There is good news for employers who are struggling to fill certain vacancies including for web designers and vets.

The Home Office has announced that they have expanded the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).

The SOL is an official list of occupations for which there is a shortage of UK workers. This list is regularly reviewed by the Home Office, with some occupations being included or removed, based on evidence from the labour market.

Normally, an employer who wishes to recruit an individual from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland must prove that they are unable to find any suitable resident candidates to fill the vacancy – this is called a Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT). On top of that, migrants must prove their prospective salary and qualifications before getting their Tier 2 visas to work in the UK. The whole process is complex.

With jobs that are on the SOL, employers who wish to recruit talented non-EU migrants face a far simpler task. Employers can advertise a job vacancy for all nationalities alike as soon as it is available, making it easier to attract international talent. They can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for a prospective migrant worker without going through the RLMT.

Jobs on the latest SOL are categorised in the following groups:

  • Scientists (Biological scientist/ Physical scientist)
  • Engineers (Civil engineer/ Mechanical engineer/ Electrical engineer/ Electronics engineer/ Design and development engineer / Production and process engineer etc)
  • IT related professions (IT business analyst, architecture and systems designer / Programmer and software development / Web design and development / IT and communications profession)
  • Medical professions (Medical practitioner/ Psychologist/ Veterinarians/ Medical radiographer/ Occupational therapist/ Speech and language therapist/ Nurse/ Paramedic)
  • Education (Secondary education teaching professional)
  • Art related professions (Artist/ Musician/ Dancer and Choreographer/ Art officer, producer and director / Graphic designer)
  • Other skilled professions on demand (Architect / Social worker/ Quantity surveyor/ Actuary/ Welding trade/ Chef)

For further details and advice on recruiting non-EU workers, contact, Naomi Ogo.