UK Immigration: MAC’s Review of Shortage Occupation Lists for UK

Today, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published a report on a partial review of the Shortage Occupations List (SOL) for the UK and Scotland. This report follows MAC’s last review of  all occupations and job titles on the shortage occupation list in 2012/2013. As a result of this report the UK Government became aware that  a small number of occupations and job titles may need to be included or removed from the SOL. 

Brief of Migration Advisory Committee Report

Last year in September, MAC were contacted by the Minister of immigration to conduct a ‘partial review’  of the Tier 2 shortage occupation list. The Government’s commission stated the reason for requesting the review:

“Following the MAC’s comprehensive review of the SOL, published in February 2013, the Government has been made aware of a small number of occupations where there may be a case for inclusion on or removal from the SOL.”

The occupations they are alluding to include:

• Graduate occupations within the health sector including consultant roles, nurses and training grades
• Graduate occupations in the digital technology sector
• Linesworkers in the energy industry

UK Employers to Recruit Graduates with Digital Skills Since Inclusion in SOL

According to the report, since the addition of graduate occupations in the digital technology sector to the SOL, employers in the UK have had an easier time recruiting international graduates with digital skills.

As part of MAC accumulating evidence, TechUK, a tech sector trade association carried out a survey amongst it’s members they had a shortage in three specific areas: senior developers, big data specialists and cyber security specialists.

The deputy CEO of TechUK, Anthony Walker stated the importance of the report recognising the shortage of occupations in the UK tech industries:

“Fast-growing tech scale-ups are competing for the best tech talent with companies around the world. We now look to the government to adopt the recommendations and add these important tech roles to the Shortage Occupation List, helping tech and digital startups and scale-ups grow more quickly, in turn creating more jobs and growth for the UK. These key roles are job multipliers – they enable companies to grow and create more jobs for people right across the UK.”

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