The Temporary Shortage List was introduced as part of major reform to the Immigration Rules on 22 July 2025. 

The TSL is under review

Also in July this year, the Home Office commissioned the MAC to review the TSL. The MAC has approached this task in two stages. 

• The stage one report looks at the design of the TSL and identifies which medium‑skilled occupations should be progressed to stage two, to be considered for potential inclusion on the list. 

• A stage two report will produce a final list of recommended occupations that have been assessed as being in shortage, and for which an existing or new jobs plan (workforce plan) is in place. The report is expected to be completed by July 2026 following a call for evidence (which is open for contributions). 

Recommendations on TSL design

The MAC’s key recommendations for TSL design are as follows:

• The default duration for an occupation to be added to the list should be three years. In cases of weak justification for inclusion, this might be reduced to 18 months.

• Visa duration for those sponsored in TSL occupations should be between three and five years. If the government decides that the TSL will not be a route to settlement, it should not be possible to extend beyond five years. Instead, switching into a higher-skilled role within the Skilled Worker route should be encouraged.

• The English language requirement should be set no lower than B1 on the CEFR scale. This is below the general Skilled Worker B2 level due to come into force from 8 January 2026 for new applicants to the route. 

• Occupation-specific salary thresholds for TSL roles should be at least as high as for Skilled Worker, and there should be no salary discounts, such as new entrant. This opinion may be revised as part of the MAC’s broader review of Skilled Worker route salary, which is due to be delivered by the end of this year.

The MAC has not made formal recommendations on settlement rights, sponsorship models, fees, or placing a cap on numbers, but stresses the need for simplicity and flexibility in design of the TSL and indicates that the Home Office should explore alternatives to the current sponsorship model. For example, the Home Office may consider umbrella or scheme‑operator models for sectors with high self‑employment, very small employers, or higher exploitation risk (notably construction). 

The MAC has kept open the option of nation-specific additions to the TSL but indicated that there would be a high bar for inclusion due to operational and policy risks. The reintroduction of a resident labour market test is also not ruled out, but this would be a matter for the government to decide.

As the government has already ruled out Skilled Workers in TSL occupations being able to bring dependants, the MAC has made no further recommendation on this.

Shortlist of occupation codes to include on the TSL

The MAC has reviewed the current list of occupations considered by the Home Office to be medium-skilled and considers that 82 occupations should progress to stage two for potential inclusion on the updated TSL. 

These cover a broad range of technician roles across engineering, IT and dentistry, as well as artists and other creative roles, associate professionals and tradespersons. For the full list, click here. 

As part of the review process, the MAC has recommended:

• Downgrading 29 occupations to RQF level 1 to 2, making them ineligible for any Skilled Worker sponsorship, even via the TSL. 

• Downgrading four occupations currently treated as level RQF 6+ to RQF 3-5, taking them out of the scope of general Skilled Worker sponsorship, but potentially leaving them eligible for TSL consideration. 

• Promoting one occupation, ‘2455 Construction project managers and related professionals’, to RQF 6 for the purpose of the immigration system, making it eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship without the need to rely on the TSL. 

What happens next?

The list of occupations progressing to stage two will be subject to further review, including whether they are in shortage and have an ambitious jobs plan in place, including a skills strategy and steps to manage the risk of exploitation. Ultimately, the MAC expects the final list at the end of stage two to be shorter than the shortlisted 82.

Stage two of the review is underway. The call for evidence opened on 17 October 2025 and closes on 2 February 2026. Only two groups are eligible to participate – government organisations and sector representative bodies. Employers with evidence to share on the occupations within scope of stage 2 should respond to the consultation by contacting the relevant sector contact, or through the representative body for their industry. For further information, see our article.

Stage two will conclude in July 2026, when the MAC intends to publish its recommendations on occupations to be included on the final version of the TSL. Immigration Rules implementing a revised TSL and abolishing the Immigration Salary List are due to be in place by 31 December 2026 at the latest.

Reminder: what is the TSL?

The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) is a time-bound list of medium-skilled occupations at levels 3-5 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). These occupations are temporarily eligible for sponsorship in the Skilled Worker route to address labour shortages in sectors or industries deemed crucial to government’s Industrial Strategy and growth agenda. Since the occupations on this list are deemed to be below graduate skill level (RQF level 6), they would not otherwise be eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.

Reminder: who is the MAC?

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is an independent, non-departmental public body that advises the UK government on migration policy. The MAC will often engage external stakeholders to obtain evidence, which helps shape their view, and then they’ll compile a report of recommendations.

Need further information?

We’ll be covering this topic and more at our upcoming Immigration Law Academy, which is being held in-person at our London office on 5 November 2025. Click here for further information and to book. If you have any queries about the Temporary Shortage List, please contact a member of our immigration team.