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Best Courses to Study in the UK for Job Prospects: The Immigration Salary List Explained
7 min read
Last update: August 24, 2026
If you’re planning your course around UK job prospects, here’s the update you need first: the Shortage Occupation List was discontinued on 4 April 2024 and replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL), which works quite differently.
International students studying in the UK can still apply for the Graduate visa to stay and work for up to two years (18 months for non-PhD applications from 1 January 2027, or three years for PhD graduates), but what happens after that, when you need a Skilled Worker sponsor, now depends more on salary thresholds than on shortage-list membership.
The UK job market remains competitive, and choosing the right course is still a crucial first step towards getting hired and building a long-term future in the country. This guide explains what replaced the Shortage Occupation List, what’s actually on the current list, and which courses genuinely support strong job and visa prospects.
What Happened to the Shortage Occupation List?
The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) was the UK’s official list of jobs facing worker shortages, and roles on it benefited from a flat 20% discount on the minimum salary needed for sponsorship. In April 2024, the government replaced it with the Immigration Salary List (ISL) following recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), moving away from a shortage-based model towards one focused more directly on salary thresholds.
What Is the Immigration Salary List (ISL)?
The ISL sets out which occupations qualify for a reduced general salary threshold under the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visa routes. Unlike the old SOL, it doesn’t discount the occupation’s specific going rate, only the general threshold, and applicants must still be paid whichever is higher between the two.
| Route | General Salary Threshold | Still Must Meet the Going Rate? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Skilled Worker (RQF Level 6+) | £41,700 per year | Yes, whichever is higher |
| ISL-Listed Role (RQF Level 6+) | £33,400 per year | Yes, whichever is higher |
| Temporary Shortage List (RQF Level 3 to 5) | £41,700 per year, no discount | Yes, whichever is higher |
Both the ISL and the newer Temporary Shortage List, introduced in July 2025 for sub-degree roles, are scheduled to expire on 31 December 2026, aside from care worker and senior care worker roles, which run until July 2028. A further review is expected before then, so treat any shortage-list detail, including this article, as something to double-check against the live GOV.UK list closer to when you’ll need it.
Which Occupations Are Actually on the ISL Right Now?
The current list is considerably narrower than the old SOL, and it isn’t weighted towards the fields most Indian applicants typically study. A selection of current entries:
| Occupation | Where It Applies | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory technicians | UK-wide | Only for roles requiring 3 or more years of related on-the-job experience |
| Chemical scientists | Scotland only | Only jobs in the nuclear industry |
| Nursing auxiliaries and assistants | UK-wide | Support roles, not registered nurses |
| Care workers and senior care workers | UK-wide | Sponsor must be CQC-registered in England; eligible until July 2028 |
| Residential and day care managers | UK-wide | All jobs in this category |
| Selected creative, construction, and agricultural roles | Mostly UK-wide, some Scotland-only | Includes bricklayers, carpenters, and certain arts occupations |
If you were hoping this means computer science, engineering, or business degrees carry an automatic shortage discount, the current list doesn’t support that. There’s no SOC code for general engineering, IT, or software occupations on the ISL, so graduates in these fields are sponsored at the standard salary threshold and going rate, the same as any other applicant, not a discounted one.
Expert View
“The Immigration Salary List changes every couple of years, and both the current list and the temporary one expire at the end of 2026, so I’d never tell a student to pick a course purely to chase shortage status. It’s much safer to choose a subject with strong graduate salaries in its own right, since that clears the threshold regardless of which list is in force by the time you graduate.” – Harsh Khemka, Counsellor, StudyIn.
What Actually Determines Job Prospects Now
With the ISL narrower and largely unrelated to STEM and business fields, the more useful question for most Indian students isn’t “is my subject on the shortage list,” but “does my subject typically lead to a salary that clears the Skilled Worker threshold?”.
Subjects with strong graduate salaries, such as medicine, engineering, finance, and computer science, generally clear the £41,700 general threshold comfortably within a few years of graduating, if not immediately, regardless of shortage-list status.
Your Graduate visa also gives you time after your course to build UK work experience and secure that kind of sponsorship-ready salary before you need a Skilled Worker route at all.
Best Subjects to Study in the UK for Strong Job Prospects
| Subject | Typical Starting Salary | Employment Rate | Skilled Worker Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | £35,000 to £40,000 | Over 95% | Usually via the Health and Care Worker route, not the ISL |
| Life Sciences and Allied Health | £27,000 to £35,000 | Around 93% | Lab technicians (3+ years’ experience) may qualify for the ISL |
| Engineering | £26,000 to £32,000 | Around 90% | Not on the ISL; standard threshold and going rate apply |
| Business and Management | £35,000 to £45,000 | Around 90% | Not on the ISL; strong salaries usually clear the threshold anyway |
| Finance | £32,000 to £36,000 | Around 90% | Not on the ISL; investment banking roles clear the threshold easily |
| Computer Science | £30,000 to £42,000 | Around 85% | Not on the ISL; higher-paying roles clear the threshold from year one |
| Law | £25,000 to £60,000, averaging around £43,500 | Around 88% | Not on the ISL; large commercial firms clear the threshold easily |
For a full breakdown of career prospects and university recommendations for each of these subjects, see our in-demand courses guide.
Study in the UK
Picking a course based on outdated shortage-list information can genuinely work against you, since the rules behind it have changed twice in the last two years and are due to change again by the end of 2026.
Our counsellors keep track of these updates so you don’t have to, and help match your course choice to both your interests and your realistic long-term prospects in the UK. If you want to apply to study a course with strong job and visa prospects, book your free consultation with StudyIn today.
FAQs
Is the Immigration Salary List the same as the old Shortage Occupation List?
No. The Shortage Occupation List was discontinued on 4 April 2024 and replaced by the Immigration Salary List. The ISL only discounts the general salary threshold, not the occupation’s going rate, and covers far fewer occupations than the old list.
How does the Immigration Salary List affect Indian students studying in the UK?
If your eventual role is on the ISL, you may be sponsored at a lower general salary threshold once your Graduate visa ends. For most Indian students studying STEM, business, finance, or computer science, your subject isn’t currently on the list, so the standard threshold and going rate will apply instead.
Does the Immigration Salary List affect job prospects for Indian students after graduation?
Not directly for most subjects, since fields like engineering, computer science, and business aren’t currently on the list. What matters more is whether your salary offer clears the standard Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700, which strong graduate salaries in these fields typically do within a few years.
Is there a time limit to enter the UK after getting a Skilled Worker visa?
Your Skilled Worker visa is issued with a start date, usually shortly before your job’s start date, and you should plan to enter the UK on or around that date rather than waiting until close to the visa’s expiry.
How often does the Immigration Salary List change, and how does it affect students?
The ISL is reviewed periodically by the Migration Advisory Committee, and both it and the newer Temporary Shortage List are scheduled to expire on 31 December 2026, pending a further review. It’s worth checking the live GOV.UK list rather than relying on older guidance.
How can Indian students best prepare for strong job prospects in the UK?
Focus on subjects with strong graduate salary outcomes and clear demand, such as medicine, engineering, finance, and computer science, gain practical experience through internships and placements, and use your Graduate visa period to build UK work experience before you need Skilled Worker sponsorship.
