UK’s Migration Advisory Committee Recommends Occupations for Reformed Shortage List

On 23 July 2026, the UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published the results of the second stage of its review of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL). Having been commissioned by the UK government to undertake this review in July 2025, this most recent publication concludes a review examining the structure of the TSL going forward and the occupations to be included on a future list.

In July 2025, the skills threshold for Skilled Worker visa applicants increased from an occupation skills level of RQF level 3 (equivalent to A Levels) to RQF level 6 (degree level). The skills threshold relates to the skill level of the occupation for which they are sponsored, rather than the qualifications held by the individual.

This change means that “medium skilled” occupations (i.e., those assessed as RQF levels 3-5) ceased to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route unless an exception applied, with inclusion on the TSL being one such exception.

At its inception in July 2025, the government stated that the TSL would allow “time-limited” and “conditional” access to the Skilled Worker route for certain medium skilled occupations identified as important for the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. Reflecting the temporary nature of the list, the TSL was introduced with an expiration date for sponsorship for listed occupations of 31 December 2026, with the MAC commissioned to advise on which occupations should retain inclusion on the list.

When commissioning the MAC to undertake this review, the government set out a criterion for ongoing inclusion on the TSL which included whether the occupation was in shortage and if there was a credible plan in place to increase the training and use of the domestic workforce.

The government hoped that this change, and the requirement for sectorial Jobs Plans outlining steps to increase domestic training in exchange for TSL access, would reduce reliance on migrant workers, with labour demand instead being met domestically. The MAC adopted a two-stage approach to this review, as set out below.

MAC’S STAGE 1 REVIEW

It its review published on 9 October 2025 the MAC identified 82 occupations as potentially crucial to prioritised sectors (i.e., Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services) and the delivery of critical infrastructure.

The MAC made several design recommendations, including:

• Occupations should be included on the TSL for initial periods of up to three years, after which their continued inclusion is to be reviewed against sector Jobs Plans.
• TSL visas should be issued for periods of between three to five years, but no firm recommendation was made on whether time spent as a TSL visa holder should count toward qualifying residence periods for indefinite-leave-to-remain applications.
• The discounted salary option for “new entrants” should not apply to those sponsored for a TSL visa.

MAC’S STAGE 2 REVIEW

As part of this review, the MAC recommended that 28 occupations be included on the future list, fewer than the current TSL’s 52 occupations.

The MAC concluded that none of the Jobs Plans submitted by the relevant government sector leads was sufficiently robust to justify including any of the 28 occupations on the TSL for the full three-year period. It therefore recommended granting all 28 occupations access to the TSL for 18 months instead.

Occupations recommended for inclusion were spread across the Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Digital and Technology, and critical infrastructure industries.

Occupations relevant to the Financial Services and Professional Business Services sectors were included in these recommendations to a lesser extent, possibly owing to these sectors not submitting Jobs Plans, which the MAC interpreted as a conscious decision based on the need for TSL access or the likelihood of such occupations meeting the criteria for TSL inclusion.

Accordingly, many such occupations—including legal and HR professionals, insurance underwriters, marketing professionals, and financial and accounting technicians—have not been recommended for inclusion in a future TSL.

Many occupations in the creative sector, including artists, authors, actors, and designers, have also not been recommended for inclusion in a future TSL. Alternative immigration routes for such individuals may be available, such as the Creative Worker and Global Talent routes, the latter of which was recently expanded to include a design pathway.

The MAC did consider that skilled ballet and contemporary dancers, as well as skilled orchestral musicians, should be included in the standard Skilled Worker route (outside of the TSL provisions). Such an approach would allow these roles to benefit from differential treatment akin to that which they currently receive from inclusion on the current Immigration Salary List (also due to expire on 31 December 2026), however, they would no longer benefit from a reduced salary requirement.

LOOKING AHEAD AND ACTIONS EMPLOYERS SHOULD TAKE

Whilst the government has not yet indicated which, if any, of the MAC’s recommendations it is likely to accept and implement, the review does suggest a more restrictive approach to sponsoring medium skilled roles.

With the current TSL due to expire on 31 December, the government will have to decide which occupations will be granted continued inclusion over the coming months.

Ahead of this decision, employers should take the following steps to prepare:

• Reviewing their current population of migrant workers to identify those sponsored in medium skilled roles and bring forward applications where possible to ensure submission before 31 December 2026
• Extending sponsorship durations for medium skilled roles where possible to guard against the possibility that roles will be removed from the TSL, which would prevent future extensions (at present, individuals can be sponsored for up to five years in a medium skilled role)
• Identifying alternative immigration routes for impacted occupation codes where migrant workers are required