What Is the Immigration Salary List?

The ISL is particularly important for three key groups. First, UK employers and licensed sponsors need to understand how it impacts their ability to recruit international talent. If a role is on the ISL, it reduces the salary threshold they must meet, making it easier to sponsor workers under financial constraints—especially in the public sector or lower-paid industries.

Second, migrant workers who want to come to the UK under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker routes need to check whether their profession is on the ISL. If it is, they may be eligible to apply with a lower salary offer, increasing their chances of obtaining a visa.

Finally, immigration lawyers and HR consultants must stay up-to-date with the ISL to ensure compliance. It affects application strategy, eligibility assessments, and risk mitigation for employer sponsors. Inaccuracies or assumptions about whether a job qualifies can lead to delays or rejections.

The ISL is more than just a list of job titles. It includes each occupation's SOC code, official job description, salary thresholds, and geographic limitations (some roles are region-specific, such as those available only in Scotland). The list also distinguishes between general salary thresholds and those applying to "new entrants" or health and care roles.

Take the example of SOC 2112 - Biological Scientists and Biochemists. Under the standard Skilled Worker route, the minimum salary required would be £38,000, but on the ISL, this falls to £28,100. For another example, SOC 1212 - Fishing Boat Masters is only listed for Scotland, with a discounted salary of £25,200 instead of £30,960.

The full list is maintained on GOV.UK and is periodically updated based on recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

The ISL replaced the Shortage Occupation List as part of the UK's broader strategy to control net migration, raise salary thresholds, and prioritise higher-skilled roles. Under the old SOL, more than 50 job roles were eligible for lower salary thresholds. By contrast, the ISL narrowed this list significantly—currently down to just 23 occupations.

This move aligns with policy shifts initiated in 2024, aimed at reducing reliance on overseas labour in lower-wage sectors and encouraging employers to invest in domestic recruitment and upskilling. In essence, the ISL is intended to be a more selective, temporary measure that focuses on areas with genuine, evidenced labour shortages.

Importantly, the Immigration Salary List is not permanent. In 2025, the UK government announced that the ISL will be phased out and replaced by a new framework: the Temporary Shortage Occupation List (TSOL). This is expected to come into force in early 2026.

The TSOL will adopt a more dynamic and time-limited approach, targeting roles at RQF Levels 3–5, which are equivalent to sub-degree qualifications (like NVQs or A-level equivalents). It will also impose stricter labour market tests, including proof that employers have tried and failed to fill roles locally before seeking overseas candidates.

The Migration Advisory Committee is due to publish updated recommendations for the TSOL by autumn 2025, and early signals suggest the new list may be even more restrictive, with fewer occupations and tighter eligibility conditions.