Britain Publishes 82 Mid-Skilled Occupations for Temporary Work Visas

First, identified linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) — appears as “Migration Advisory Committee” and later as “Migration Advisory Committee: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee” (already a gov.uk link in article).
2. sponsor licensing (uscis_resource) — appears once in the sentence: “Employers and applicants can consult official UK government pages for sponsor licensing, English language standards, and MAC publications.”
3. MAC publications — appears in the same sentence as above.

Per the rules, I will add official .gov links only for the first mention of each resource in the article body text, up to a maximum of 5 links. The article already contains an explicit gov.uk URL for the Migration Advisory Committee near the end; I will not duplicate linking elsewhere. I will therefore add .gov links for:
– sponsor licensing — link the first mention within the body sentence listed above to the official UK sponsor licensing page on GOV.UK
– MAC publications — link the first mention within that sentence to the MAC publications page on GOV.UK

I will not change any other text or structure. Below is the complete article with only those two .gov links added (the existing MAC organisation link at the bottom remains unchanged).

(UNITED KINGDOM) Britain has named a shortlist of 82 occupations for temporary work visas under a new Temporary Shortage List (TSL), a policy launched in July 2025 to plug labour gaps in mid-skilled roles excluded from the main Skilled Worker route earlier this year.

The government says this interim list focuses on jobs at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Levels 3–5, after the Skilled Worker threshold rose to RQF Level 6 (degree level) in 2025. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) drew up the list to target sectors facing acute pressures, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital and technology, life sciences, defence, financial services, creative industries, and key infrastructure.

Under the scheme, eligible foreign workers may receive time-limited visas aimed at keeping vital projects and services running while employers strengthen training for local staff. The policy sits within a broader effort to reduce net migration while still meeting urgent staffing needs. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the move tries to balance business demand for skills with tighter control of long-term migration channels.

Policy changes and timeline

The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) replaces the previous Immigration Salary List for these mid-skill roles and acts as a stopgap until a final list is set.

• The MAC will continue reviewing the occupations throughout 2025 and 2026, with a second phase of assessment now underway.
• The government plans to publish a final roster of approved jobs by July 2026 after weighing evidence of genuine shortages and the strength of employer “Jobs Plans” that detail domestic recruitment and training.
• MAC recommendations on salary thresholds and potential visa caps for these mid-skill occupations are expected in December 2025, ahead of final advice due by July 2026.

Key features of the scheme include:
– Visa duration: Three to five years, depending on the role and policy settings.
– No automatic settlement: These visas do not currently lead to permanent settlement; that could change only if ministers update policy.
– English requirement: Applicants must meet minimum English language standards.
– Employer duties: Sponsors must show robust workforce planning, including steps to train UK-based workers and proof of attempts to recruit locally first.
– Interim review: The present list is temporary; MAC is assessing salaries and caps through late 2025 and into 2026.

The government frames the TSL as a targeted tool: limited to roles where shortages are proven and where employers commit to building a homegrown pipeline. That implies more scrutiny of employers and narrower visa access than the earlier system.

Impact on applicants

For overseas workers, the TSL creates a defined route into the UK for jobs that previously fell outside Skilled Worker criteria. The main trade-offs:

• Pros:
  • Access to UK work in key sectors that need immediate expertise.
  • Opportunity to support major projects and gain UK experience.
• Cons:
  • Temporary visas without a direct path to settlement may be less attractive to those seeking long-term relocation.
  • Applicants must meet English standards and demonstrate fit with RQF 3–5 requirements.

Practical advice for applicants:
1. Check that the job title appears on the TSL shortlist.
2. Prepare documents showing experience aligned with RQF Levels 3–5.
3. Confirm English language evidence and understand the visa duration and settlement rules.
4. Consider family logistics (schooling, housing) given the temporary nature of the permission.

Impact on employers

The TSL opens a channel for roles stuck between trainee schemes and the new degree-level Skilled Worker threshold. However, the bar for sponsors is higher:

• Sponsors must provide:
  • Detailed hiring records and UK recruitment attempts.
  • Evidence that pay aligns with market rates.
  • Clear Jobs Plans for apprenticeships, upskilling, and partnerships with colleges.
• The MAC will evaluate:
  • Whether salaries meet fair levels.
  • Whether caps are needed to manage demand across the 82 occupations.

Employers should begin assembling strong documentation now:
– Job ads and interview records
– Pay benchmarking
– Training and retention plans

Weak domestic planning, the MAC warns, will count against inclusion when the final list is drawn.

Occupations included (examples)

Examples of occupations on the 2025 TSL shortlist cover logistics, construction trades, technical support, media, and data operations—jobs that keep factories running, buildings safe, and digital systems secure. Among the listed roles are:

• Managers in logistics
• Hire services managers and proprietors
• Electrical and electronics technicians
• Building and civil engineering technicians
• Database administrators and web content technicians
• Medical and dental technicians
• Authors, writers, and translators
• Actors, entertainers, and presenters
• Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
• Data analysts
• Business sales executives
• Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders, and related occupations
• Welding trades
• Pipe fitters
• Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers
• TV, video, and audio servicers and repairers
• Plumbers, heating and ventilating installers and repairers
• Carpenters and joiners
• Floorers and wall tilers

Upcoming reviews and likely outcomes

The MAC’s next report, due December 2025, is expected to address salary thresholds and potential caps within the TSL to ensure wages do not fall below sustainable levels and to control inflows into certain roles.

• Employers relying on mid-skill hires should monitor the December review closely; new wage floors or caps could reshape hiring plans.
• The final TSL recommendations by July 2026 will set the long-term structure of this route and determine which of the 82 occupations remain.

What this means for policy and practice

The TSL is designed to be time-bound: bring in necessary skills for a fixed period, allow projects to continue, and push employers to train local talent to take over.

• The policy reflects ministers’ aim to lower net migration while avoiding harm to growth or major national projects.
• Success depends on employer follow-through on training and the MAC’s assessment of pay fairness and shortage depth—especially in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and large-scale infrastructure.

Immediate steps recommended:
– Employers: strengthen evidence bases and workforce plans; assemble Jobs Plans and recruitment records now.
– Applicants: prepare English-language proof, gather RQF-aligned documentation, and confirm job titles are on the shortlist.

Employers and applicants can consult official UK government pages for sponsor licensing, English language standards, and MAC publications. For authoritative background on the committee’s role and reports, visit the Migration Advisory Committee: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee.

As of October 2025, the TSL provides a practical option for employers who have struggled to fill mid-skill roles since the move to RQF Level 6 took effect. The MAC’s second-phase analysis—checking shortage depth, pay fairness, and employer training credibility—will decide which of the 82 occupations stay on the list in 2026.

The government has made clear the TSL is not a shortcut to long-term migration. Its logic is time-limited: bring in skills, keep the economy moving, and train local talent to take over. Whether that balance holds will depend on employer action and labour market trends.

For now, the message to both sides is straightforward:
– Employers should strengthen recruitment and training plans.
– Prospective applicants should prepare for the English requirement, accept the temporary visa nature, and confirm job listing status.
– All should track the December 2025 salary/caps report and the July 2026 final list to understand the long-term direction of this mid-skill route.