United Kingdom Skills in Demand

Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List Skill shortages happen when employers find it hard to get staff with the right skills for the job. Knowing which jobs are in skill shortage can help you choose the best job option or decide what subjects to study. The reasons for these skill shortages can be:

  • Not enough skilled workers
  • High turnover of workers due to pay and conditions
  • Low unemployed and lack of skilled labour
  • Changes in technology of economic climate
  • Skilled workers moving away
  • Ageing workforce

In order to qualify for skilled migration to the United Kingdom, you must nominate an occupation from the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List:

Engineers

  • Geotechnical Design Engineer
  • Geotechnical Specialist
  • Reservoir Panel Engineer
  • Rock Mechanics Engineer
  • Soil Mechanics Engineer
  • Geomechanics Engineer
  • Mining Geotechnical Engineer
  • Mining and Coal Engineer
  • Wells Engineer
  • Tunnelling Engineer
  • Petroleum Engineer
  • Drilling Engineer
  • Completions Engineer
  • Fluids Engineer
  • Reservoir Engineer
  • Offshore and Subsea Engineer
  • Control and Instrument Engineer
  • Process Safety Engineer
  • Mechanical Engineer in the Aerospace Sector
  • Power System Engineer
  • Control Engineer
  • Protection Engineer
  • Chemical Engineers
  • Simulation Development Engineer
  • Production and Process Engineers
  • Simulation Development Engineer
  • Planning / Development engineer
  • Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) Engineer
  • Geoenvironmental Specialist
  • Geoenvironmental Engineer
  • Contaminated Land Engineer
  • Landfill Engineer
  • Metallurgical / Mineral Processing Engineer
  • The Following jobs in the Aerospace Sector
  • Aerothermal Engineer
  • Stress Engineer
  • Chief of Engineering
  • Advance Tool and Fixturing Engineer
  • The Following Jobs in the Decommissioning and Waste Management Areas of the Nuclear Industry
  • Operations Manager
  • Decommissioning Specialist Manager
  • Project / Planning Engineer
  • Radioactive Waste Manager
  • Radiological Protection Advisor
  • The Following Jobs in the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Industry
  • Project Engineer
  • Proposals Engineer
  • Commissioning Engineer
  • Substation Electrical Engineer

Medical

  • Clinical Neurophysiology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Genitourinary Medicine
  • Haematology
  • Neurology
  • Occupational Medicine
  • Consultants in the following specialities of psychiatry
  • Forensic Psychiatry
  • General Psychiatry
  • Learning Disabilities Psychiatry
  • Old Age Psychiatry
  • Non-consultant, non-training, medical staff posts in the following
  • Anaesthetics
  • Paediatrics
  • General Medicine Specialities Delivering Acute Care Services (Intensive Care Medicine, General Internal Medicine (Acute)
  • Emergency Medicine
  • General Surgery
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
  • ST4 Level Trainees in Paediatrics
  • Social Workers
  • Nurses
  • Specialist Nurse Working in Operating Theatres
  • Operating Department Practitioner
  • Specialist Nurse Working in Neonatal Intensive Care Units
  • Medical Radiographers
  • HPC-Registered Diagnostic Radiographer
  • HPC-Registered Therapeutic Radiographer
  • Sonographer
  • Medical and Dental Technicians
  • Nuclear Medicine Technologist
  • Radiotherapy Technologist
  • Biological Scientists and Biochemists
  • Cardiac Physiologist
  • Clinical Neurophysiologist
  • Clinical Vascular Scientist
  • Respiratory Physiologist
  • Sleep Physiologist
  • Medical Practitioners
  • Staff Grade and Associate Specialist (SAS) Doctors in Paediatrics
  • Consultants in Paediatrics

Arts and Entertainment

  • Artists
  • Animator in Visual Effects and 2D / 3D Computer Animation for Film, Television or Video Games
  • Dancers and Choreographers
  • Skilled Classical Ballet Dancers
  • Skilled Contemporary Dancers
  • Musicians
  • Skilled Orchestral Musicians
  • Must meet the standard required by internationally recognised United Kingdom orchestras (e.g. London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).
  • Arts Officers, Producers and Directors
  • 2D Supervisor
  • 3D Supervisor
  • Computer Graphics Supervisor
  • Producer
  • Production Manager
  • Technical Director
  • Visual Effects Supervisor
  • Graphic Designers
  • Compositing Artist
  • Matte Painter
  • Modeller
  • Rigger
  • Stereo Artist
  • Texture Artist

Waste Management & Nuclear

  • Managing Director
  • Programme Director
  • Site Director
  • Production, Works and Maintenance Managers

Infrastructure

  • Project Manager in the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Industry
  • Managers in Mining and Energy
  • Site Manager in the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Industry
  • Hydro Geologist
  • Geophysicist
  • Geoscientist
  • Geophysical Specialist
  • Engineering Geophysicist
  • Engineering Geomorphologist
  • Geologist
  • Geochemist
  • Environmental Scientist
  • Nuclear Medicine Scientist
  • Radiotherapy Physicist
  • Staff Working in Diagnostic Radiology (Including Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
  • High Integrity Pipe Welder where the Job Requires Three or More Years Relevant Experience
  • Line Repairers and Cable Jointers
  • Overhead Linesworker in the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Industry, Working on High Voltage Lines that carry at least 275,000 volts

Software Professionals

  • Software Developer
  • Systems Engineer
  • Shader Writer

Education

  • Secondary education teaching professionals
  • Secondary Education Teachers in the Subjects of Maths or Pure Sciences (Physics and / or Chemistry)
  • Secondary Education Teaching Professionals

Hospitality

  • Executive Chef - limited to one per establishment
  • Head Chef - limited to one per establishment
  • Sous Chef - limited to one for every four kitchen staff per establishment
  • Specialist Chef - limited to one per speciality per establishment