Migration Advisory Committee outlines design of Temporary Shortage List and shortlists 82 jobs from actors to welders

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) yesterday published the first stage of its review into how the UK's new Temporary Shortage List (TSL) for migrant workers should work.

Image credit: WikipediaYou can read the report online here or download the 27-page PDF version here.

The TSL was proposed in the Government's Immigration White Paper published in May and it was introduced into the Immigration Rules in July 2025, albeit in interim form until the MAC's full review is completed next year. The list is intended to replace the existing Immigration Salary List and provides a route for certain skilled workers to fill jobs at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) levels 3-5 where there are genuine labour shortages.

MAC's Stage 1 report sets out recommendations on how the TSL should be structured and identifies a group of occupations to be more fully considered for inclusion on the list, based on their potential significance to the Government's Industrial Strategy and the delivery of critical infrastructure.

Professor Brian Bell, chair of the MAC, explained in the report's covering letter: "We used analysis and engagement with government sector experts to identify 82 occupations we plan to progress to Stage 2 of the review. This list of 82 occupations will be subject to further tests to be recommended for inclusion on the TSL at the end of Stage 2: whether the occupations are in shortage and whether they have ambitious Workforce Strategies (now referred to as Jobs Plans) in place, including a skills strategy, a plan to work with the Department for Work and Pensions on a domestic labour strategy, and steps to manage the risk of exploitation, particularly of migrant workers."

To identify which jobs might qualify for inclusion on the TSL, the MAC analysed 151 occupations at level RQF 3-5 and assessed how many were crucial to prioritised sectors, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital and technology, life sciences, defence, financial services, creative industries, and key infrastructure. Occupations were considered crucial if at least half of their workers were employed within these areas, or if sector experts provided evidence of their importance. The full list of the 82 occupations – from actors through to welders – can be read below.

In terms of the overall design of the Temporary Shortage List, MAC's report sets out a number of key recommendations, which it says are aimed at ensuring the list is both effective in addressing labour shortages and carefully controlled to prevent long-term dependence on migrant labour.

First, the Committee recommends that occupations added to the TSL should typically remain on the list for three years, which would allow enough time for sectors to address short-term shortages while monitoring labour market developments. In cases where sector "Jobs Plans" (the strategies employers outline to train and recruit domestic workers) are incomplete or still developing, occupations may initially be added for a shorter period, but only if there is a realistic expectation of rapid improvement in domestic workforce planning. MAC says this approach balances the need to fill gaps quickly with the Government's aim of reducing reliance on overseas labour over time.

Second, the MAC advises that visa durations under the TSL should generally be between three and five years, with no automatic renewals beyond five years. This approach would be appropriate if the TSL is intended as a purely temporary route rather than a pathway to permanent settlement. However, the Committee stops short of making a firm recommendation on whether settlement should be allowed, noting that there are a range of political and policy considerations and that the Government has not yet concluded its review of broader changes to settlement rules signalled in the Immigration White Paper.

The report states: "If the government decides the TSL visa should continue to offer a path to settlement, then the length of the visa, including renewals, will need to be aligned with the duration of that pathway. If the government decides against a path to settlement, it will need to decide what visa duration strikes the right balance between providing stability to individuals and business while also influencing sectors to improve pipelines for the domestic workforce. There is no perfect data-driven answer to the question of optimal visa length in this scenario, although we suggest that a visa duration of 3-5 years may enable employers to attract workers and reduce the disruption of frequent employee turnover, while also providing reasonable timelines for employers to invest in domestic skills."

The Committee also supports allowing in-country switching to higher-skilled (RQF Level 6 or above) roles within the Skilled Worker route, providing opportunities for progression and career development for temporary migrant workers.

In its third key recommendation, the Committee recommends setting a minimum English language requirement of B1. The MAC says this threshold would be high enough to reduce the likelihood of exploitation and abuse because individuals would be better placed to understand their employment rights.

Fourth, the MAC stresses the need for simplicity and flexibility in the design of the TSL. It notes that while the report does not make formal recommendations on settlement rights, sponsorship models, fees, or cap mechanisms, the various considerations outlined are intended to inform the Home Office's final decisions.

The Committee, for example, does not recommend any immediate change from the Skilled Worker sponsorship model, but it calls on the Home Office to explore alternative sponsorship models for the TSL, particularly for occupations vulnerable to abuse or exploitation. A cap on numbers is not considered feasible, with the MAC stating: "We do not think it is viable to try to set a cap according to the optimal or required number of migrants that are needed in an occupation. Such a cap would be incredibly hard to set, with any estimates for occupational demand provided for the purpose of Jobs Plans likely to be extremely uncertain and impacted by broader economic factors. The number employed in a given occupation is not fixed and can be volatile due to unexpected shifts in supply and demand."

The MAC notes that specific additions to the list could be considered for different nations of the UK, though only under stringent operational and policy criteria. The Committee further notes its members had differing views on whether a reintroduction of a Resident Labour Market Test could support the Government's objectives of incentivising domestic recruitment in TSL occupations. On salary thresholds for the TSL, the MAC says these should be set at least as high as they are on the Skilled Worker route. Salary discounts are not recommended. A detailed report on salary thresholds and discounts will be published by the MAC later this year.

Finally, the MAC recognises that the White Paper and recent changes to the Immigration Rules rule out workers in TSL occupations from being able to bring their dependants to the UK. While the Committee does not comment further on this, it notes this would likely dissuade workers in RQF 6+ roles in the Skilled Worker route from switching to the TSL, should the Government decide to allow in-country switching.

Stage 2 of the MAC's review will run until next summer. During this period, the MAC will collect more evidence from employers and sector bodies and examine industry Jobs Plans that show how they intend to train and recruit more UK workers over time. The MAC's Stage 2 report, delivering its final recommendations on which occupations should appear on the TSL, will be published in July 2026.

The full list of 82 occupations that MAC plans to progress to Stage 2 of the review follows below: