Overview

• The MAC released a preliminary list of 82 below‑degree occupations that could gain temporary access to the immigration system, subject to further screening.
• Candidate roles include artists, authors, actors, dancers and photographers alongside bricklayers, welders, carpenters, HR officers, health and safety managers and IT staff.
• The exemptions are intended to be narrow and focused on roles deemed essential to the government’s growth sectors or the delivery of critical infrastructure.
• Any listing would be time‑limited to a maximum of three years and visas for these jobs are not expected to count toward the ten‑year route to settlement, requiring a switch to a higher‑skilled visa for permanence.
• Employers must show detailed plans to train and recruit UK workers, with the MAC set to provide final recommendations to the Home Secretary in July 2026.