Can I have a virtual assignee for a team that does not contribute toward the license

[rob_goddard]

Hello, 

I would like to have a virtual user to assign tasks and issues to when it is unclear who will be picking up the task. Currently we assign to the teams' lead, but this leads to confusion as to whether the lead will work on it or if it is up for delegation. 

I have found two questions relating to this, one from 2012 that appears to have a solution, but I cannot work out if it is still possible (it doesn't seem to be):

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-questions/Does-Jira-have-quot-virtual-user-quot-types/qaq-p/343409

And the other from this year, but doesn't actually seem to have a resolution, other than pointing to the above question from 7 years ago:

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-questions/Virtual-user-with-no-sign-in-permission/qaq-p/994290

Is there a solution to this? The only function that the virtual user serves is as an assignee, surely that doesn't warrant having to pay an additional license. 

Thanks!

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

No, there's no way to do this, a user account has to take up a seat if it is to be used.

I would caution you against this as well, you should be using "unassigned" to say "not allocated to anyone yet" (which is free)