UK Shortage Occupation List 2026: What Replaced It (ISL, Then TSL)

The UK Shortage Occupation List no longer exists: it was replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL) in April 2024, which is itself being phased out for the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) by 31 December 2026 (checked 31 August 2026).

If you searched for the shortage occupation list in 2026, you are looking for a list that has been gone for over two years, and the shortage system has moved on twice since. This explainer sets out exactly what happened to the SOL, what the ISL and TSL do today, and where the salary rules now sit. For the wider salary picture, see our full guide to UK visa sponsorship salary thresholds for 2026.

From SOL to ISL to TSL: the timeline

Three lists, one lineage. The Shortage Occupation List was the shortage mechanism before 2024: if your occupation was on it, you benefited from discounted salary requirements. In April 2024 the Immigration Salary List took its place in the Immigration Rules, with a rate structure keyed to sponsorship timing: the current standard rates apply where a worker's first sponsorship came after 4 April 2024. Then, on 22 July 2025, the government published the Temporary Shortage List as the successor mechanism for medium-skilled, sub-degree shortage roles.

List	Period	How it works	Status now
Shortage Occupation List (SOL)	Until April 2024	Discounted salary requirements for listed occupations	Abolished: no longer part of the Immigration Rules
Immigration Salary List (ISL)	April 2024 onward	25 occupations; each must be paid at least £33,400 a year and at least the standard going rate for the job	Winding down: most entries run to 31 December 2026; care codes 6135 and 6136 run to 22 July 2028
Temporary Shortage List (TSL)	Published 22 July 2025	47 medium-skilled occupation codes; supports switching, entry clearance, or extending as a Skilled Worker	Live: the successor list for medium-skilled shortage roles

The practical consequence: any salary figure, occupation table or eligibility rule you find attached to the phrase "shortage occupation list" is out of date. The operative rules in 2026 are the ISL rules and the TSL rules, and both are covered in depth in our Immigration Salary List 2026 guide and our Temporary Shortage List 2026 guide.

Does the Shortage Occupation List still exist?

No. The Shortage Occupation List was removed from the Immigration Rules and replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL) in April 2024. In 2026 there are two live shortage mechanisms: the ISL, which is winding down, and the Temporary Shortage List (TSL), published on 22 July 2025 as its successor for medium-skilled roles.

The name still circulates because the SOL existed for a long time and a large amount of older content references it. Employers' job adverts, older forum threads and out-of-date agency pages still talk about "shortage occupation" roles. When you see that phrase in 2026, read it as shorthand for "a role on the current shortage list", then verify which current list, if either, actually covers the occupation code.

What replaced the Shortage Occupation List?

The Immigration Salary List replaced the SOL in April 2024. The ISL carries 25 occupations, and each must be paid at least £33,400 a year and at least the standard going rate for the job. Most ISL entries run to 31 December 2026, with the Temporary Shortage List lined up as the successor.

The design change matters as much as the name change. The old SOL worked through discounted salary requirements for listed occupations. The ISL does not work that way: an ISL occupation still has to clear both a fixed floor of £33,400 and the standard going rate for its code. Separate salary reductions do exist on the Skilled Worker route, but they attach to the applicant or the occupation tables rather than to the shortage list: see the new entrant salary rules and the going rate reductions for 2026.

One route keeps its own arithmetic. The Health and Care Worker route has its own minimum: usually at least £25,000, or the going rate for the job if that is higher. If you are applying through that route, start with our Health and Care Worker visa 2026 guide rather than the general thresholds.

Is my job on the current list?

Check two places: the 25 occupations on the Immigration Salary List and the 47 medium-skilled codes on the Temporary Shortage List. Our ISL guide and TSL guide list what each covers, and you can check any occupation code, with its going rate, in our SOC codes with salary lookup.

Two quick orientation points. First, the lists serve different skill levels: the ISL is the transitional list carried over from the 2024 reform, while the TSL exists specifically for medium-skilled, sub-degree roles, where it supports switching, entry clearance, or extending permission as a Skilled Worker. Second, being on a list is not the end of the question: the salary rules for the specific occupation code still decide what a sponsor must pay. Once you know your code and the number that goes with it, you can browse live visa-sponsored jobs to see which employers are actually hiring for it.

What happens after 31 December 2026?

Most Immigration Salary List entries are due to end on 31 December 2026. The exceptions are care workers and senior care workers, codes 6135 and 6136, which run to 22 July 2028. The Temporary Shortage List is the successor for medium-skilled shortage roles, so check gov.uk for the position when you apply.

We are not going to speculate beyond the published position. What is on the page today is this: the ISL's end dates are written into its entries, the care codes carry the longer date, and the TSL is published and operating. If your plans depend on ISL treatment continuing past 31 December 2026, or on a role joining or leaving the TSL, verify the current lists on gov.uk on the day you apply rather than relying on any commentary, including ours.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Shortage Occupation List the same as the Immigration Salary List?

No, but they are directly related: the SOL is the predecessor, and the ISL replaced it in April 2024. They also work differently. The SOL offered discounted salary requirements for listed occupations, while ISL entries must be paid at least £33,400 a year and at least the standard going rate for the job.

When did the Shortage Occupation List end?

In April 2024, when the Immigration Salary List took its place in the Immigration Rules. The ISL's rate structure is keyed to sponsorship timing, with the current standard rates applying where a worker's first sponsorship came after 4 April 2024. Anything you read about the SOL predates that changeover.

Do shortage list jobs still get discounted salaries?

Not in the way the old SOL worked. ISL occupations must meet both the £33,400 floor and the standard going rate for the code. The salary reductions that do exist in 2026, such as the new entrant rules and the going rate reductions, operate independently of the shortage lists.

Is the Temporary Shortage List the new Shortage Occupation List?

Functionally, it is the successor for medium-skilled roles. The TSL was published on 22 July 2025 and carries 47 occupation codes. It supports switching, entry clearance, or extending as a Skilled Worker where the job on the list is a medium-skilled job. Our full TSL guide covers every code and the salary rules.

Does the change affect the Health and Care Worker visa?

The Health and Care Worker route keeps its own minimum: usually at least £25,000, or the going rate if higher. Care worker and senior care worker codes 6135 and 6136 also carry the longest ISL coverage, to 22 July 2028. See our Health and Care Worker visa guide for the route's full rules.

Sources: gov.uk Immigration Rules (Appendix Immigration Salary List), the gov.uk ISL and TSL publications (checked 31 August 2026). This article reports published data and is not legal or immigration advice. Lists and salary rules change: always check gov.uk for the current position before applying, and speak to a regulated immigration adviser about your individual circumstances.