Jobs on the UK skilled worker visa list include homoeopathy, DJ, and dog walker. According to an Oxford scholar, many of the “middle-skilled” positions on the eligible list might not be what most people would consider important duties.
Jobs on the UK skilled worker visa list include Homeopathy, DJ, and Dog walker.
According to an Oxford scholar, foreign workers who are qualified to apply for UK skilled worker visas include dog beauticians, DJs, and Pilates teachers.
A list of particular and occasionally uncommon “middle-skilled” professions that foreign workers can still apply for has been identified, as the government vows in a white paper later this year to reduce the number of people coming to the UK to work.
334 visas were issued for “animal care service occupations,” which include dog groomers, dog walkers, stable workers, kennel helpers, and veterinary nursing assistants, according to an analysis of Home Office statistics spanning three years to March 2024.
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167 fitness and wellness instructors, including yoga and Pilates instructors and lifestyle coaches, received skilled worker visas during that time.
In the midst of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party’s poll surge, Keir Starmer is starting an immigration policy drive.
“Costume interpreters,” or those who welcome guests at museums and National Trust buildings while dressed in period attire, are also included in the list of professions.
Robert McNeil, a researcher at the Centre for Migration, Policy, and Society at the University of Oxford, discovered the discrepancies. “While many of these positions may be difficult and call for specific abilities, they may not be the first things that come to mind for most people when they think of roles that are essential for UK companies to hire people from abroad,” he said.
After circling past vocations often associated with visa applications, such as nursing, care work, the civil service, the diplomatic corps, and banking, he discovered them among the more than 300 recognised jobs on the list of “eligible occupations” for skilled worker visas.
McNeil stated in a blog post on Tuesday that the positions were on the list due to modifications made following the UK’s exit from the EU. The government lowered the skills level to enable middle-skilled employment to be eligible for work visas at the same time that unrestricted mobility was terminated. In the past, the system that applied to non-EU citizens exclusively qualified graduate jobs.
“Plumbers, bricklayers, and engineering technicians are among the middle-skilled occupations that immediately come to mind. However, it is not easy to define what is truly middle-skilled,” he remarked. “Some of the findings are unexpected.”
Airport baggage checkers and cabin crew are likewise considered “air travel assistants” on the “middle-skilled” category. 869 visas were granted for these positions in the fiscal year that concluded in March 2024. The list also includes homoeopaths, bicycle instructors, and cemetery administrators.
After consistently stating their desire to lower total migration, ministers have pledged to tighten visa regulations. After updated official data revealed that net migration to the UK reached a record 906,000 in 2023, Starmer charged in November that the Conservative administration was engaging in an “open borders experiment.”
The white paper is anticipated to be released in the spring as part of Starmer’s strategy to defeat Reform’s political challenge. The document’s recommendations will include actions to decrease legal immigration, such as tying migration to skills and making sure more British workers receive the training, they need to fill positions that are frequently filled by foreign workers.
According to Home Office sources, obtaining a visa is only the first step towards being permitted to work in the UK, even though the list of “eligible occupations” is diverse. Additionally, employers must sponsor foreign workers, and the majority must receive at least £38,700 in compensation. If the candidate is younger than 26 or enrolled in specific higher education programs, the needed income reduces to somewhat less than £31,000 or less.
A government official who was asked to comment on McNeil’s results stated: “We appreciate the job that talented foreign professionals do in the UK. But it’s obvious that we need to increase economic growth and reduce our dependency on foreign labour. Since we want to connect our immigration, skills, and visa systems to strengthen the domestic workforce, we will release a white paper as part of our proposal for Change to lay out a thorough proposal to fix the dysfunctional immigration system.