Schedule A speed
Nurses and physical therapists skip PERM, cutting 12-18 months off the green card timeline.
In-demand occupations · 2026
🇺🇸 United States in-demand & shortage occupation list
updated for 2026.
17 shortage occupations across 4 sectors, with indicative salaries, official codes and the visa route each one unlocks.
US Department of Labor / USCIS · 2026 filing year
Overview
Schedule A shortage occupations & specialty occupation demand
The United States has no annually refreshed points-based shortage list, but the Department of Labor's Schedule A designates nursing and physical therapy as pre-certified shortage occupations that bypass the PERM labour certification. Beyond Schedule A, H-1B specialty occupation demand and EB-2/EB-3 green card sponsorship concentrate in technology, healthcare, engineering and research.
How the United States shortage list works
- 1Schedule A Group I (nurses, physical therapists) skips PERM entirely — a major time saving on the green card path.
- 2H-1B requires a specialty occupation, a bachelor's degree in the field, and success in the annual lottery registration.
- 3Cap-exempt employers — universities, affiliated hospitals, research institutions — hire H-1B year-round without the lottery.
- 4EB-2 NIW allows self-petition without an employer for candidates of exceptional ability in a national-interest field.
Sector-wise demand
United States shortage occupations by sector
Schedule A pre-certified shortage
| Occupation | Code | Indicative salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | — | USD 78,000 – 120,000 | Schedule A Group I, NCLEX + VisaScreen |
| Physical therapist | — | USD 85,000 – 110,000 | Schedule A Group I |
Technology
| Occupation | Code | Indicative salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineer and developer | — | USD 120,000 – 220,000 | |
| Data scientist and machine learning engineer | — | USD 135,000 – 250,000 | |
| Cloud and DevOps engineer | — | USD 125,000 – 210,000 | |
| Cyber security engineer | — | USD 125,000 – 215,000 | |
| Product and program manager (technical) | — | USD 140,000 – 250,000 |
Healthcare & life sciences
| Occupation | Code | Indicative salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician and surgeon | — | USD 230,000 – 500,000 | USMLE + residency or J-1 waiver route |
| Medical technologist and lab scientist | — | USD 65,000 – 95,000 | |
| Pharmacist | — | USD 120,000 – 150,000 | |
| Clinical research and biostatistics specialist | — | USD 95,000 – 160,000 | |
| Occupational and speech therapist | — | USD 80,000 – 110,000 |
Engineering, education & skilled trades
| Occupation | Code | Indicative salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, mechanical and civil engineer | — | USD 90,000 – 150,000 | |
| Semiconductor and process engineer | — | USD 110,000 – 180,000 | |
| STEM university faculty and researcher | — | USD 80,000 – 160,000 | Cap-exempt H-1B |
| K-12 maths, science and special education teacher | — | USD 55,000 – 85,000 | |
| Welder, machinist and industrial technician | — | USD 55,000 – 85,000 | EB-3 skilled worker route |
Salaries are indicative gross annual figures for 2026 hiring and vary by employer, city, experience and negotiation. Shortage lists are revised by the issuing authority — we re-verify your occupation before any filing.
Why it matters
What a shortage occupation gets you in United States
Cap-exempt hiring
Universities and affiliated hospitals sponsor H-1B all year with no lottery.
Self-petition option
EB-2 NIW lets high-achieving professionals petition without an employer sponsor.
Matching visa routes
File under the right United States category
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa
US employer-sponsored work visa with EB Green Card feed
Employment-Based Green Card (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3)
US permanent residency for skilled workers and outstanding talent
L-1 Intra-Company Transfer Visa
L-1A executive/manager and L-1B specialised-knowledge transfers
F-1 Student Visa
US student visa with OPT and STEM-OPT pathways
O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa
Temporary US visa for extraordinary talent in sciences, arts, business, athletics
Documents Required for USA
Complete document checklist for US visas
United States in-demand occupations — FAQs
Is there an official US shortage occupation list?
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Only Schedule A, which currently covers registered nurses and physical therapists. Everything else runs through employer sponsorship and PERM labour certification.
How does the H-1B lottery work?
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Employers register you in March; USCIS runs a random selection; selected registrations file the full petition for an October start. Selection odds vary annually with registration volume.
What is EB-2 NIW?
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A National Interest Waiver allows self-petition for an EB-2 green card without a job offer or PERM, if your work has substantial merit and national importance. We assess candidacy honestly before you commit.
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