Japa people

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has released a new report outlining 82 mid-skilled occupations eligible for temporary work visas under a fresh migration route designed to tackle ongoing labour shortages.

Among the occupations listed are bricklayers, fashion designers, HR officers, engineering technicians, welders, carpenters, civil engineers, photographers, translators, and logistics managers, all identified as essential to sustaining the UK’s growth ambitions.

The initiative forms part of Britain’s Temporary Shortage List which aims to attract foreign workers to fill roles vital to the country’s industrial strategy and long-term infrastructure plans. The new immigration pathway will grant visas lasting between three and five years for professionals across sectors such as engineering, logistics, health and safety, and the creative industries.

The government has described the Temporary Shortage List as a ‘narrow’ and targeted measure, offering time-limited visas for positions where domestic supply is currently insufficient.

According to the MAC, the selected roles are considered crucial to delivering the government’s industrial priorities. The list centres on eight growth-focused sectors, including defence, life sciences, and creative industries, alongside critical infrastructure development such as road construction and hospital projects.

The scheme is expected to provide short-term relief for employers grappling with persistent skills shortages while the UK continues to invest in training and upskilling its domestic workforce.

Under the new scheme, eligible workers would be granted three to five-year visas but would not have the right to settle permanently, unless future government policy changes, the MAC confirmed.

Here is the full list of occupations and job code.

1,243 Managers in logistics1,257Hire services managers and proprietors1,258Directors in consultancy services3,111Laboratory technicians3,112Electrical and electronics technicians3,113Engineering technicians3,114Building and civil engineering technicians3,115Quality assurance technicians3,116Planning, process and production technicians3,119Science, engineering and production technicians not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.)3,120CAD, drawing and architectural technicians3,131IT operations technicians3,132IT user support technicians3,133Database administrators and web content technicians3,213Medical and Dental Technicians3,411Artists3,412Authors, writers and translators3,413Actors, entertainers and presenters3,414Dancers and choreographers3,415Musicians