If your business recruits overseas workers for medium-skilled roles, the Migration Advisory Committee is expected to publish its final Temporary Shortage List recommendations in July 2026. The government will then decide which occupations should continue to have access to the Skilled Worker route.
The current interim arrangements are time-limited. Unless the Immigration Rules change, Temporary Shortage List applications must use a Certificate of Sponsorship issued before 31 December 2026. Employers should therefore review their recruitment plans before relying on any occupation beyond that date.
What the Temporary Shortage List is
The Temporary Shortage List, or TSL, took effect on 22 July 2025. It allows certain occupations assessed at RQF levels 3 to 5 to qualify for the Skilled Worker route, despite the general skill threshold having risen to RQF level 6.
Some medium-skilled occupations also remain eligible through the Immigration Salary List or transitional provisions. The government intends to phase out the Immigration Salary List and use the TSL as the main time-limited route for qualifying medium-skilled jobs.
The Migration Advisory Committee began its review in 2025. Its Stage 1 report identified 82 occupations for further consideration because they may be important to the Industrial Strategy or critical infrastructure. These included roles across engineering, construction, IT, design and technical services.
The Stage 2 evidence process closed on 2 February 2026. The committee is now examining whether occupations are experiencing genuine shortages, whether migration is an appropriate response and whether the relevant sectors have credible workforce strategies, known as Jobs Plans.
Why the review matters for recruitment
An occupation reaching Stage 2 does not mean it will appear on the final list. The committee has said it expects to recommend fewer than the 82 occupations initially considered.
A Jobs Plan should show how the sector intends to improve training, domestic recruitment and workforce participation while reducing exploitation risks. Continued access to overseas recruitment is therefore expected to sit alongside measurable investment in the UK workforce.
For example, an employer recruiting electrical technicians or IT support technicians should not assume that the role will remain eligible after 2026. Losing access would prevent the employer from assigning new Certificates of Sponsorship under the TSL for that occupation, unless another eligibility route or transitional provision applied.
A worker’s existing immigration permission would not normally end merely because an occupation was later removed. However, any future extension, change of employer or new application would depend on the Immigration Rules in force at that time.
Current conditions for TSL roles
Employers must check both the occupation code and the specific job description. A job title alone is not enough to establish eligibility.
The TSL does not itself provide a shortage-based salary discount. A worker will normally need to meet the applicable general salary threshold and going rate, although another valid tradeable-points option, such as the new-entrant provisions, may apply. The calculation depends on the worker’s circumstances and the relevant occupation table.
New Skilled Worker applicants must normally demonstrate English language ability at level B2. A worker whose most recent Skilled Worker permission was granted under the previous B1 requirement may continue to rely on B1 where the current rules allow it.
Workers newly sponsored in medium-skilled TSL or Immigration Salary List roles are generally unable to bring dependent partners or children. Limited exceptions apply, including for workers who have continuously held qualifying permission in a medium-skilled role since before 22 July 2025 and for certain children.
If you manage a sponsor licence, check the live Immigration Rules before assigning every CoS. You should also review your sponsor licence compliance procedures. A suspended or revoked sponsor licence could affect your entire sponsored workforce.
What employers should do now
Map each sponsored and planned vacancy to the correct SOC 2020 code. Record current visa expiry dates, anticipated extensions and recruitment deadlines. Keep evidence showing that vacancies are genuine, salaries are compliant and duties match the occupation code.
You should also prepare alternative recruitment and workforce-development plans in case an occupation is excluded from the final TSL. Reviewing your wider employer sponsor licence strategy now can reduce the risk of urgent decisions later in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Will the Temporary Shortage List become permanent?
The TSL is intended to remain time-limited. The committee has recommended a default inclusion period of 3 years, with shorter periods possible where a Jobs Plan requires improvement. Ministers will make the final decisions.
Can existing workers stay if their occupation is removed?
Their current permission should normally remain valid until it expires. Eligibility for a later extension or new sponsorship will depend on future rules and any transitional arrangements.
Talk to us before the rules change
Our sponsor licence solicitors can review your workforce plans, occupation codes and sponsorship arrangements. Get in touch with our team today for advice before the July 2026 recommendations are published.
