The Immigration White Paper (2025) increased the minimum occupation education level threshold for Skilled Worker Visa from A-level (RQF 3) to degree level (RQF 6) and introduced a Temporary Shortage List, which allows some ‘medium-skilled’ (RQF3-5) occupations to use the skilled visa route.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is advising the Home Office on the next iteration of this list by launching a call for evidence on medium-skilled occupations within areas of critical national infrastructure. They are investigating whether skills shortages exist in critical areas and if there is a need to align the required qualification levels of prospective migrants coming to the UK if they have experience/qualifications in those sectors.
Telecoms installers/repairers are one of the listed critical areas, and consequently the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) has been asked to gather evidence from our stakeholders as to whether there is indeed a skills shortage.
You can contribute by filling out this questionnaire, which provides a list of medium-skilled ocupations (RQF 3-5) and their corresponding SOC Codes for potential inclusion on the TSL and subsequently the skilled visa route. The questionnaire asks you about your experience of shortages in medium-skilled occupations, and what actions you (or others in your sector) have taken to address these shortages.
SOC codes are a standardised system developed by the Office for National Statistics to classify jobs based on skill level and job content. The immigration system operates via SOC codes, meaning all visa routes – including the Skilled Worker visa – are structured around them. This ensures consistency in how occupations are defined and assessed across government departments. To note, we are aware that SOC codes align poorly with some of the rapidly evolving roles in the digital and technologies sector. We encourage stakeholders to select the most relevant code/s. If there is ongoing uncertainty, please include that in the evidence sent to DSIT and we can consider how a role best aligns with a SOC code.
To share your views and contribute to the commission, please complete the following form by Friday 28 November: Medium-Skilled Occupations for the Temporary Shortage List Questionnaire
