The UK Government has added a number of construction jobs to the Skilled Worker visa route that will now be eligible for visa sponsorship. The roles have also been added to the UK's Shortage Occupation List (SOL). The SOL is designed to attract workers to the UK to fill vacancies in areas where demand exceeds the availability of workers. The main benefit for employers of sponsoring a migrant in a job listed on the SOL is that the minimum salary thresholds and application fees are lower than they are on jobs that can otherwise be sponsored under the Skilled Worker route.
The following occupations have been added to the SOL.
- Bricklayers and masons – all jobs (Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code 5312);
- Roofers, roof tillers and slaters – all jobs (Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code 5313);
- Carpenters and joiners – all jobs (Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code 5315);
- Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – all jobs (Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code 5319)
- Plasters and dryliners – all jobs (Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code 5321)
Originally published 27 July 2023
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