Immigration alert: Workers in short supply in UK – salaries on offer

If you’ve been thinking of moving to the United Kingdom, this may be your chance. The country has just updated (last update on February 25, 2016) its list of Shortage Occupations List, which includes roles that are difficult to fill up with the existing workforce in the country and can therefore be taken up by foreigners looking to make a move. The country’s Codes of Practice also specify the minimum salary that must be paid to professionals that are hired from outside the country to fill these roles. As per the United Kingdom Shortage Occupations List, production managers and directors in mining and energy; physical scientists, civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics engineers; design and development engineers; production and process engineers are all in short supply in the country. IT specialist managers; IT business analysts, architects and systems designers; programmers and software development professionals; information technology and communications professionals and environmental professionals have also been put on the list. Medical professionals are also required in the country with non-consultant, non-training, medical staff posts opening up in certain specialties like emergency medicine, old age psychiatry and paediatrics. Medical radiographers and nurses are also in short supply. Secondary education teaching professionals; actuaries, economists and statisticians; social workers; quality control and planning engineers; engineering technicians; paramedics; artist; dancers and choreographers; musicians; arts officers, producers and directors; graphic designers; buyers and purchasing officers; welding trades; aircraft maintenance and related trades; line repairers and cable jointers and chefs are all on the list. The job must be paid the minimum salary rates, which are taken from the Codes of Practice. If a company is sponsoring a migrant worker in a shortage occupation, the job must be for at least 30 hours a week. A migrant cannot be sponsored for a job with a salary below £20,500, unless they are applying to extend leave granted under Tier 2 (General) or the work permit arrangements under the rules in place before April 6, 2011. This includes cases where they are changing employment.

Job/s	Minimum appropriate salary rate
Production managers, directors in mining, energy	New entrant: £15,000; experienced: £37,900
Physical scientists	New entrant: £21,000; experienced: £27,000
Civil engineers	New entrant: £21,200; experienced: £28,700
Mechanical engineers	New entrant: £24,000; experienced: £31,200
Electronics engineers	New entrant: £23,800; experienced: £26,400
Design, development engineers	New entrant: £22,600; experienced: £29,900
Production, process engineers	New entrant: £24,000; experienced: £29,900
IT business analysts, architects, systems designers	New entrant: £22,500; experienced: £31,200
Programmers, software development professionals	New entrant: £22,800; experienced: £29,600
Environmental professionals	New entrant: £19,700; experienced: £24,600
Medical practitioners	Speciality doctor: £37,176; consultant £75,249
Engineering technicians	New entrant: £18,500; experienced: £24,500
Artist	New entrant: £16,700; experienced: £18,900
Dancers, choreographers	All workers: £16,700
Musicians	All workers: £16,700
Graphic designers	New entrant: £15,500; experienced: £20,400
Buyers and purchasing officers	New entrant: £16,900; experienced: £21,700
Welding trades	New entrant: £18,000; experienced: £20,100
Aircraft maintenance trades	New entrant: £15,400; experienced: £27,000
Line, repairers, cable jointers	New entrant: £18,600; experienced: £23,600
[Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2013]

Only those specific jobs within the standard occupational classification code can be given away to foreigners where further specified criteria are met. If you are one of the professionals stated above you will then have to find a qualifying company that can sponsor you. A qualifying company is one that has obtained permission from the Home Office to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship in respect of the relevant job on the basis that the job is included on the shortage occupation list and it is licensed as a sponsor for the purposes of Tier 2 of the points based system. At the time of obtaining such permission, the qualifying company should employ between 20 and 250 employees (inclusive), or employs fewer than 20 employees and has provided a letter from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), confirming that UKTI have been working with the company and support the application in relation to its trade or investment activity. There are some other criteria that also needs to be met to be categorized as a qualifying company. Once you have met such a company make sure that you have references from your past employer(s), detailing the required experience, as these will have to be provided to the Home Office on request. emirates247