Ten jobs that can fast track your UK work visa

Nigeria and other countries with a large youthful population can take advantage of the current shortage of skills in the United Kingdom (UK).

According to a new report by Erudera, a global university and academic program search platform, there is a list of top jobs and academic degrees that are well-positioned to meet the market demands and address the shortage in the UK.

“This is mainly based on factors like the skill requirements in the job (which are aligned with the degree) as well as the degrees typically held by professionals currently employed in the respective professions,” it said.

The withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (Brexit) is one of the reasons why the country has been flexible with its immigration routes in a bid to grow and develop its economy. The withdrawal created a lot of job vacancies at the middle and low levels in the country.

Some of the routes introduced are Graduate route, High Potential Individual visa, Global talent visa and Scale-up visa. Official data shows that the number of Nigerians who received UK worker visas rose by 574.8 percent to 13,449 in 2022 from 1,993 in 2019.

Here are the top jobs with their salary wages per hour

Health sector jobs (£16.94 per hour)

The staff shortages in the healthcare sector have been front and centre for the UK’s successive governments, making the country a net importer of healthcare professionals.

In 2020, the Conservative government pledged to increase nurse numbers by 50,000 over the next five years, and offered additional cost of living support of £5,000.

Additionally, in that year, the country announced a Health and Care Visa policy, which aims to make it cheaper, quicker and easier for healthcare professionals to migrate to the UK.

Data from the British government show that Africa’s biggest economy was among the top three countries with the second largest increase in skilled work visas under the health and care category.

It rose by 251 percent to 17,596 in the year ending March 2023 from 5,009 in the year ending March 2022.

According to the National Careers Service, jobs in this sector will have an estimated 6.2 percent job growth by 2027, leading to 4,300 new jobs.

“With 48.5 percent of the workforce projected to retire during the same period, a total of 33,400 vacancies will be available,” Erudera said.

It said people employed within this sector typically possess a bachelor’s degree with honors (BA/BSc), a degree apprenticeship, a graduate diploma, or a level six National Vocational Qualification qualification.

“Healthcare degrees in the UK offer promising career prospects, particularly in nursing, general practice and healthcare assistance. The demand for professionals in these areas is consistently high within the country’s healthcare industry,” it added.

Biological Scientists and Biochemists (£12.55 per hour)

Biological scientists and biochemists are people that usually examine and investigate the morphology, structure, chemistry and physical characteristics of living organisms, including their inter-relationships, environments and diseases.

The growing number of job openings in this sector presents an exciting prospect for aspiring scientists to contribute to this field in the UK, authors of the Erudera report said.

“There is a projected job growth of 4.2 percent in this particular sector by 2027, creating approximately 4,500 new employment opportunities.”

The UK’s Careers Service, projects that within the same timeframe, it is expected that 39.6 percent of the existing workforce will retire,leading to a substantial total of 42,600 vacancies becoming available.

Research shows that the field of science, particularly biological sciences, and biochemistry, has witnessed steady employment growth.

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According to Statista, around 95,800 individuals were employed in these roles in 2021, a notable increase from the 91,800 recorded in 2010.

Engineering (£13.54-£16.12 per hour)

Civil, mechanical, electrical, and electronics engineering job roles are needed in the UK.

A recent study by Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Learning shows that 89 percent of STEM businesses struggle to recruit, with a current shortfall of 173,000 skilled workers costing UK businesses an estimated £1.5billion a year in recruitment.

A substantial proportion of the UK’s working population, around 18 percent, is currently employed in engineering roles, analysts at Erudera said.

“Furthermore, engineering jobs comprise at least 15 percent of the working population in every region across the country.”

By 2027, the UK government projects 4.2 percent growth in the mechanical engineering sector, resulting in roughly 3,800 employment prospects.

“During the same period, an estimated 39.6 percent) of the current workforce is expected to retire, leading to around 36,000 vacant positions being available,” it said.

IT Business analysts, architects and systems Designers (£15.43 per hour)

Most of the courses needed for the jobs are usually computer science, information technology, business administration, or a related field.

When it comes to employment opportunities, the biggest employers in this field are computer programming, legal and accounting, and head offices, according to Erudera.

“These sectors provide significant employment prospects for individuals with computer science degrees. And London stands out as the region offering the most opportunities for programmers and software developers in the UK.

“The capital city provides a vibrant hub for those seeking careers in this field, with a wide array of exciting job prospects,” it added.

Architects (£13.50 per hour)

London and the South East (England) are the regions with the highest concentration of opportunities in the field of architecture. They also offer the most favourable prospects for architects seeking employment.

According to the UK government, the sector is expected to experience a 4.3 percent increase in job opportunities by 2027, resulting in around 2,900 new employment prospects.

“During the same period, it is estimated that 55.3 percent of the current workforce will retire, leading to a significant total of 37,700 vacancies opening up.”

The country’s Architects Registration Board (ARD) said the distribution of architects across the UK is not balanced, with half of all architects being based in London and the South East, compared to 27 percent of the UK population

“To register as an architect in the UK, individuals with qualifications from outside the European Union or non-recognised UK qualifications must successfully complete the ARB’s Examination for equivalence to prescribed qualifications”, Erudera said.

The rest of the jobs are programmers and software development professionals (£13.95 per hour), web design and development professionals (£10.99 per hour), veterinarians (£13.83 per hour), cybersecurity specialists (£13.17 per hour) and laboratory technicians (£7.75 per hour).