Dancers, photographers and translators now eligible for UK work visas under new rules

The UK has expanded its Temporary Shortage List to include 82 new roles, opening fresh opportunities for overseas professionals. Find out which jobs now qualify for UK work visas and how the new rules affect applicants and employers in 2025.

On 22 July 2025, the minimum Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) threshold for a Skilled Worker visa increased to RQF Level 6. This means that only job roles considered “higher skilled” are now eligible for sponsorship. Jobs rated RQF Levels 3-5, which were previously eligible for sponsorship, no longer fall under this route. This is part of the Government’s aim to reduce net migration, increase national productivity and strengthen the UK’s economic security and resilience.

However, the Government acknowledges that there are long-term shortages in certain occupations which fall below RQF Level 6. To address these labour gaps, it introduced the Temporary Shortage List (TSL). This mechanism allows for specific “medium-skilled” jobs to remain eligible for sponsorship.

These roles have been identified by the Department for Business and Trade and His Majesty’s Treasury as essential to the UK’s Industrial Strategy and critical infrastructure. The sectors contributing to the UK’s Industrial Strategy and critical infrastructure include:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Clean Energy Industries
• Creative Industries
• Defence
• Digital and Technologies
• Financial Services
• Life Sciences
• Professional and Business services

The occupations on the TSL are currently set to expire on 31 December 2026. In the meantime, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) — an independent body that advises the Home Office on migration issues — has been commissioned to carry out an in-depth review of the TSL. This review will focus on:

• Identifying which occupations are crucial to the delivery of the Industrial Strategy or critical infrastructure.
• Determining which of those occupations identified as crucial should be included on the TSL.
• Reviewing the terms and conditions of the TSL visa.

On 9 October 2025, the MAC released Stage 1 of a two-part report. Stage 2, due in July 2026, will include their final recommendations on the TSL. These recommendations will establish, among other things, which jobs will remain eligible for sponsorship.

Which new jobs have been identified as crucial

The MAC has identified 82 occupations within the scope of RFQ Levels 3-5 as potentially crucial. Examples include:

• Authors, writers and translators (SOC 3412)
• Dancers and choreographers (SOC 3414)
• Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators (SOC 3417)
• Clothing, fashion and accessories designers (SOC 3422)

A full list of eligible occupations is available online.

Other takeaways from the Stage 1 report

The report released by the MAC contains several other recommendations on different aspects of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL):

• With the current TSL due to expire at the end of 2026, the MAC recommends that future lists should have a duration of no more than three years, with certain jobs on the list having shorter validity periods. The committee argues that a three-year period provides the best balance of flexibility in assessing labour market conditions and sufficient time for sectors to progress their Job Plans.
• At present, time spent in the UK on a TSL visa does not lead to settlement. The MAC has not made any formal recommendations on this matter. Employees should bear in mind that if they wish to eventually settle in the UK, they must switch to a Skilled Worker visa in a role classified at RFQ Level 6 or higher.
• Similar to the Skilled Worker visa route, standard going rates have been set for occupations on the TSL, which constitute the minimum salary an employee must be paid to be eligible for sponsorship. Both visa routes currently offer salary discounts in certain circumstances. The MAC recommends that these discounts should not be applied to TSL applicants, as the underlying aim of the TSL is to assist employers dealing with short-term shortages rather than providing workers with a route to enter the UK workforce.
• Currently, applicants for Work visas must prove they can read, write and speak English at a B1 level. In the May Immigration White Paper, the Home Office proposed to increase this requirement. The MAC, however, suggests that increasing the standard could be unrealistic for TSL roles that fall below RQF Level 6, and recommends keeping the requirement for TSL applicants at B1. Nevertheless, on 14 October 2025, the Government announced that migrants will be required to meet an A-level equivalent standard of English. This change will come into force from 8 January 2026.

Individuals seeking to sponsor or be sponsored under the TSL should familiarise themselves with the report and the recommendations made by the MAC, as they provide an insight into how the TSL may function in the future. The Home Office retains the right to terminate the current TSL before its set expiry date of 31 December 2026.

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on all UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

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