Find work in the UK using the Skill Shortage List

If you are planning to the UK for a longer period, you can choose among several visa options. But the best option, if you want to stay in the country for a longer period, is to opt to work there. For this, you will need to have a job offer in hand before you apply for a work visa.

 

To improve your chances of getting a job in the UK is to look for a job that is in the skill shortage list. For this, you will have to refer to the UK Shortage Occupation List.  This post will give you more information about the list and how you can use it to get a job in the UK.

 

The UK Shortage Occupation List is brought out by the UK government and it contains the list of occupations which face a shortage of professionals. This list indicates the skills that are in demand and getting a visa to work in these occupations will be relatively easy. This list is updated on a regular basis by keeping track of the skill shortages in the workforce.

 

 How can you use the list to your advantage?

When you are applying for a Tier 2 Work visa, your application is assessed on a points-scoring system. In order to qualify for a visa, you must have at least 70 points. A job offer with a certificate of sponsorship from the employer will give you an additional 30 points. If your skill appears in the Skills Shortage list, you score another 30 points.  With these points already in your kitty, it will not be difficult to get the remaining points.

 

To succeed in your visa application, you will only need to provide the certificate of sponsorship when your job is in the skill shortage list. There will be no need to provide proof of your educational qualification or proof of your income. What’s more your application fees for the visa will be reduced.

 

 Occupations in the skills shortage list:

These are some of the occupations that appear in the list:

• Engineers
• Energy and mining production managers
• Scientists
• IT and software engineers
• Medical practitioners and radiographers
• Nurses and midwives
• Actuaries, economists and statisticians
• Animators
• Aircraft maintenance technicians
• Chefs
• Welders
• Social workers
• Secondary school teachers
• Paramedics

Are some occupations in more demand?

The UK is facing a huge shortage of nurses. The NHS is facing a shortage of more than 35,000 nurses and is looking for qualified people to fill these vacancies. This is because the number of nurses coming into the UK from the EU has dropped drastically. So, if you are a qualified nurse, your chances of getting a visa to work in the UK are very bright.

 

Does the government have a cap on work visas granted to non-EU citizens?

The UK government from 2011 has imposed a cap on the number of non-EU nationals who will be granted work visas every month. But with increasing skill shortages, the government continues to revise the cap on work visas on non-EU nationals

 

Get the help of an immigration consultant:

If your occupation appears on the skills shortage list, you have better chances of getting a job offer and a work visa to move to the UK. Once you have the job offer, you can approach an immigration consultant to help you with the visa processing.

 

The UK Shortage Occupation List can act as a valuable reference point when you are considering the UK for an overseas career.