On 23 July 2026, the UK's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published the second-stage report of its review into the Temporary Shortage List — the mechanism that currently lets employers sponsor Skilled Worker visas for jobs that don't meet the standard degree-level or salary bar. The MAC's recommendation, if the Home Office accepts it, would shrink the list from the 52 occupations on today's interim version to just 28, and would grant even those a shorter 18-month window rather than the usual three years.
- Published
- 23 July 2026
- Occupations recommended
- 28, down from 52 on the current interim list
- Validity if adopted
- 18 months (Jan 2027 - Jun 2028), not the standard 3 years
- Status
- Recommendation only - UK government has not yet confirmed acceptance
Why this list matters for below-degree roles
Since the Skilled Worker visa rules tightened in July 2025, most new sponsorship requires a degree-level job. The Temporary Shortage List is the exception valve — it names specific occupations that can still be sponsored even without a degree requirement, because the UK has judged them to be in genuine shortage. For South Asian and Southeast Asian tradespeople — welders, electricians, carpenters, and similar roles — this list is effectively the only route into UK sponsored work while the degree-level rule stays in force.
Which trades are recommended to stay in
- Welding trades
- Electricians and electrical fitters
- Carpenters and joiners
- Bricklayers
- Plumbers and heating/ventilating installers and repairers
- Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
- Plasterers
- Pipe fitters
- Engineering technicians and electrical/electronics technicians
- Metal machining, welding and fabrication trades
- Telecoms and network installers, database administrators, and data analysts
The MAC based its picks on 46 occupations that came with government departmental "Jobs Plans" — evidence of genuine shortage, workforce-expansion efforts, and exploitation-risk safeguards. Occupations without a strong enough case, or without a Jobs Plan at all, were left off, meaning the list is narrowing rather than simply being renewed.
| Current interim list | MAC's Stage 2 recommendation | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupations covered | 52 | 28 |
| Validity period | Set case by case | 18 months (all occupations, no 3-year option) |
| Basis for inclusion | Broader shortage judgment | Departmental Jobs Plan required |
The MAC's report is a recommendation to the Home Secretary, not a rule change. The UK government has not said whether it will adopt the 28-occupation list, keep the current interim list, or set its own terms — and no date has been given for a decision. Nothing changes for applicants until the government responds.
If you work in a trade the MAC recommended keeping — welding, electrical, carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing, roofing, plastering — your route into UK sponsored work looks likely to survive, though possibly for a shorter 18-month validity window than before. If your trade isn't on this list, the below-degree sponsorship route may close once the government finalises its response. This is a recommendation, not a decision — treat any UK trade-visa plan as provisional until the Home Office confirms which occupations make the final list.
