The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published findings from the first stage of its 12-month review of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL). The review, commissioned in July 2025, provides recommendations to the Government on the design and scope of the TSL, together with a list of occupations that should proceed to Stage 2 for further consideration.
This review stems from the government’s Immigration White Paper of May 12, 2025, which outlined various measures the Government intended to implement to reduce net migration while aligning immigration with labor market policy and delivery of the UK’s Industrial Strategy.
Key changes (which have mostly now been implemented) included:
- Raising the Skilled Worker skills threshold to RQF Level 6,
- Replacing the Immigration Salary List with a new TSL,
- Increasing English language requirements, ending overseas recruitment for adult social care, and uprating salary thresholds
What is the Temporary Shortage List?
The TSL gives time-limited access to the immigration system for mid-skilled (RQF 3–5) occupations that are considered to be both a) in long-term shortage, and b) crucial to the delivery of the Industrial Strategy or the building of critical infrastructure. As an additional requirement for inclusion, sectors must pursue ‘Jobs Plans’ to maximize the use of the domestic workforce and manage exploitation risks. There is a two-staged approach to the review, and this first-stage document discusses the ‘crucial to Industrial Strategy / critical infrastructure’ test and the MAC’s focused interpretation of ‘critical infrastructure’ as construction and related professional inputs needed to build (not operate) infrastructure.
Interim arrangements for the TSL, introduced in July 2025, were in effect while Stage 1 of the review was being undertaken. These comprised an expanded Immigration Salary List and an interim TSL. Both lists are currently set to expire on December 31, 2026.
Recommendations in relation to policy design and the terms and conditions of the TSL.
On policy design, the MAC has proposed:
- Occupations should ordinarily be on the TSL for three years, with a full review conducted every three years.
- Where sector Jobs Plans are initially thin, a shorter first grant of up to 18 months could be used before any extension to the three-year default.
- The visa duration for individuals should be in the region of three to five years.
- The MAC did not make a firm recommendation on settlement—setting out arguments either way—but was supportive of allowing in-country switching to RQF 6+ Skilled Worker roles to encourage progression.
- The English language threshold should be no lower than B1.
- Fees should be at least aligned with the Skilled Worker route, and there should be no salary discounts (including no new-entrant discount).
- Occupation-specific thresholds on the TSL should be at least as high as on the Skilled Worker route, with a general threshold set to ensure a minimum standard of living (to be finalized alongside the salary review). The default sponsorship model would remain Skilled Worker-style employer sponsorship, though the MAC suggested that the Home Office should explore alternative models, such as scheme-operator models, for sectors with many small employers, high self-employment, or higher exploitation risk (for example, parts of the construction industry).
The MAC expressed skepticism to attempts to impose numerical caps. Instead, it suggested that any overall cap or trigger thresholds be used cautiously as a blunt safeguard. It also stated that a nation-specific TSL would remain possible but would face a high evidential and operational bar.
The MAC recorded differing internal views on the efficacy of reintroducing a Resident Labor Market Test for TSL occupations.
The MAC also noted that a restriction on the ability of RQF 3–5 applicants to be accompanied by dependants was also addressed by the Government as part of the July 2025 Immigration Rules changes.
Stage 2 of the review.
In total, the MAC selected 82 occupations to progress for further review as part of Stage 2. The full list is provided in Table 2.2 of its report.
Stage 2 of the review will be driven by a Call for Evidence and will run to July 2026, when the MAC is expected to publish its final report setting out final recommendations for the occupations that should be included on the TSL.
Occupations that wish to be considered for inclusion on the eventual TSL must be in shortage and be embedded within Jobs Plans developed by sector experts in government, in collaboration with industry, as part of the Industrial Strategy architecture. Jobs Plans are sectoral workforce strategies that set out concrete measures to maximize use of the domestic workforce and investment in training and skills. They must also demonstrate commitment to work with DWP on a domestic labor strategy, show how exploitation risks (particularly for migrants) will be managed, and be sufficiently ambitious.
The MAC, working with the Labor Market Evidence Group and skills bodies, will scrutinize Jobs Plans alongside quantitative indicators of shortage and context (including historic immigration use, trends in employee volumes, vacancy rates relative to workforce size, hours, earnings, vacancy types, and employee-satisfaction proxies).
The MAC will only recommend inclusion on the TSL at Stage 2 if:
- An occupation is in shortage,
- Migration is a sensible part of the response to that shortage, and
- The Jobs Plan is credible.
The Committee expressly anticipates that it will recommend a shorter list than the current 82 occupations for the revised TSL .
What this means for you?
We strongly encourage employers to engage with the Migration Advisory Committee as part of the Call for Evidence that will be undertaken as part of the Stage 2 review. The MAC expects to launch this process shortly, and they will be requesting Jobs Plans as a key aspect of the Call for Evidence. Therefore, we also recommend employers provide feedback to the Government and their relevant industry bodies to contribute to the relevant Job Plans.
You can find the full report published by the Migration Advisory Committee here.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.
