The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published its long-awaited Temporary Shortage List (TSL) Stage 2 report, setting out its final recommendations on which mid-skilled (RQF 3–5) occupations should retain access to the UK’s sponsored work visa system.

Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law's James Lamont analyses the committee's findings and looks at which sectors would be (relative) winners and losers if only 28 occupation codes survive the cull of jobs that employers can sponsor which are deemed less skilled than RQF6+.

MAC report summary

  • The influential independent body advising the government on migration issues recommends just 28 jobs out of the 82 occupations shortlisted in Stage 1 of its review should continue to be eligible for work visa sponsorship despite not being considered highly skilled enough to be sponsored as Skilled Workers.
  • The committee proposes these jobs stay on the list for 18 months before another review. No occupation was judged to have a Jobs Plan strong enough to warrant full three-year access.
  • There is no mention of how long visas will be granted for, so we can assume these will continue to be up to five years. As the Home Secretary has her own consultation on routes to settlement, we are likely to find out whether and how time spent in the UK on the TSL will contribute towards eventual settlement towards the end of this year.
  • The MAC insists that many desk-based occupations that had been on the shortlist could be filled by training resident workforce with transferable skills rather than employing immigrants on work visas.

Background: why the Temporary Shortage List review?

An interim Temporary Shortage List (TSL) was announced in the May 2025 Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System and implemented two months later. This is set to eventually replace the Immigration Salary List (ISL), which itself replaced the Shortage Occupation List in April 2024 as a means for employers to hire lesser skilled roles where there are skills gaps in the UK. Both the interim TSL and the ISL contain occupations in which employers can hire migrants, until these lists expire on 31 December 2026 (except for the care worker occupation codes 6135 and 6136, presently on the ISL, which should retain access until 22 July 2028). You can find which jobs can be sponsored on both lists here.

As the government raised the minimum skills threshold for the Skilled Worker route to degree level (RQF 6), these lists are the only remaining door into sponsored work for mid-skilled (RQF 3–5) occupation codes, albeit a deliberately narrow, time-limited one.

The objective of the TSL is to end reliance on work immigration as “an alternative to fixing problems here in the UK.” Occupations are only meant to qualify for inclusion if the following are all true: there is genuine shortage; the role is crucial to delivering the Industrial Strategy or critical infrastructure; the sector has a credible “Jobs Plan” to train up and make greater use of the domestic workforce, so that migration becomes less necessary over time.

On 2 July 2025 the Home Secretary commissioned the MAC to advise on three issues: the terms and conditions of the TSL visa; which RQF 3–5 occupations are crucial to the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy or to critical infrastructure; which of those should be on the list. The MAC answered the first two questions in its Stage 1 report in October 2025, narrowing the field to 82 occupation codes. The Stage 2 report answers the third.

The Stage 1 report recommended occupations sit on the TSL for three years as a default, or 18 months where Job Plans needed improvement. However, the committee insists that none of the occupations it has recommended in its Stage 2 report have strong enough plans to be currently recommended for more than 18 months.

Which occupations has the MAC recommended for the TSL?

The MAC recommends that the following 28 occupations receive 18-month access to the TSL. Most of these occupation codes are already on the interim TSL.

NB: Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupation codes are set by the Office for National Statistics as a statistical classification of jobs, including a four-digit reference and data such as median wage and skill levels. The Home Office then uses SOC codes to set rules for work immigration for these roles.

  • 3112 Electrical and electronics technicians
  • 3113 Engineering technicians
  • 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
  • 3116 Planning, process and production technicians
  • 3120 CAD, drawing and architectural technicians
  • 3133 Database administrators and web content technicians
  • 3512 Ship and hovercraft officers
  • 3544 Data analysts
  • 5211 Sheet metal workers
  • 5212 Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations
  • 5213 Welding trades
  • 5214 Pipe fitters
  • 5221 Metal machining setters and setter-operators
  • 5223 Metal working production and maintenance fitters
  • 5235 Boat and ship builders and repairers
  • 5241 Electricians and electrical fitters
  • 5242 Telecoms and related network installers and repairers
  • 5249 Electrical and electronic trades not elsewhere classified (n.e.c) (Overhead Line Workers only)
  • 5313 Bricklayers
  • 5314 Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
  • 5315 Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers
  • 5316 Carpenters and joiners
  • 5319 Construction and building trades n.e.c. (Building envelope specialists and Curtain wall installers only)
  • 5321 Plasterers
  • 5322 Floorers and wall tilers
  • 5323 Painters and decorators
  • 5330 Construction and building trades supervisors
  • 8113 Chemical and related process operatives

32 of the 52 occupation codes on the current interim TSL have been removed from the MAC recommendation. Three building industry codes that appear currently on the Immigration Salary List have been added to this TSL recommendation: Bricklayers (5313), Roofers, roof tilers and slaters (5314), and Carpenters and joiners (5316). 

Which occupations does the MAC report suggest are removed from the TSL?

  • 1243 Managers in logistics
  • 1258 Directors in consultancy services
  • 3111 Laboratory technicians
  • 3115 Quality assurance technicians
  • 3131 IT operations technicians
  • 3132 IT user support technicians
  • 3412 Authors, writers and translators
  • 3414 Dancers and choreographers (although the MAC recommends that elite ballet/contemporary dancers are deemed skilled enough to be added to the Skilled Worker route instead)
  • 3417 Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
  • 3422 Clothing, fashion and accessories designers
  • 3429 Design occupations n.e.c.
  • 3520 Legal associate professionals
  • 3532 Insurance underwriters
  • 3533 Financial and accounting technicians
  • 3541 Estimators, valuers and assessors
  • 3549 Business associate professionals n.e.c.
  • 3552 Business sales executives
  • 3554 Marketing associate professionals
  • 3571 Human resources and industrial relations officers
  • 3573 Information technology trainers
  • 4121 Credit controllers
  • 4122 Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks
  • 4129 Financial administrative occupations n.e.c.
  • 4132 Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants
  • 5225 Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers
  • 5231 Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians
  • 5232 Vehicle body builders and repairers
  • 5233 Vehicle paint technicians
  • 5244 Computer system and equipment installers and servicers
  • 5245 Security system installers and repairers
  • 5311 Steel erectors
  • 8133 Energy plant operatives

Which jobs would no longer be sponsored once the ISL expires according to MAC recommendations?

The Immigration Salary List, with its 20% discount on the general minimum salary threshold for sponsoring skilled workers will be phased out. The occupations below are on the ISL and interim TSL lists only until 31 December 2026, by which time sectors will have been expected to have developed workforce strategies to train local workforce to fill some of these skills gaps.

  • 1212 Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing and related services — fishing boat masters (Scotland only).
  • 1232 Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
  • 3111 Laboratory technicians
  • 3212 Pharmaceutical technicians
  • 3411 Artists
  • 3414 Dancers and choreographers (MAC recommend elite ballet/contemporary dancers deemed skilled enough to be added to the Skilled Worker route instead)
  • 5119 Agriculture and fishing trades n.e.c. (fishing industry jobs)
  • 5312 Stonemasons and related trades
  • 5319 Construction and building trades n.e.c. (retrofitters) (This code is recommended for the TSL, but only for building envelope specialists and curtain wall installers, not retrofitters)
  • 6129 Animal care services n.e.c. (racing grooms, stallion handlers, stud grooms/hands/handlers and work riders)
  • 6131 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants
  • 9119 Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations n.e.c. (deckhands on large fishing vessels)

NB: Employers would still be able to sponsor some of the jobs on the ISL which are highly skilled (such as Biological scientists and Graphic and multimedia designers) or on the suggested TSL (such as Bricklayers and Carpenters) – but they would lose any minimum salary discount from being on the ISL).

Care providers regulated by the CQC will still be able to sponsor care worker and senior care worker roles (under SOC codes 6135 and 6136) under transitional rules until July 22, 2028 – but only those already in the UK on valid visas looking to switch or extend.

How does the MAC TLS report affect different sectors?

The MAC estimates that the 28 occupations it has recommended account for around 4,000 visas a year (of roughly 10,000 across all 82 in-scope occupations), so the overall impact on net migration and economic growth is modest. But for sectors and employers who would no longer be able to rely on immigration routes for filling certain vacancies the impact could be major, as the interim TSL and the Immigration Salary List due to fall away by 31 December 2026. Workforce planning should prepare for this change.

The occupations the MAC itself identified as having the weakest cases are ones it considers to be generic office-based roles. Marketing associate professionals, sales accounts and business development managers, business associate professionals, business sales executives, and financial and accounting technicians were all rejected — the MAC’s view being that these roles rely on transferable skills that already exist in the domestic workforce or can be developed on the job. These office-based occupations were also where most of the visa reduction will come from, as they are among the heavier users of the TSL. Any employers planning to hire from abroad in these categories should do so sooner rather than later.

The MAC warns that Job Plans submitted to its consultation by the relevant government departments will need to be improved, with more jobs likely to drop off the list if there are not adequate Job Plans to ensure local workforce is trained to end reliance on work visas. The MAC repeatedly says it gave occupations the benefit of the doubt because this was the first time government departments had produced occupation-level Jobs Plans.

The committee recommended that 17 occupation codes were removed because no Job Plan at all was submitted by a government department. These included 3131 IT operations technicians; 3417 Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators; 3422 Clothing, fashion and accessories designers; 3520 Legal associate professionals; 5311 Steel erectors; 8133 Energy plant operatives. It found that other occupation codes such as 3552 Business sales executives and 5245 Security system installers and repairers failed to have an adequate Job Plan. Other occupations, such as lab technicians and design occupations were left out as they were not deemed appropriate or shortage occupations.

15 of the 21 Foundational Industries / critical infrastructure occupations made the list – skilled trades underpinning the government’s housebuilding, infrastructure and clean energy ambitions. These include jobs such as bricklayers, carpenters and joiners, plumbers, electricians, roofers, plasterers, painters and decorators, floorers and wall tilers, and construction trades supervisors.

The report gives the example of Welding trades (5213) as a stronger case for inclusion on the list as industry action to fill a skills shortage domestically includes work-based training with grant support. The MAC said it is only continuing to recommend finishing trades such as Plasterers (5321) and Painters and decorators (5323) onto the list because skills shortages may cause problems for delivering government industrial and critical infrastructure priorities. The MAC has stated that the case for shortages and action to fill them with the domestic workforce was much weaker.

The report suggests that occupations granted 18-month access to the TSL should need to submit focussed updates to their plans to extend access beyond that period. The MAC expects future recommendations to place far greater weight on Jobs Plans which would need to demonstrate progress in training and upskilling to correct drivers of skills shortages and show quantifiable progress on reducing reliance on immigration.

What types of jobs are most likely to come off the TSL?

The roles most exposed are:

  • Generic, office-based occupations with broad, transferable skillsets. The MAC explicitly flagged these as inappropriate for a shortage-based route and as carrying misclassification risks.
  • Roles not genuinely embedded in the Industrial Strategy sectors. Vehicle technicians passed the shortage and Jobs Plan tests but were rejected because under 20% of the workforce (and most visa sponsorship) sits in retail garages rather than advanced manufacturing.
  • Broad “n.e.c.” (not elsewhere classified) codes without specified job titles. Design occupations n.e.c. was rejected on exactly this basis, while the n.e.c. codes that stayed on the TSL in the recommended list (electrical trades, construction trades) only did so for named job titles.
  • Occupations where the data does not support shortages. Weaker than average wage growth was repeatedly cited.

What should employers do now?

  • Audit sponsored workforce. Identify anyone sponsored in an RQF 3–5 occupation and check whether the code appears on the above lists. For n.e.c. codes, check whether the specific job title is covered.
  • Plan around 31 December 2026. The interim TSL and the ISL are due to be replaced by then. If your occupation is not among the 28 on the MAC’s list, build a contingency workforce plan in case you can no longer sponsor immigrants for these roles next year. Any work visas should be applied for in good time to make a possible cut-off in December.
  • Check salary thresholds. The MAC has previously recommended TSL occupation minimum thresholds at occupations’ median full-time salary with no discount, so even listed occupations may be commercially difficult to sponsor.
  • Don’t be tempted to reclassify occupation codes. The MAC has explicitly flagged the risk of employers shifting roles into neighbouring SOC codes (including RQF 6+ codes with lower thresholds) and has asked the Home Office to monitor sponsor behaviour. Misclassification is a compliance risk to sponsor licences which can have serious consequences for sponsors’ ability to keep sponsoring workers. However, for some affected workers already in the UK, as well as extensions under transitional arrangements, there may be options to switch into genuine RQF 6+ roles on the Skilled Worker route, or alternative routes such as Global Talent for creative-sector clients.
  • Engage with your sector’s Jobs Plan. Access beyond 18 months will depend on the quality of the updated plans. Employers and trade bodies who feed evidence and commitments into their sector’s plan will be in a better position. Ultimately, however, governmental departments will have to submit these plans and make a case for occupations to stay on the TSL.
  • Construction sponsors should expect heightened scrutiny of visa use, subcontracting arrangements and worker welfare as exploitation risk was identified by the MAC in its report where there is high self-employment. Continued inclusion for many construction roles is also contingent on roles intersecting with the government’s Industrial Strategy and critical infrastructure priorities.
  • Remember, the MAC’s recommendations are not law. The Home Office will decide which recommendations to accept, with Immigration Rules changes expected to be published before 31 December 2026. When the government responds to the Earned Settlement consultation we will also learn if time on the TSL may be able to count towards settlement in the UK and how. We will publish further upodates when the government responds.

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James Lamont advises private individuals and businesses on all areas of immigration and nationality law. He has successfully advised a broad range of business sectors including tech, finance, entertainment and education. For private clients, James provides advice ranging from highly complex and unusual applications requiring discretion from the Home Office to integrated global mobility projects for family offices and high net worth clients, including elements of business immigration law where applicable.