5213 Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders, where the job requires 3 or more years related on-the-job experience. (UK wide)
- 5235 Boat and shop builders and repairers – all jobs (Scotland only)
- 5312 Stonemasons and related trades – all jobs (UK wide)
- 5313 Bricklayers – all jobs (UK wide)
- 5314 Roofers, roof tilers and slaters – all jobs (UK wide)
- 5316 Carpenters and joiners – all jobs (UK wide)
- 5319 Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – only retrofitters (UK wide)
- 6135 Care workers and home carers – all jobs (UK wide) *
- 6136 Senior care workers – all jobs (UK wide) *
- 6129 Animal care services occupations not elsewhere classified – only racing grooms, stallion handlers, stud grooms, stud hands, stud handlers and work riders (UK wide)
- 9119 Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified – only deckhands on large fishing vessels (9 metres and above) where the job requires the worker to have at least 3 years’ full-time experience in using their skills. (UK wide).
The ISL uses the SOC 2020 coding system, rather than the SOC 2010 coding system. If you do not know your occupation code, you can search for your job in the CASCOT occupation coding tool.
*Care workers and home carers and Senior care workers with a working location in England are only eligible if their sponsor is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and is currently carrying out a regulated activity.
Salary requirements for jobs on the Immigration Salary List
As with the previous Shortage Occupation List, occupations included on the new Immigration Salary List have a 20% discount to the general salary threshold (reduced to £30,960 or £23,200, depending on whether they would otherwise be subject to the £38,700 or £29,000 threshold). However, the previous 20% discount to the going rate requirement has been removed.
The Immigration Salary List table sets out both a ‘standard rate’ and a ‘lower rate’ for each occupation. Depending on an individual’s Certificate of Sponsorship or occupation, they will only be eligible for one rate.
Applicants will usually qualify for the standard rate if they got their Certificate of Sponsorship after 4 April 2024.
Applicants will qualify for the lower rate if either:
- They are applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa in certain occupations.
- They got their Certificate of Sponsorship for this visa application before 4 April 2024.
- They got their Certificate of Sponsorship for their first Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024 and have continually held one or more Skilled Worker visas since then.
The annual salaries for these jobs are based on a 37.5-hour working week. They must be pro-rated for other working patterns, based on the employee’s weekly working hours.
Recruiting skilled workers from overseas?
If you are an employer intending to recruit skilled workers from overseas, there are several factors you should consider, including which route is best suited to your hires, ensuring your business is compliant with the Immigration Rules, and understanding the costs involved.
