26th November, 2009

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended some additional occupations to the shortage occupation list. It has proposed that special needs teachers and skilled meat boners and trimmers should be added as occupations where the UK is in need of migrant labour assistance. Other occupations it suggests be added to this list include specialised jobs in the electricity transmission and distribution industry, some medical specialisms and aircraft technicians and fitters.

If its recommendations are accepted then these occupations will be added to the shortage occupation list. This will mean that UK employers will be able to recruit migrants into these positions without needing to carry out the standard resident labour market test initially.

MAC has also made a recommendation that some engineering and construction jobs be removed from the shortage occupation list due to changing economic circumstances, and that skilled chefs remain on the recommended list for the time being before being reviewed again in 2010.