The UK’s most in-demand job roles in 2023 revealed

July 11, 2023July 11, 2023425 Views

When it comes to employment in the UK, demand is significantly outweighing supply in many areas of the country’s economy. In fact, the British job market is proving a significant challenge to employers who are increasingly having to pay above the odds to attract and retain top talent, due to a lack of competition for roles.

In recent years, the UK government has cultivated something known as a ‘shortage occupation list’. This list displays all the positions and sectors where skilled workers are in desperate need. In some cases, this has resulted in the temporary relaxation of eligibility for worker visas, issued by UK employers with a valid sponsor licence.

The creation of the shortage occupation list has resulted in something of a grey area for British employers seeking to enlist the services of overseas professionals. Even the biggest UK companies are needing to hire immigration lawyers to support them with successful applications for sponsor licences as well as worker visas. The legal route is also a credible option for employers looking to challenge initial refusals of licences or visas.

What are the most in-demand jobs in the UK right now?

One of the job roles with the highest demand is for software developers and programmers. There is a distinct digital skills gap in the UK, which has created a huge demand for developing talent in the IT sector. Average starting salaries are sitting at around £26,000, with eligible overseas applicants only needing to be paid 80% of this going rate to qualify for a worker visa. Coding is one particular area of programming that’s in huge demand.

Cybersecurity is another key battleground for top talent in the UK at present. Digital security is more important than ever before and businesses of all shapes and sizes are desperate to employ cyber security experts to monitor ongoing risks and safeguard against the threat of cyber-criminals. Even government organisations need cyber security specialists, including ‘ethical hackers’ whose job it is to continually test the safety of a company’s digital infrastructure.

Healthcare workers are also in unprecedented demand across the UK. The Skills for Care charitable organisation recently revealed over 165,000 care worker positions were left unfilled by the end of 2022. It’s unsurprising there is a growing need for care workers since over half-a-million citizens are awaiting some form of care since the pandemic. Even the inclusion of care worker roles on the shortage occupation list doesn’t appear to have worked.

Architectural vacancies are also some of the most wanted positions in the UK jobs market. It’s perhaps little surprise given the seven-year timeframe it takes for people to fully train in the profession. Creative and graphic designers are also in high demand given the image-led digital world we now live in. These designers are also desired for traditional print formats as well as online formats.

Despite the dearth of talent in the UK to fill vacancies across the capital and beyond, the UK’s unemployment rate sits at just 3.8% which remains close to all-time lows. This alone reinforces the need for migrant workers to fill the void and take the slack.

For more information on the state of employment in the UK, check out: