UK shortage occupation list visa sponsorship employers 2025

What Changed In 2025 And Why It Matters

From Shortage Occupation List to the Immigration Salary List

You will still see “shortage occupation” in adverts because people search for it, but the UK now uses the Immigration Salary List (ISL). In practice, employers still sponsor where talent is scarce; the rules are just framed differently. Some ISL roles can use adjusted salary settings compared with the general route. Always check the official Home Office page for the latest list and thresholds before you sign.

Big picture hiring trends across the UK

• Health and Care keeps hiring hard, especially outside London.
• Engineering, construction, and infrastructure are scaling, driven by rail, utilities, energy, and data centres.
• Digital tech, cybersecurity, and data science continue to grow in London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
• Education and research maintain steady demand via universities and labs.

What this shift means for your offer and timeline

Moving parts were updated in 2024 and continue into 2025: thresholds rose, going rates refreshed, and eVisa replaced plastic BRPs. If your base salary meets the rules and your occupation code fits, clean cases still move from offer to arrival in a matter of weeks.

Salary Rules You Must Nail Before You Apply

General threshold, going rates, and sector pay scales

You must meet the higher of the general Skilled Worker threshold or the occupation’s going rate based on standard weekly hours. Health and education roles usually follow national pay scales rather than the general threshold. ISL occupations may have adjusted salary settings compared to the standard route. Do not rely on hearsay—compare your written offer against the current Home Office tables.

What counts toward salary and what does not

Base pay for contracted standard hours counts. Overtime, most allowances (including many location or “weighting” payments), and one‑off bonuses typically do not count toward meeting the visa salary threshold. Treat extras as nice‑to‑have, not eligibility builders.

London weighting and hours pro rating

If your contract uses different weekly hours than the “standard” the going rate is pro‑rated. London weighting may boost total pay but often does not help visa eligibility. Ensure your base alone passes the test.

High Demand Occupations On Employers’ Shortlists

Health and Care roles using national pay scales

• Nurses (Band 5/6), radiographers, pharmacists, biomedical scientists, physios, ODPs, sonographers, and mental health clinicians.
• Social care senior roles with experienced sponsors outside the capital.
  These routes often use the Health and Care visa with faster decisions and exemption from the health surcharge.

Engineering, construction, and digital tech

• Electrical, mechanical, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, building services, and rail systems.
• Software engineers, data engineers, security analysts, platform/SRE, and cloud architects (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Data centres, grid upgrades, and regeneration projects are driving steady hiring.

Education, science, and lab-based roles

• University lecturers, postdocs, lab managers, and research scientists.
• Many institutions have mature sponsorship teams and smooth processes.

Hospitality and social care outside major cities

• Chefs, restaurant managers, and senior care workers.
• Sponsors in regional towns move quickly when your references and English evidence are ready.

Real UK Employers Offering Sponsorship In 2025

NHS Trusts, integrated care boards, and private hospitals

NHS Jobs and Trac list posts explicitly stating sponsorship. Private hospital groups (and diagnostics providers) often add relocation help and quicker interviews.

Engineering, construction, and infrastructure sponsors

Look for tier one contractors, M&E firms, and owner‑operators in utilities, rail, highways, renewables, and data centre build. Regional delivery arms frequently sponsor once you match the code and pay.

Tech, fintech, and data-rich product companies

Established London tech plus strong hubs in Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and Edinburgh. Fintech, cybersecurity, and dev tooling have mature hiring and sponsorship habits.

How to verify a sponsor in five minutes

• Search the Register of Licensed Sponsors (official Home Office site).
• Match the legal entity on the register to the name on your offer.
• Ask HR to confirm your occupation code, base salary, weekly hours, and work location in writing.
• Red flag if anyone asks you to pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship.

From Offer To Visa: The Clean Step By Step Path

Certificate of Sponsorship and eVisa status

Your employer assigns a CoS with occupation code, salary, hours, and location. You apply online, upload documents, and pay fees. Decisions arrive via email and your status appears digitally through your eVisa—no more waiting for a plastic card.

Biometrics, decisions, and arrival planning

You may need biometrics at a visa centre or via app. Clean cases commonly see decisions within weeks. Book flights after approval, not before.

Documents that speed approvals

• Passport, signed contract, and CoS number
• Registration or licence (GMC/NMC/HCPC/GPhC/GDC) or proof of progress
• English evidence (IELTS/OET/UKVI where applicable)
• TB test and police certificate if required
• Clear scans with identical names and dates across all docs

Application Playbook That Gets Interviews

ATS-friendly CV keywords by sector

• Health: medication safety, escalation, sepsis bundles, imaging modality, dose optimisation, clinical governance
• Engineering: commissioning, EICR, PPM, CMMS, CDM, method statements, QA/QC
• Tech: Python/Java/TypeScript, React, AWS/Azure/GCP, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD, latency reduction, cost optimisation
  Tailor the first five bullets to the advert and quantify everything.

Supporting statements with measurable outcomes

Use short stories: context, action, result. “Reduced MRI repeat rate by 18% with a new checklist.” “Cut p95 API latency 34% by moving to async pipeline.” “Delivered viaduct phase two weeks early with zero LTIs.”

A 60-second outreach script that lands calls

Hello Name, I deliver Outcome aligned to Role. At Employer, I achieved Metric using Tools. I meet Skilled Worker salary rules based on base pay and can start in Month. May I share a one‑page portfolio and apply for Role in City

Negotiation: Build A Package That Works In Real Life

Base pay first, then bonus, relocation, and legal fees

Confirm that base alone meets the visa threshold and going rate. Then negotiate sign‑on bonus, relocation stipend, temporary housing (2–4 weeks), and coverage of visa/legal costs where company policy allows.

Temporary housing, start date, and hybrid policy

Two to four weeks of corporate housing buys you time to find a place. Lock a realistic start date tied to visa processing and agree the hybrid/remote policy in writing.

A short counter-offer you can adapt

Thank you for the offer. Based on scope and current market bands, I would be comfortable at £X base with a £Y sign‑on, two to four weeks temporary accommodation, and visa fee coverage. I can start in Month and meet Skilled Worker rules on base pay alone.

Cost Of Living And Where Your Salary Goes Furthest

London weighting versus regional value

London pays more, but rent, transport, and childcare climb fast. Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Glasgow often deliver better net positions for the same role.

Transport, housing, and council tax basics

• Look at annual travel cards, railcards, and cycling schemes.
• Before signing a lease, check council tax bands and commute times at rush hour.
• House shares reduce costs and help you build a local network.

Sample first-month budget

• Rent share and council tax
• Utilities, mobile, and internet
• Travel pass or fuel/parking
• Groceries and lunches
• Professional fees, indemnity, and relocation extras
  Automate savings on payday so your plan sticks.

Compliance, Contracts, And Your Rights

Right to Work checks and sponsor obligations

Your employer must check and retain your digital right to work. Sponsors must keep your role, salary, and location in line with the CoS. If any of these change, filings may need updates.

What to do if your role or location changes

Before moving office, switching hybrid patterns, or changing duties, speak to HR. Never assume it is fine—ask for confirmation in writing to protect your status.

Red flags and scam checks

• Requests for payment for a job offer or CoS
• No written contract with base pay, hours, and location
• Occupation code that does not match duties
  Pause and verify using the sponsor register and official contacts.

Fast Routes For Graduates And Researchers

Graduate route bridges and switching to Skilled Worker

If you are on the Graduate route, you can start work while your employer prepares Skilled Worker sponsorship. This removes lottery‑style timing pressure.

Universities, labs, and cap-exempt style hiring

Universities and research bodies recruit internationally year‑round and have smooth HR/legal teams. Evidence and registration are your speed levers.

Building a path to settlement from day one

Keep payslips, contracts, and travel records. Plan absence limits early. Put a reminder to review your ILR evidence at year four, not at the last minute.

PR And Settlement: Plan Your Five-Year Track

Absences, pay, and documents to retain

Keep a simple folder: contracts, CoS copies, payslips/P60s, and travel dates. Absence limits matter—track holidays and business trips now so ILR is painless later.

When to start lining up your ILR file

At year four, run a mock ILR checklist. Book Life in the UK and evidence refreshers. If a salary change is due, align it early to avoid paperwork crunches.

Life in the UK and English requirements

Plan test bookings and English evidence well ahead. Many candidates get caught by dates; you will not if you calendar it.

Common Mistakes To Avoid In 2025

• Relying on overtime or allowances to meet the salary threshold
• Picking an occupation code that does not match day‑to‑day duties
• Accepting a verbal offer without written CoS details
• Uploading unclear scans or mismatched names across documents
• Forgetting to confirm hybrid location against what is filed

Conclusion And Next Steps

UK shortage‑driven hiring (now reflected through the Immigration Salary List) still opens clear doors in 2025. Target employers that sponsor routinely, verify your occupation code and base salary against current rules, and keep your evidence crisp. Negotiate practical extras—relocation, temporary housing, and legal fee support—and lock a start date that matches visa timelines. Track your documents from day one and your five‑year settlement path becomes a simple checklist, not a scramble. Move with calm intent and you will land faster, earn fairly, and build a career that lasts.

FAQs

Is the Shortage Occupation List still used in 2025

The UK now uses the Immigration Salary List. Many adverts still say “shortage occupation” because it is familiar, but decisions follow the updated rules. Always check current Home Office guidance.

Do bonuses or London weighting help me meet the visa salary threshold

Generally no. The Home Office assesses contracted base pay for standard hours. Treat bonuses, overtime, and many allowances as extra pay, not eligibility tools.

How do I verify a real sponsor

Search the Register of Licensed Sponsors and match the legal entity to your offer. Ask HR to confirm your occupation code, base salary, hours, and location in writing. Never pay for a CoS.

How long does the process take from offer to arrival

Clean cases often complete within a few weeks after CoS assignment, depending on biometrics appointments and service level. Upload clear scans and book appointments early to avoid delays.

Can my partner work in the UK as my dependant

In most cases, yes. Partners of Skilled Worker and Health and Care visa holders usually have broad permission to work. Verify current dependant policies on the official government site before you apply.