Stage 1 report for Temporary Shortage List published
Today (9 October 2025), the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published the Stage 1 report on its review of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL).
The report concludes Stage 1 of the MAC’s review and provides recommendations on which RQF 3-5 occupations should move on to Stage 2 – call for evidence.
The publication considered the terms and conditions which should apply to visa grants using the TSL and their context within the Immigration White Paper (IWP).
The review lists 82 RQF 3-5 occupations identified as potentially crucial to delivering the Industrial Strategy and critical infrastructure to take forward into Stage 2, a Call for Evidence (CfE). The health and care occupations featuring in the list include:
- SOC 3111 – laboratory technicians
- SOC 3213 – medical and dental technicians
Other roles, such as SOC 6131 nursing auxiliaries and assistants and SOC 3212 pharmaceutical technicians, were not featured in the list. Currently, these roles have temporary access to the immigration system through the Immigration Salary List (ISL), which will be phased out by December 2026.
The report outlines recommendations and other aspects the government should consider when creating the TSL, including:
- The default duration for an occupation to be added to the TSL to be three years, but may be for shorter (18 months) if initial job plans lack detail.
- Visa durations could be between three-five years, but do not recommend renewals beyond five years if the government decides the TSL not to be a route to settlement.
- Supports in country switching to higher-skilled (RQF 6+) roles within the Skilled Worker route.
- No recommendations on settlement rights, sponsorship models, fees, or cap mechanisms. The report outlines considerations for the Home Office and to continue to explore alternative sponsorship models, and have different views on a reintroduction of the Resident Labour Market Test.
- A new entrant discount is not appropriate.
- Maintain Immigration Health Surcharge fees, with no salary discounts such as new entrant. The IWP has already ruled out dependants for the TSL.
The MAC will shortly be launching Stage 2 of their review (the CfE), although no exact timings were given. NHS Employers will be submitting as response to the CfE on behalf of employers. Key aspects that the MAC will be looking at during Stage 2 are:
- whether the occupations are in shortage and have an ambitious Jobs Plan in place, including a skills strategy
- a plan to work with the Department for Work and Pensions on a domestic labour strategy
- steps to manage the risk of exploitation, particularly of migrant workers.
The MAC will publish the Stage 2 report in July 2026 which will include its final recommendations on which occupations should be on the TSL.
The Stage 1 report can be read on the GOV.UK website.
The MAC is also due to publish its recommendations on salary thresholds for the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Visa in December 2025. The setting of new salary thresholds for RQF 3-5 occupations on the TSL will be a key part of both the salary thresholds and TSL reviews.
If you would like to get involved, please complete an expression of interest to our International Recruitment Network or email internationalrecruitment@nhsconfed.org.
