Shortage Occupation List vs Immigration Salary List: What Changed for UK Sponsors?

Example: software developer no longer on a shortage list

A business wants to sponsor a software developer.

Under SOC 2020, software developers and programmers generally fall within SOC 2134, not SOC 2136. The correct code must still be confirmed against the worker’s actual duties.

SOC 2134 is not on the current Immigration Salary List. Its current standard going rate is £54,700 per year for a 37.5-hour working week or £28.05 per hour, whichever is higher.

If no other salary option applies, the employer must therefore pay at least £54,700 because this is higher than the £41,700 general threshold.

Under the former SOL, programmers and software development professionals could benefit from the shortage occupation going-rate discount. That concession does not continue merely because the occupation was previously listed.

Example: biological scientist on the ISL

A sponsor wants to recruit a biological scientist under SOC 2112, which is currently on the ISL throughout the UK.

The general ISL threshold is £33,400. However, the current standard going rate for SOC 2112 is £40,300 for a 37.5-hour working week.

If the sponsor is relying on the ISL salary option, the worker must therefore be paid at least £40,300.

This illustrates why inclusion on the ISL does not, on its own, determine the required salary. The employer must compare the general threshold with the applicable going rate and use the higher figure.

What are the transitional rules for existing Skilled Workers?

Workers who were sponsored under the rules in force before 4 April 2024 may qualify for transitional salary provisions under Options F to J, provided they meet the relevant continuity and occupation requirements. These concessions do not apply automatically to every worker who held Skilled Worker permission before April 2024.

For a worker who qualifies for the pre-4 April 2024 transitional salary provisions, an eligible ISL role may fall under Option I. Under that option, the salary must normally be at least £25,000 per year and the full applicable going rate from the relevant transitional going-rate table, whichever is higher.

Appendix Skilled Worker also includes a continuity provision for some workers whose job appeared on the former SOL or ISL and who are continuing in the same job for the same sponsor.

However, an old SOL concession should not be assumed to continue automatically following:

• A change of sponsor

• A change of occupation code

• A material change in duties

• A break in qualifying immigration permission

• A move into a different salary option

  
  

The worker’s complete sponsorship and immigration history should be checked before the new CoS is assigned.

What is the difference between the ISL and the Temporary Shortage List?

The Temporary Shortage List was introduced on 22 July 2025 after the general Skilled Worker skill threshold was raised to RQF level 6.

The TSL allows specified RQF 3–5 occupations to remain eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship on a temporary basis, subject to the requirements and removal date in Appendix Skilled Worker. It currently operates alongside the ISL, but the two lists provide different benefits.

An occupation may appear on both lists. In that situation, ISL benefits may apply, but being on the TSL alone does not provide a salary or visa-fee discount.

What changed for care workers?

Care workers and senior care workers need to be treated separately.

New entry clearance applications for care workers under SOC 6135 and senior care workers under SOC 6136 closed on 22 July 2025.

In-country applications remain possible under transitional arrangements. A person switching into one of these occupations must generally have been legally working for the sponsoring provider in the relevant occupation for at least three months immediately before the CoS was assigned.

Separate continuity provisions apply to workers who already hold Skilled Worker permission sponsored in one of the relevant care occupations. These arrangements currently run until 22 July 2028.

Care-sector sponsorship is also subject to additional sponsor eligibility and dependant restrictions.

Employers should therefore avoid treating care work as a straightforward example of new ISL recruitment. Eligibility now depends heavily on the worker’s location, immigration history and relationship with the sponsoring provider.

Do ISL roles receive cheaper visa application fees?

Yes.

As at 28 August 2026, the Skilled Worker application fee for an ISL role is:

• £628 per person for permission of up to three years

• £1,235 per person for permission of more than three years

  
  

Where a partner or child is eligible to apply as a dependant, they pay the ISL fee for the corresponding period.

However, workers newly sponsored in medium-skilled (RQF 3–5) occupations on the ISL are generally unable to bring new dependants under the rules introduced on 22 July 2025, subject to transitional provisions and limited exceptions.

The visa application fee is also separate from:

• The Immigration Health Surcharge

• The Certificate of Sponsorship fee

• The Immigration Skills Charge

• Any legal or administrative costs associated with sponsorship

  
  

Sponsor compliance checklist

Before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, confirm that you have:

• Matched the actual job duties to the correct SOC 2020 code

• Confirmed that the occupation and specific job are eligible

• Checked whether the ISL entry applies where the worker will be based

• Reviewed any restrictions on sector, experience or job type

• Identified the correct salary option under Appendix Skilled Worker

• Compared the annual threshold, going rate and hourly requirement

• Checked the worker’s immigration history before using transitional rules

• Confirmed dependant eligibility for any medium-skilled or care-sector role

• Checked the occupation’s current removal date

• Retained a dated record of the salary calculation and guidance used

  
  

Practical tips for sponsors

Check the rules before every CoS

An annual review is not enough. Salary thresholds, occupation tables and list entries can change between recruitment rounds.

Repeat the eligibility and salary assessment immediately before assigning each CoS.

Code the duties, not the job title

Two employees with similar job titles can fall within different SOC codes.

The role description should demonstrate why the selected code matches the worker’s actual duties, responsibilities and skill level.

Record both parts of the salary calculation

Your sponsorship file should show:

1. The applicable general salary threshold

2. The occupation-specific going rate

3. The contracted weekly hours

4. Any alternative or transitional salary option used

   
   

Recording only the salary offered does not explain how the sponsor concluded that the role was eligible.

Include removal dates in recruitment planning

Most entries on the current ISL are due to be removed on 31 December 2026. Care worker and senior care worker entries have a separate removal date of 22 July 2028.

These dates can be changed through future Immigration Rules. Sponsors should therefore check the live Appendix before committing to a recruitment timetable or assigning a CoS.

Frequently asked questions

What replaced the Shortage Occupation List?

The Immigration Salary List replaced the Shortage Occupation List on 4 April 2024. The Temporary Shortage List was later introduced alongside it on 22 July 2025.

What is the current salary threshold for an ISL role?

For a typical Skilled Worker who does not qualify for the pre-4 April 2024 transitional salary provisions, the salary must be at least £33,400 and the standard going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher.

Different rules may apply to transitional, health, education, new entrant or PhD cases.

Can an employer pay 80% of the going rate for an ISL role?

Not simply because the role is on the ISL. The automatic shortage occupation discount was removed.

A lower percentage may still be possible where the worker independently qualifies under another salary option, such as the new entrant or relevant PhD provisions.

Are ISL visa application fees lower?

Yes. As at 28 August 2026, the fee is £628 for permission of up to three years or £1,235 for permission of more than three years.

Can a worker sponsored for an ISL role bring dependants?

It depends on the occupation and the worker’s immigration history.

Workers newly sponsored in RQF 3–5 occupations on the ISL or TSL are generally unable to bring new dependants. Transitional protection applies to certain workers who were already sponsored in an eligible RQF 3–5 occupation before 22 July 2025 and have continuously held Skilled Worker permission, and there are limited additional exceptions for dependent children. Roles at RQF level 6 or above are not subject to that list-based restriction.

Is the ISL the same as the Temporary Shortage List?

No. The ISL can provide a reduced general salary threshold and lower application fees. TSL status alone provides neither benefit, although an occupation can appear on both lists.

When will the Immigration Salary List end?

Most current ISL entries have a removal date of 31 December 2026. Care workers and senior care workers have a separate removal date of 22 July 2028.

These dates can change, so employers must check the live Immigration Rules before assigning a CoS.

Final thoughts

The move from the SOL to the ISL did more than rename the UK’s shortage occupation framework. It removed the automatic going-rate discount, introduced a more targeted list and made accurate salary calculations even more important.

Employers should assess every proposed sponsorship from the beginning: the duties, SOC code, skill level, salary option, going rate, working hours, location, removal date and the worker’s immigration history.

A previous sponsorship decision should never be treated as a reliable template for a new Certificate of Sponsorship.

If you are unsure whether a role qualifies or which salary option applies, contact WestBridge Business Immigration before assigning the CoS. Our team can review the role, salary and worker history and provide guidance tailored to the proposed sponsorship.