The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published its Temporary Shortage List (TSL) Stage 2 Report, setting out its final recommendations on which occupations should receive temporary access to overseas recruitment under the Government’s new immigration framework.
The report represents an important shift in the UK’s approach to skilled migration.
Rather than focusing solely on whether employers are experiencing recruitment difficulties, the MAC has made clear that labour shortages alone will no longer justify continued access to overseas workers. Instead, sectors seeking inclusion on the Temporary Shortage List must demonstrate that they are actively investing in the UK workforce and reducing long-term dependence on migrant labour.
Although the Government is not legally required to adopt the MAC’s recommendations, the report is expected to play an important role in shaping future Skilled Worker policy, Sponsor Licence compliance and workforce planning.
What is the Temporary Shortage List?
The Temporary Shortage List is a new immigration mechanism introduced following the Government’s 2025 Immigration White Paper.
Unlike the previous Immigration Salary List, the Temporary Shortage List is intended to provide time-limited access to overseas recruitment for selected occupations below graduate level where migration is considered necessary to support the UK’s Industrial Strategy or critical national infrastructure.
The policy has a different objective from previous shortage occupation lists.
Rather than offering an ongoing immigration concession, it is designed to provide employers with temporary support while sectors strengthen domestic recruitment and training.
In other words, the Temporary Shortage List is intended to bridge workforce shortages, not replace long-term investment in UK workers.
A Significant Change in Immigration Policy
One of the strongest messages throughout the report is that the Government expects immigration and workforce planning to operate together.
Historically, evidence of recruitment difficulties was often sufficient to support arguments for overseas recruitment.
The MAC has now made clear that this is no longer enough.
Before recommending an occupation for inclusion on the Temporary Shortage List, the Committee expects evidence that the relevant sector has a credible workforce strategy capable of reducing future reliance on migration.
Jobs Plans Are Now Central to TSL Access
A key feature of the new system is the introduction of Jobs Plans.
These plans are intended to demonstrate how sectors will strengthen the domestic labour market while temporary migration continues.
The MAC assessed whether Jobs Plans:
- identified the underlying causes of labour shortages
- proposed realistic and measurable actions
- linked those actions directly to the causes of shortages
- demonstrated how reliance on overseas recruitment would reduce over time
- considered risks such as worker exploitation
The Committee repeatedly emphasised that generic commitments to improve skills were insufficient. Instead, it expects targeted, occupation-specific actions supported by evidence.
Four Tests Every Occupation Must Pass
The MAC applied four sequential tests before recommending an occupation for inclusion on the Temporary Shortage List.
1. Is the occupation genuinely in shortage?
The Committee considered labour market evidence, recruitment data, stakeholder submissions and wider economic information to determine whether shortages currently exist or are likely to develop.
2. Is there a credible Jobs Plan?
The MAC examined whether the proposed actions would realistically increase the domestic workforce and address the specific causes of labour shortages.
3. Are there unacceptable exploitation risks?
The Committee considered whether increased overseas recruitment could expose migrant workers to exploitation or abuse.
4. Is temporary migration the appropriate solution?
Finally, the MAC assessed whether temporary immigration was the correct response after considering all available evidence.
Only occupations satisfying all four tests were recommended for inclusion.
Many Jobs Plans Were Not Strong Enough
One of the report’s most striking findings is that many sectors failed to provide sufficiently detailed workforce strategies.
The MAC found that several Jobs Plans:
- focused on broad sector-level trends rather than occupation-specific evidence
- did not clearly identify the drivers of labour shortages
- failed to link proposed actions to the occupations experiencing shortages
- provided little detail on how actions would be delivered or monitored
- gave limited information about the likely scale or impact of the proposed measures
The Committee stated that future reviews will expect considerably stronger evidence than was available during this exercise.
Temporary Access Rather Than Permanent Inclusion
The MAC has recommended that many occupations should receive 18 months of Temporary Shortage List access rather than a longer period.
This shorter period is intended to allow sectors to strengthen their Jobs Plans before further consideration.
The Committee also proposes reviewing improved Jobs Plans before extending access beyond the initial period.
This demonstrates that inclusion on the Temporary Shortage List should not be viewed as permanent.
Which Occupations Were Recommended?
The MAC has recommended 28 occupations for temporary access to overseas recruitment, generally for an initial period of 18 months. These include a range of technical, construction, engineering and digital roles that support the Government’s Industrial Strategy and critical infrastructure priorities.
Recommended occupations include:
- Electrical and electronics technicians
- Engineering technicians
- Planning, process and production technicians
- Building and civil engineering technicians
- CAD, drawing and architectural technicians
- Sheet metal workers
- Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations
- Welding trades
- Metal machining setters and setter-operators
- Metal working production and maintenance fitters
- Boat and ship builders and repairers
- Pipe fitters
- Electricians and electrical fitters
- Telecoms and related network installers and repairers
- Electrical and electronic trades not elsewhere classified
- Ship and hovercraft officers
- Bricklayers
- Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
- Plumbers, heating and ventilating installers and repairers
- Carpenters and joiners
- Construction and building trades (building envelope specialists and curtain wall installers)
- Plasterers
- Floorers and wall tilers
- Painters and decorators
- Construction and building trades supervisors
- Chemical and related process operatives
The report also recommends that 18 occupations should not receive Temporary Shortage List access, either because evidence of labour shortages was insufficient or because the accompanying Jobs Plans did not provide a credible strategy for developing the domestic workforce.
What Does This Mean for Employers?
For UK employers, the report signals a broader shift in immigration policy.
Recruitment challenges alone are unlikely to justify continued overseas recruitment in the future.
Businesses operating within sectors that rely on Skilled Worker sponsorship should expect increasing scrutiny of:
- workforce planning
- recruitment practices
- staff retention
- training programmes
- apprenticeship investment
- long-term skills development
Immigration compliance is becoming increasingly linked to broader employment strategy rather than simply meeting visa requirements.
Sponsor Licence Holders Should Prepare Now
Although the Government has not yet confirmed whether it will accept every MAC recommendation, Sponsor Licence holders should begin preparing now.
Employers should consider:
- reviewing current recruitment difficulties
- assessing reliance on sponsored workers
- strengthening training and development programmes
- documenting workforce planning initiatives
- retaining evidence of domestic recruitment efforts
- monitoring future Home Office announcements
Businesses that can demonstrate long-term investment in the UK workforce are likely to be better placed if future immigration policies increasingly require evidence beyond immediate labour shortages.
Government Has Not Yet Made Its Final Decision
It is important to remember that the Migration Advisory Committee is an independent advisory body.
Its recommendations do not automatically become immigration law.
The Government will now consider the report before deciding:
- which occupations will ultimately appear on the Temporary Shortage List
- whether all recommendations will be accepted
- how long access should remain available
- how future reviews will operate
Until the Government publishes its formal response, the recommendations remain advisory rather than binding.
Final Thoughts
The Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 Report demonstrates that the UK’s immigration system is moving towards a more strategic model in which migration policy, workforce development and industrial planning are increasingly interconnected.
For employers, the message is clear. Access to overseas recruitment will increasingly depend not only on demonstrating labour shortages but also on showing genuine investment in recruiting, training and retaining workers within the UK.
As the Government considers the MAC’s recommendations, employers, Sponsor Licence holders and migrant workers should closely monitor further announcements. The outcome will help shape the future operation of the Skilled Worker route and the Temporary Shortage List in the years ahead.
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