Executive answer
On 23 July 2026, the UK's Migration Advisory Committee recommended a Temporary Shortage List of just 28 occupations — only 20 of the 52 on the interim list survived, joined by 8 new additions — every one of them for just 18 months (January 2027 to June 2028), none for the standard three-year cycle. Data and digital-infrastructure roles, engineering technicians and construction trades survived; HR, legal support, marketing, sales and creative occupations were cut. The government hasn't yet said whether it accepts the advice, and the interim list expires on 31 December 2026. Since July 2025 the Skilled Worker baseline sits at degree level (RQF 6), which makes the TSL the only below-degree route into the UK — and makes those 32 removals a bigger story than the word "temporary" suggests.
Why one list carries this much weight
The UK didn't ban mid-skilled migration; it funnelled all of it through a single exception valve. No TSL listing at RQF 3–5, no sponsorship. That's the design. So when the MAC trims the valve by nearly half and puts an 18-month fuse on the remainder, it isn't adjusting a technicality — it's deciding which careers still have a UK route at all.
Who survived, who didn't
The recommended 28 cluster where the MAC sees measurable, delivery-critical shortage: data analysts and related roles, network and infrastructure technicians, engineering technicians across several specialisations, and the construction trades tied to housing and infrastructure targets. The removals read like a message: functions with adequate domestic supply — HR, legal support, marketing, sales, creative — lose the exception.
By SOC code, the recommended list includes: data analysts (3544), database administrators and web content technicians (3133), telecoms and related network installers and repairers (5242), electrical and electronics technicians (3112), engineering technicians (3113), electricians and electrical fitters (5241), bricklayers (5313), carpenters and joiners (5316), plumbers and heating-and-ventilating installers (5315), and construction and building trades supervisors (5330). Eight of the 28 were not on the interim list at all — new additions the MAC judged to be in genuine shortage.
Three clocks, in order of urgency
31 December 2026 — the interim list dies. Cut occupations lose below-degree sponsorship unless ministers intervene.
The government's decision — date unknown. The MAC recommends; ministers dispose. Full acceptance, partial, or additions are all live possibilities, which means the 28 are provisional until announced.
June 2028 — even survivors must re-justify their place after 18 months. This list is a bridge, not a home.
If your occupation survived
Move inside the window. An 18-month listing rewards the applicant whose sponsorship, English and salary file is ready the day the list activates in January 2027. Treat June 2028 as a hard horizon, not a renewal you can assume.
If it was cut: the honest Plan B
The UK closing a mid-skilled door doesn't mean everyone did — several systems are moving the opposite way, in the same season.
Trades and technicians: New Zealand's new Trades & Technician residence pathway (from 24 August 2026) is built for precisely the profiles the UK is dropping — Level 4+ qualification, four years' experience (including 18 months of it worked in New Zealand at or above the median wage, so the residence pathway follows a work visa rather than replacing one). Experienced professionals without degrees: NZ's Skilled Work Experience pathway, or Canada's category-based Express Entry draws, which target occupation groups rather than credentials. Roles with EU demand: Germany's Opportunity Card runs on points where experience and language can outweigh degree level.
Already in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in a cut occupation? Your existing sponsorship continues on its own terms — the change bites new applications. Confirm your renewal position with your sponsor now, in writing, not in December.
Check your occupation in the WhereToEmigrate quiz
One pass tells you whether you fit the surviving UK list, the new NZ pathways, or a points route in Canada or Germany — and the personalised report ranks them by your salary reality and timeline.
Get Your Free Verdict →Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 28-occupation list final?
No. It's the MAC's recommendation of 23 July 2026; the government decides — and hasn't yet.
What happens on 31 December 2026?
The interim list expires. Without government action, cut occupations lose the below-degree Skilled Worker route.
I already hold a Skilled Worker visa in a cut occupation — am I affected?
Existing sponsorship continues under its terms; the change hits new applications. Verify your renewal position with your sponsor.
What are the alternatives if my role was cut?
New Zealand's trades and experience pathways (from 24 Aug 2026), Canada's category draws, Germany's Chancenkarte — run your occupation across all three before waiting on a ministerial decision you don't control.
Official sources
- Migration Advisory Committee — Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (published 23 July 2026) — gov.uk — last re-checked 2026-08-01
- Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 6.1A (Temporary Shortage List — certificate of sponsorship must be issued before 31 December 2026) — gov.uk — last re-checked 2026-08-01
- Skilled Worker visa: your job (degree-level default; medium-skilled jobs only via the immigration salary list or temporary shortage list) — gov.uk — last re-checked 2026-08-01
- Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Category changes effective 24 August 2026 (Trades & Technician and Skilled Work Experience residence pathways) — immigration.govt.nz — last re-checked 2026-08-01
The government's response to the MAC recommendation is pending; this article will be updated on announcement. Figures are compiled from official government sources and re-checked on a rolling basis. Always confirm on the official page before applying.
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About the author
António Mira is the founder of whereTOemigrate. For over a decade he has worked at the intersection of Portuguese real estate and overseas business, helping international clients navigate the cross-border decisions that come with relocating. He sits on the board of CCIAP (Portuguese-Arab Chamber of Commerce), the Portuguese-Saudi Business Council, and the Portugal-Hong Kong Business Association — always with one focus: enabling overseas business and human mobility into and out of Portugal.
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